Neches National Wildlife Refuge

The Neches River National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area of Texas managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located in the rolling hills of East Texas near Jacksonville. Encompassing the upper Neches River, the unit preserves a pristine waterway. After the city of Dallas proposed constructing a dam along the body of water, conservationists petitioned the federal government to protect the river, which resulted in the 2006 creation of the refuge. The Texas Water Board sued to prevent this acquisition, but in 2010, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Fish & Wildlife Service. Although the river is served by several canoe outfitters, the mainland portion of the facility is closed to visitors.