Story and photos compiled by Joseph Guerra, Public Affairs Specialist, Bryan, Texas

When Holly Henderson walks the acres of Pine Island, she’s not just managing timber — she’s breathing new life into her family’s legacy. For Henderson, a fourth-generation timber landowner, the land is more than property — it represents her family’s longstanding resilience and dedication. Pine Island is also a haven for wildlife, and Henderson takes great pride in that.
 

“Turkey, white-tailed deer, red-cockaded woodpeckers, coyotes and alligator snapping turtles,” she says, her eyes lighting up. Birds such as herons, egrets, wood storks and ducks — including teal and mallards — also find refuge here. “The fishing’s good too,” she says, glancing toward a lake where alligators have made themselves at home.

Within the wooded areas, wildlife thrive on the land they call home. Henderson enjoys seeing the animals on her family’s property, which also includes oil and gas mineral production and a hunting club dating back more than 90 years.

Deep Family Roots

“My great-grandfather, Simon Henderson, started Angelina Lumber Co. in 1932,” Henderson says. Although the original sawmill lasted only three years, the land stayed in the family and has grown into a nearly 3,000-acre property. “Pine Island is the oldest property in the family,” she says.

Henderson, her two sisters and extended family collectively own the land, but she has managed it for the past nine years.

“My father ran the business for 40 years until I took over,” says Henderson, who moved back home from a photography career in New York City in 2016 after her father became ill. In the years that followed, she learned as much as she could from him.

“One thing he taught me when I came home was the importance of bringing back native longleaf pine.” While longleaf pine is native to the area, many landowners converted their plantations to loblolly. “Years before, he’d planted some tracts of longleaf. We’ve really made an effort to plant more, do more burning and promote that species,” she says. Henderson credits funding received from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for making that possible.
 

Partnering with NRCS

Recognizing the immense task of managing Pine Island, Henderson turned to NRCS for support in 2019. “The changes have been incredible since working with NRCS,” she says.

Initial reforestation efforts focused on longleaf and loblolly pine to maintain wildlife habitat for species such as wild turkey, woodpeckers, ducks and white-tailed deer. While she continues managing the land for timber production, her interest in environmental conservation has expanded. With NRCS’s help, she has taken on reforestation, prescribed burning and invasive species control, transforming parts of the property into healthier habitats.

NRCS Resource Team Leader Justin Parks has played a key role. “Of course, it’s working land, so they’re harvesting timber and replanting,” he says. Their collaboration has helped revive native longleaf pine, benefiting both the environment and wildlife.

Managing the Land with NRCS Guidance

With NRCS assistance, Henderson has implemented several conservation practices to restore Pine Island — chief among them prescribed burns.
 

NRCS District Conservationist Callie Pratt has worked with Henderson for two years. “Burns are an important part of forest management in these parts,” Pratt says, noting the positive impact already visible. “The indicator species tell us the decisions being made are improving their habitat. We’re seeing regrowth, not dying trees, and the land is opening up because there’s less competition.”

Prescribed burns help manage forest understory and improve habitat for wildlife. “Burns are an important part of forest management in these parts,” Parks says. This practice has been particularly effective in restoring natural grasses, which are vital for wildlife like turkeys and quail.

Another key practice is invasive species control, specifically Chinese tallow and yaupon holly.

Tallow, with its low-hanging small green leaves, quickly spreads after canopy removal. “The second you take out the trees, the sunlight hits the ground and those spread all over, and then none of the hardwood can come up or naturally regenerate,” Henderson says.

Yaupon holly, known for its bright berries, spreads rapidly as birds carry the seeds.

Regular burns and herbicide treatments help control these invasives, which otherwise become hazardous wildfire fuel. “Not only does it pose a fire hazard, but it’s not really useful to larger wildlife. The deer, turkey and quail don’t really use it because it’s so thick,” Parks says.

Perhaps most meaningful to Henderson is watching wildlife return. The development of open pine savannas with healthy understory vegetation has created excellent habitat.

Bringing Back the Turkeys

One of Henderson’s biggest goals has been reintroducing Eastern wild turkeys — a dream her father cherished. “My father had a love for wild turkeys, and it was very important to him to have them reintroduced to the area,” she says.

“Wild turkeys had been hunted out, but with the National Wild Turkey Federation, we got close to 90 turkeys stocked out here,” she says proudly.

Open spaces created by prescribed burns have been essential for their survival. Seeing the turkeys thrive is a fitting tribute to her father. Henderson credits NRCS practices for helping reestablish the population. “Because of the amount of natural grasses that grew after burning, we had enough open spaces for the turkeys to survive.”

Looking Forward with Hope and Determination

For Henderson, managing Pine Island isn’t just about sustaining the land — it’s about honoring her family’s history in forestry and inspiring future generations. She moves comfortably through the property, knowing its paths, tree stands and levees well.

“My favorite part of the day is riding around, observing nature and seeing the progress we’ve made,” she says. Her dedication is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved with passion, perseverance, and the right partnerships.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Holly because she has that conservation mindset and her objectives line up with NRCS goals,” Pratt says.

The plan for Pine Island is to keep it in working lands while supporting wildlife habitat. “We’re going to continue to do reforestation, we’re going to continue to do understory burning and spraying to address the habitat and continue to harvest those trees when they come of age and replant,” Pratt says.

As she continues her partnership with NRCS, Henderson hopes her story will inspire others — including her own family — to take steps to preserve and enhance their land.

"Everybody in my family is proud of what our legacy is and what our forefathers have accomplished," she says. "We all have the interest of keeping the land as it is and maintaining it in the best way."