Proceedings of the 6th Big Thicket Science Conference: Watersheds and Waterflows Biodiversity and Ecology of the West Gulf Coastal Plain Landscape Preface and General Acknowledgments Jerry L. Cook* The Big Thicket region is a biologically rich area within the West Gulf Coastal Plain. This is a landscape where many habitats can be found within relatively close proximity. Within the Big Thicket, there are numerous examples of southeastern swamps, eastern deciduous forests, pine savannas, and xeric sand hills. Additionally, this region of the United States has a sub-tropical habitat. All of these factors provide a diverse and interesting area for many types of research. The Big Thicket Science Conference, held approximately every 4 years since 1996, is an event where researchers and the public come together to exchange findings about this diverse region. The proceedings of this special issue represent part of the research that has taken place in this region since the last conference. The Proceedings of the Sixth Big Thicket Science Conference include a diversity of topics ranging from forest change and regeneration to plant invasions and water monitoring. There are papers on invasive species, endangered species, and the ecology and behavior of endemic species. As would be expected, the conference and its proceedings represent the diversity of the region that is studied. Thus, the following 12 papers, which were accepted for these proceedings, are indicative of the current research on the biodiversity and ecology of the West Gulf Coastal Plain represented within the Big Thicket region. The Sixth Big Thicket Science Conference was hosted by Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX, on 17–19 April 2015. Research was presented through 43 oral presentations and 21 posters. There were 3 field trips associated with the conference: a hike through Joy Global Prairie, a saline remnant prairie, led by William Godwin; a walk through the Tonkawa Sandhills, a unique Texas ecosystem, led by James Van Kley; and birding in the Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest, led by Cliff Shackelford. The Planning Committee (in alphabetical order) included Chris Comer, Stephen F. Austin State University; Jerry Cook, Sam Houston State University; William Godwin, Oakwood Associates, LLC; Mona Halverson, Big Thicket Association; Maxine Johnston, Big Thicket Association; Wendy Ledbetter, The Nature Conservancy; Roger Masse, Stephen F. Austin State University; Jim Neal, *Department of Biological Sciences and Office of Research and Sponsored Projects, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341; jcook@shsu.edu. i Proceedings of the 6th Big Thicket Science Conference: Watersheds and Waterflow 2016 Southeastern Naturalist 15(Special Issue 9):i–ii ii US Fish and Wildlife Service (retired); Brian Oswald, Stephen F. Austin State University; Craig Rudolph, US Forest Service, Southern Research Station; Jan Ruppell, Big Thicket Association; Dan Saenz, US Forest Service; Cliff Shackelford, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Julie Shackelford, The Conservation Fund; Jason Singhurst, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; and Kate Winsett, North Carolina State University. The designated Editor for this special issue was Jerry L. Cook, Sam Houston State University. As with all conferences, the Big Thicket Science Conference relies on the help of sponsors who make the event possible. Organizers and participants are grateful to this year’s sponsors. Conference sponsors for the sixth Big Thicket Science Conference were (in alphabetical order): • Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University • The Big Thicket Association • Big Thicket National Preserve (National Park Service) • MeadWestvaco • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department • USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station