The "Canyonlands" of Southeast Texas is an area that is extremely rich in species diversity along with being very geologically unique. The uniqueness is largely due to the changes in land type that occur over relatively short distances. The lands moving from west to east begin with high forested bluffs that were historically the bluff line of the ancient Neches River floodplain. These bluffs have been eroded over hundreds of years by natural events leaving steep slopes that fall precipitously into forested ravines. Each ravine can be somewhat unique in shape and vegetation, but each one typically has a cold water spring that originates at the base of the bluff and head of the ravine. These freshwater springs slowly form into clear running streams that flow eastward as the ravines gradually widen into the upper terraces of the river. This area of the forest is covered with beech, magnolia, and white oak alongside ferns, shade-loving wildflowers, and other rare forest flora such as trillium and mandrake. The streams eventually flow into the lower terraces and floodplains of the Neches River, initially forming shallow depressions and then larger sloughs and swamps covered with aging groves of cypress and tupelo gum. In October, 2010, The Conservation Fund purchased 903 acres of the Canyonlands from the Hancock Timber Resource Group. These lands were subsequently integrated into the Big Thicket National Preserve so that they might continue to be conserved and enjoyed by the public in perpetuity.