Environmental Resource Guide
Purpose: To preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources of the Galveston Bay estuarine system and its tributaries for present users and for posterity. Galveston Bay Foundation’s balanced programs in advocacy, conservation, education, and research strive to ensure that Galveston Bay remains a beautiful and productive place for generations to come.…
Purpose: Mercer Botanic Gardens (MBG) seeks to establish and maintain a versatile botanical facility for Houston and the greater Gulf Coast region, serving the general public, the horticulture industry, and the scientific community. MBG strives to improve quality of life and inspire greater appreciation for the essential value and beauty of the plant world.…
Purpose:Â CEC works to connect our environmental community. Our mission is to foster education, dialogue, and collaboration on environmental issues in the Houston/Gulf Coast region.
Purpose: To raise awareness of the connections between pollution, place and the public’s health. CEER envisions a region that is equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically strong; where residents have the opportunity to live, work, learn, play, and pray free from environmental hazards. CEER advocates for public and private investment in protecting communities by cleaning up hazards that contaminate air, water, and land.…
Purpose: To preserve and protect the Texas coast and its recreational resources. To defend the Texas Open Beaches Act. Our issues are water quality, beach access, erosion, and coastal development. Our goal is to stand on the beach 30 years from now and be able to say, “We made the right decisions.†We were founded in 1999.…
Purpose:Â Our mission is to make the Houston Zoo a leader in conservation as it relates to the survival of threatened wildlife, wise use of natural resources, and the appreciation of our natural world by zoo visitors.
Publications: Members quarterly Wildlife Magazine.
Major Events: Conservation Gala, Call of the Wild Speakers Series, Earth Day, Feast with the Beasts, Zoobilee, Zoo Boo, Spotlight on Species Weekends.…
Latino Outdoors (LO) Houston is part of a nationwide community led by volunteers. A chapter of LO can be found in many major cities across the United States. Our mission is to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring our history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented.…
Purpose: To provide a network and forum for anyone interested or with expertise in the environment’s natural history, ecology, local environmental issues and especially environmental education in order to facilitate discussion, exchange of ideas, methods, information and events related to environmental education efforts in the Greater Houston Area. Meetings: First Wed.…
Purpose: Engage. Educate. Empower. Providing opportunities for young people to learn about our environment and 21st Century Stewardship through engaging them, and providing knowledge and skills that empower them. Â
Programs: Conservation projects, scout merit badges, science teacher training, afternoon story time, hands-on student ecosystem lessons in the one-acre Don Greene Nature Park.…
Purpose: The Friends of Woodland Park, Inc. (FWP) is dedicated to preserving the park’s natural habitat along with its unique historical significance to the City of Houston, and to providing for the enjoyment and education of all who visit.
Publications: Subscribe to email newsletter.
Programs: Trails at Twilight Gala,
Bird watching monthly.…
Purpose:Â To build political will for Congress to act on climate change.
Program: Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change.
Our consistently respectful, nonpartisan approach to climate education is designed to create a broad, sustainable foundation for climate action across all geographic regions and political inclinations.…
Purpose: To promote the preservation and appreciation of Houston’s architectural and cultural historic resources through advocacy, education, and committed action; thereby creating economic value and developing a stronger sense of community. Regular Meetings: Walking tours, second Sunday of each month. Programs: Preservation advocacy, Historic Neighborhoods Council, Realtor programs, heritage education program, heritage tourism promotion, Museum of Houston digital archive and online museum.…
Purpose:Â The SPARK School Program works with schools and neighborhoods to develop community parks on public school grounds. In the past 30 years, SPARK has built over 200+ community parks throughout the Houston/Harris County area. Each park is unique, with its design based on ideas and needs of the school and surrounding neighborhoods.…
Purpose: American YouthWorks provides young people with opportunities to build careers, strengthen communities, and improve the environment through education, on-the-job training, and service to others.
Programs:
- YouthBuild Austin is a youth services program that combines academics with career training, leadership development, and community service. For more information visit http://americanyouthworks.org/programs/youthbuild/
- Texas Conservation Corps (TxCC) is a 21st Century Conservation Service Corps accredited program that empowers young people through AmeriCorps service, conservation, education, and jobs training.
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Purpose:Â Houston Tomorrow is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all the people of the Houston region through research, education, and discussion. Its vision is that on its 200th birthday, the Houston region will be home to the healthiest, happiest, most prosperous people in the United States.…
Purpose:Â The Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs has a reputation as a comprehensive center for sound academic research. Scholars focus on a broad range of topics, including voting behavior, American foreign policy and international relations, political communication, criminal justice attitudes and behavior, police violence, environmental justice, race and crime, race and governance, policy studies, leadership, E-government, homeland security, urban transportation, housing and community development, Diaspora studies, environmental planning, economic development and the fiscal responsibility of urban governments.…
Purpose:Â The Houston Peace and Justice Center provides networks and resources for organizations and individuals to advance peace and social justice.
Programs: Links and resources to various social justice movements happening in the area.
Volunteer Opportunities: Fill out an application online to become a volunteer.…
Purpose:Â The Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) is a non-profit membership organization and land trust dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of native prairies, savannas, and other grasslands in Texas. NPAT protects over 2000 acres of native Texas grassland, including over 100 acres of endangered/threatened tallgrass prairie. In 2010, NPAT started its first local chapter in Houston to allow members in the metro area to meet and discuss local and regional projects and raise awareness for the organization in the Texas Gulf Coast region.…
Purpose:Â The mission of Living Paradigm is to empower people by creating home ownership of shelters erected from reclaimed materials. These dwellings will be environmentally responsible and healthy places for those that inhabit them and will contribute to the culture, vitality, and individuality of the community.
Living Paradigm addresses the social, economic and environmental basis of sustainable living by building low-cost homes (under $50k), with volunteer or apprenticeship labor, using materials that would otherwise go to the landfill.…
Purpose:Â This Ornithological Society is a group of friends of all ages in Galveston County, Texas, who share a love for learning about birds.
Programs: They have meetings and classes and birding trips like the Water Bird Workshop or Shorebird Seminar. Members have day and overnight field trips to observe birds in their natural setting.…
The CEC has a searchable, web-based version of the Environmental Resource Guide. You may also download older versions of the printed guide below.
Archived Resource Guides