ENJOY OUR REGION’S ENVIRONMENTAL DIVERSITY
By Ella Tyler
Texas has a great variety of rainfalls – 8 to 56″; elevations – sea level to 8500+’; and soil types; and therefore has about 5,500 plant species. The state has ten different environmental (or Vegetational) regions – Pineywoods, Gulf Prairies and Marshes, Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairies, Cross Timbers and Prairies, South Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Rolling Plains, High Plains and Trans-Pecos, Mountains and Basins.
Harris County has part of three of those regions, and a fourth is nearby. According to the Texas Almanac’s map, most of Harris County is in Gulf Prairies and Marshes, but part is in Pineywoods, and part is in the Post Oak Savannah. Bits of the Blackland Prairies are only a county or two away on the north or west. For more detail about these regions, check out Texas Environmental Profiles or this map.
This week offers several events that will allow either exploration or passively enjoyment of Pineywoods or Gulf Prairies and Marshes ecosystems.
The Sierra Club is hosting a walk on the Lone Star hiking trail near Huntsville State Park on Saturday, May 3. Meet at 8 am behind the IHOP at I-45 North and Greens Road. Look for the green Nissan mini-van. For details, contact Jane Prentiss at (713) 201-5755 or lshtrailboss@yahoo.com.
Don’t forget that Saturday, May 3 is the day that Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council will host its first East End Nature Exploration Day. There will be a variety of events. Check out www.GalvestonNatureTourism.org
Saturday evening, go on an owl prowl/night hike at Armand Bayou Nature Center. The tour begins at 8 pm. For details, call (281) 474-2551 or see ABNC’s website.
On Sunday, May 4, check out the Warren Ranch, on the Katy Prairies. Enjoy the vibrant landscape of breezy grasslands and pastures, flowing creeks, and islands of oak trees set against the backdrop of an authentic Texas cattle ranch. The ranch’s many habitats attract hawks, jackrabbits, butterflies, and a rainbow of wildflowers. The ranch will be open from 9 am to noon for self-guided trail walks. Visitors will be provided with a map and a full-color trail guide. Guests can also download a podcast at Katy Prairie Conservancy’s website. For information, e-mail info@katyprairie.org, or (713) 523- 6135.
On Saturday, May 10, at there will be a guided wildflower walk at Lake Houston Park at 9 am. The group will observe many beautiful wildflowers and learn about their medicinal and nutritional properties. Call (281) 354-0173 for reservations. Lake Houston Park is located at 22031 Baptist Encampment Road, New Caney.
Also on May 10, there will be a celebration of International Migratory Bird Day at Warren Ranch. More than 300 species of birds have been spotted on the Katy Prairie. Visitors are invited to play an action-packed migratory bird game, get a bird ‘tattoo’, and follow an expert bird watcher. Fine out about the science and the mystery behind the miracle of migration. The event is free, but reservations are required. Call (713) 523-6135.
For an experience that doesn’t involve quite so much nature, check out the Dragon Boat Festival on Buffalo Bayou, at Allen’s Landing. It is from 8:30 to 4:30 Saturday, May 3.
Or, on Sunday, enjoy a Sierra Club outing to Discovery Green, Houston’s new downtown park space. Discovery Green has a variety of water features, fountains, garden spaces, and activity areas. The group will meet at 9:30 am in Hermann Park area and take the Metrorail downtown. Contact Frank Blake for details at frankblake@juno.com or (713) 528-2896.
On Saturday, May 9, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership is hosting Nights On Blue Bayou from 6 to 9 pm on the Sabine Promenade. This free family event will include star gazing with the HMNS Discovery Dome, boat rides, night hikes, storytelling, astrology readings, park performers, and balloon artists, and park food concessions. Bring a picnic or purchase food and drinks on site. Blankets and lawn chairs, canoes or kayaks are encouraged for optimal stargazing.