Coalition Notes 12-03-2012

1. 4th Annual State of the Prairie Conference. Coastal Prairie Partnership and Native Prairie Association of Texas are proud to invite you to the 4th Annual State of the Prairie Conference to be held in Kingsville, TX from Dec. 6-9, 2012 at the both the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center and Texas A&M Kingsville. This year’s conference includes two of days of highly informative field trips to prairie remnants in the greater Corpus/Kingsville area and prairie plant grow out centers. There will be presentations and field experiences that focus on the economics of prairies and prairie restoration, cattle production, restoration after oil/gas drilling and landowner rights, biodiversity, prairie wetlands and more. So whether you are a private landowner, rancher, conservationist, landscape architect, educator, naturalist, or just curious about building prairies, this event is for you! $125 for indoor presentations on Dec. 7 and 8 (student rate available), includes lunch and dinner, $30 for Field Experience on Dec. 6 or 9. Single-day rates available. Full details and registration available at www.prairiepartner.org.
2. GCBO Birds and Bottomlands Blitz: Mini Christmas Bird Count. Gulf Coast Bird Observatory (103 Hwy 332 W. Lake Jackson, TX) will be holding a Mini Christmas Bird Count with Tom Morris, Jerry Eppner, and Tom Taroni on December 8th, 9-11am. The leaders will discuss more details of a Christmas Count, lead participants in a search for birds and compile results after a tour of short nature trails. If you have binoculars, please bring them. If not, a limited amount of binoculars will be available. You do not have to be knowledgeable about birds, as there will be volunteers to help you identify the birds seen. A list of the wintering birds to be expected will be given to all participants. More at http://www.gcbo.org/.
3. Special Hourly Program: Wildlife Diversity Program. The Houston Sierra Club and the Houston Audubon Society are jointly hosting a special hourly program on December 12th at 7pm at the Hermann Park Garden Center (1500 Hermann Dr). John Davis, Wildlife Diversity Program Director, will speak about current wildlife diversity issues, how the Wildlife Diversity Program is funded, and most importantly, what is needed in the future to truly do a good job of stewarding wildlife diversity in Texas. Contact: Evelyn Merz at 713-644-8228 or elmerz@hal-pc.org. More at http://www.houstonaudubon.org/.
4. KPC Unplugged Adventure: Dog Days. Katy Prairie Conservancy is hosting an event centered around our canine friends. Come out with your pooch on a leash on December 15th, 10am-noon, for a dog’s day on the prairie. There will be demonstrations of the amazing skills of hunting dogs and the graceful skills of agility-trained dogs. This event is free! Please contact info@katyprairie.org or call 713.523.6135 to register. More at http://www.katyprairie.org/.
5. HANC Winter Native Plant Sale. The Houston Arboretum will be holding its Winter Native Plant Sale from December 8-16, 9am-4pm, at 4501 Woodway Dr. Over 90 species of native plants will be available, including Baldy Cypress, Beatyberry, Coral Honeysuckle, Gulf Coast Muhley, Indigo Bush, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Sassafras, Sweetbay Magnolia, and White Oak. Find a complete list here: http://www.houstonarboretum.org/.
6. “Now What” Community Meeting About Houston’s Bayou Greenways. ParksByYou and the Houston Parks Board will host a short one hour community meeting entitled: “Now What” at the United Way at 50 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007 on December 20 from 11am until noon. Drinks will be provided during a short PowerPoint presentation demonstrating where construction will begin on Houston’s Bayou Greenways during the first few months of 2013. But ParksByYou still needs your help in fundraising and friendraising. So bring a friend and hear about the next steps in the most transformative project in Houston, and one of the largest trail projects in the nation. RSVP here: jen@houstonparksboard.org and check out www.houstonbayougreenways.org for more information on the trails and parks.
7. 2012-2013 Texas Christmas Bird Counts. The 113th annual Christmas Bird Count is scheduled for December 14, 2012 to January 5, 2013. Organized by the National Audubon Society, this all-volunteer effort takes a snapshot of bird populations to monitor their status and distribution across the Western Hemisphere. Counts are open to birders of all skill levels. Novices are placed in groups with more experienced birders. New to CBCs? Join in the fun! Discover new areas to bird which may not be normally accessible and take advantage of this great opportunity to bird with some of our foremost birding experts. Be part of a long-standing holiday program that ultimately helps protect our extraordinary birds! As of 2012, there is NO FEE to participate in Christmas Bird Counts! The annual CBC report will be an online publication and Nation Audubon will rely on donations for funding. Check out the schedule at http://www.houstonaudubon.org/.
8. 2012 Christmas Cruises Along Buffalo Bayou. Join Buffalo Bayou Partnership in celebrating the holiday season with 30-minute pontoon boat rides along Buffalo Bayou served up with plenty of decorations, brightly colored lights, song and cheer! The cruises will be held on December 8, and 15 from 5-8pm (weather permitting). Boat landing and pick up location is at downtown’s Allen’s Landing (Commerce and Main Street) on the other side of Main Street Bridge from the Spaghetti Warehouse. No reservations are taken, and tours are on a first come – first serve basis. Limited capacity of 21 persons per trip. The cruises are $7 for adults and $5 for children (ages 4 -12) no strollers please (cash only). Check the website at www.buffalobayou.org for cancellations due to weather. Private tours are also available – call 713.752.0314 ext. 4 for reservations.
9. Save the date: The 13th Annual Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale. Mark your calendar for this once a year fruit-tree-fest. The 13th Annual Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale will be held on Saturday, January 19th, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until sold out, at Houston Community College, 5601 West Loop South, just south of Hwy 59. This sale brings together far more types and varieties of fruit trees than can be found anywhere else in the greater Houston area. Best fruit trees are available only during the winter at this sale.