Coalition Notes 12-10-2012

1. HANC Winter Native Plant Sale. The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center will be holding its Winter Native Plant Sale from December 8-16, 2012, from 9 am to 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/.
2. Art Benefit – Memorial Park Conservancy. The ArtFull Umbrella event on December 11, 2012, at Mixed Emotions Gallery (95 Tuam Street) will benefit Memorial Park Conservancy. Because of the 2011 drought, Memorial Park lost half of its canopy. Given the park’s popularity, so many people have been heartbroken by the loss of the park’s trees. The good news is that The Memorial Park Conservancy has a plan to replant, and this art benefit is perfectly timed to raise money to make sure the Conservancy has the necessary funds to get ready for the upcoming Arbor Day 2013 and planting season. At the benefit, you can expect great food, drinks, and entertainment. Learn more at http://theartfullumbrella.com/.
3. Special Program: Wildlife Diversity Program. The Houston Sierra Club and the Houston Audubon Society are jointly hosting a special program on December 12, 2012, at 7 pm 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 Field Day. Join Katy Prairie Conservancy at the Indiangrass Preserve on December 13, 2012, 8 am-3 pm, to help restore the prairie! Typical activities include work in the Coastal Prairie Nursery and Garden, trail maintenance, invasive species control. Individuals and groups are welcome. For more information, contact Linda Langlitz at llanglitz@katyprairie.org, call 713-530-7147, or visit http://www.katyprairie.org/.
5. Houston Audubon Owl Prowl. The next Owl Prowl at the Edith Moore Sanctuary log cabin will take place on December 14, 2012, 7-9 pm. The evening will begin with a lively program on owls including a rare opportunity to meet live, rehabilitated owls. Audubon docents then lead participants along the sanctuary’s wooded trails in search of resident screech owls. Learn more and make a reservation at http://www.houstonaudubon.org/.
6. 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/.
7. 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 15, 2012, from 5-8 pm (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.
8. “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, 2012, from 11am until noon. A short PowerPoint presentation will show where construction will begin on Houston’s Bayou Greenways during the first few months of 2013. 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.
9. Free Idling Reduction Bumper Stickers & Signs. Free idling reduction bumper stickers and signs are still available. Idling reduction bumper stickers can be posted inside or outside of vehicles as a daily reminder for drivers, passengers and pedestrians that engine idling wastes fuel, drains financial resources and pollutes our air. If you are interested in idling reduction bumper stickers and/or signs, simply complete the order form (available online at www.EngineOffHGAC.com) and email it to Melissa.Bain@H-GAC.com.
10. GPRC Restoration Not Incarcerationâ„¢. Great Plains Restoration Council’s program Restoration Not Incarcerationâ„¢ is featured as a case study in the new book Environmental Social Work, published by Routledge Press 2013. With twin issues of trauma and crisis affecting both Earth and people — and society’s very sustainability at stake — GPRC is proud to be at the forefront of merging the health of both people and the Earth through the work and story of protecting America’s endangered grasslands. Chapter 9: Restoration Not Incarceration: An environmentally based pilot initiative for working with young offenders, by Dr. Christine Norton, of Texas State University, and Social Worker Barbara Holguin, is based on the first year developing Esteban Park in urban Houston as a coastal prairie refuge and Ecological Health demonstration site. The book is for sale on Amazon. You can check it out today and let GPRC know what you think.
11. 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 19, 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.