Houston Environmental News Update January 8, 2012
- Save the Date: Visions for a Greener Houston, March 12, 2016, 1:00 pm
to 6:00 pm. - 82nd Legislature Regular Session
- Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charity
- Houston Audubon Log Cabin Grand Re-Opening
- Frank and Cindy Liu Distinguished Visitor Lecture Series – Peter Park
- The 13th Annual Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale
- Katy Prairie Field Day
- GCBO Birds & Bottomlands Blitz
- HANC Class: Build a Nest Box for the Eastern Screech Owl
- Hermann Park Bird Survey
- Bolivar Horseshoe Marsh Work Day
- Water and Aquatic Science Education Guides
- Film: Promised Land
- AF&PA Recycling Awards
- TPWD Opportunities for Comment
- RBC Blue Water Projectâ„¢ Grants
- Landowner Grants
- TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife
- Air Quality Forecast
- Houston’s Luce Bayou project may save Lake Conroe water supply (Howard
Roden – Your Woodlands News, 12/13/2012) - Making our coastlines more resilient (Guidry News, 12/25/2012)
- Texas Environment 2012: A Year In Review (Rod Rice – KUHF News)
- NEW! HARC seeks a GIS/Remote Sensing Research Associate
- NEW! Houston Endowment is seeking a Vice President For Programs
- Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership seeks Watershed Coordinator
- The Mercer Society seeks Retail Staff
- Urban Harvest seeks Executive Director
- The Woods Project seeks Club Program Directors
- Hermann Park Conservancy seeks Marketing Manager
- The Mercer Society seeks Executive Director
- Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) seeks Administrative Assistant
- Texas Coastal Watershed Program (TCWP) seeks Graduate Student Intern
- Texas Coastal Watershed Program seeks Wetland Program Assistant
- Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens seeks Conservation Botany Intern
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE INSTRUCTIONS
- Save the Date: Visions for a Greener Houston, March
12, 2016, 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Once again the CEC will be bringing
together Houston’s Environmental community for a series of discussions
aimed at fostering dialogue, interaction, and strength in numbers in
order to identify and set goals to alleviate the pressing issues facing
our community. Building on the success of our first summit in February
2012, we will have updates and success stories, compare progress, and
discuss hot issues confronting the quality of life in our growing
region. - 82nd Legislature Regular Session. Session begins at
noon on Tuesday, January 8, 2012, and we plan to share information
during the session about what bills our member groups and readers are
tracking. In the future, updates will be provided in a separate section
of the newsletter. So far, 438 bills have been filed by the House and
152 bills have been filed by the Senate. Bills filed so far touch on
issues including public beaches, climate adaptation planning, eminent
domain for recreation, community gardens, solid waste management,
transportation, the sporting goods sales tax, emmissions inspections,
municipal land development, TCEQ rules, water efficiency and water
rates, and salvage yards, to name a few. Learn more at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Reports/General.aspx.
The following are select bills (SB=Senate Bill, HB=House Bill, and
HJR=House Joint Resolution) which may be of interest to the region’s
environmental community:- SB 78: Relating to the development of a climate adaptation plan
by certain entities. - SB 96: Relating to prohibiting the use of eminent domain to take
private property for recreational purposes. - SB 133: Relating to the use of certain state property for
community food gardens. - SB 136: Relating to unit operations for oil, gas, or oil and gas
production or carbon dioxide storage. - SB 145: Relating to a credit or refund for diesel fuel taxes paid
on diesel fuel used in this state by auxiliary power units or power
take-off equipment. - HB 36: Relating to the criminal penalty for and certain civil
consequences of damaging property with graffiti. - HB 46: Relating to the regulation of raw milk and raw milk
products. - HB 83: Relating to the implementation of county solid waste
management programs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a
municipality. - HB 84: Relating to the establishment and operation of a
motor-bus-only lane pilot program in certain counties. - HB 100: Relating to unit operations for oil, gas, or oil and gas
production or carbon dioxide storage. - HB 105: Relating to the allocation of the proceeds from taxes
imposed on the sale, storage, or use of sporting goods. - HB 114: Relating to voluntary emissions inspections in border
counties. - HB 116: Relating to the sunset review of regional mobility
authorities. - HB 118: Relating to voting eligibility requirements for members
of a metropolitan planning organization policy board. - HB 121: Relating to requiring that members of the governing board
of certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities be elected. - HB 139: Relating to the exercise of urban renewal powers by
certain counties. - HB 141: Relating to county and municipal land development
regulation. - HB 147: Relating to the regulatory analysis of rules proposed by
the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. - HB 162: Relating to the allocation of the proceeds from taxes
imposed on the sale, storage, or use of sporting goods. - HB 168: Relating to the operation, powers, and duties of certain
water districts. - HB 178: Relating to exemption from the sales tax for certain
water efficient products for a limited period. - HB 187: Relating to the authority of the Near Northside
Management District to undertake tax increment financing. - HB 203: Relating to changing the name of the Railroad Commission
of Texas to the Texas Oil and Gas Commission. - HB 218: Relating to prohibiting the manufacture and sale of
certain children’s products containing bisphenol-A or certain other
substances. - HB 227: Relating to the appropriation of money from the economic
stabilization fund to be used for the purposes of the water
infrastructure fund during the next state fiscal biennium. - HB 246: Relating to the rates charged by water and sewer
utilities. - HB 248: Relating to the regulation of automotive wrecking and
salvage yards in certain counties. - HB 252: Relating to water shortage reporting by water utilities.
- HB 254: Relating to an exemption for farms from payment for
wastewater service. - HB 258: Relating to liability of certain public utilities that
allow certain uses of land that the public utility owns, occupies,
or leases. - HB 263: Relating to combination resident hunting and fishing
licenses for military personnel. - HB 303: Relating to this state’s goal for renewable energy.
- HB 307: Relating to safety equipment requirements for certain
cyclists; creating an offense. - HB 311: Relating to the exemption of rural transit districts from
motor fuel taxes. - HB 314: Relating to the abolition of the Alternative Fuels
Research and Education Division program administered by the Railroad
Commission of Texas. - HB 325: Relating to the boundaries of and the nature of the
state’s interest in public beaches. - HB 332: Relating to tort liability arising from a volunteer’s
operation of a Parks and Wildlife Department motor-driven vehicle or
motor-driven equipment. - HB 341: Relating to the exclusion of mineral interests from the
property interests that may be condemned by a regional tollway
authority. - HB 371: Relating to the offer of certain unusable remainder real
property acquired by the Texas Department of Transportation to
nonprofit corporations. - HJR 22: Proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the uses of
revenue from motor vehicle registration fees, taxes on motor fuels
and lubricants, and certain revenue received from the federal
government. - HJR 23: Proposing a constitutional amendment concerning the
limitation on the rate of growth of state appropriations. - HJR 40: Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the
appropriation of the net revenue received from the imposition of the
state sales and use tax on sporting goods. - HJR 54: Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing the
boundaries of public beaches and declaring that the state holds
public beaches in trust for the use of the public.
- SB 78: Relating to the development of a climate adaptation plan
- Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charity.
It’s time to vote for your favorite charity! Chevron has partnered with
the Houston Marathon Foundation to celebrate and recognize the success
of Chevron Houston Marathon’s Run for a Reason Program. From December 19
– January 8, you can vote for your favorite Run for a Reason charity.
(Limit one (1) vote per person.) Chevron will donate $50,000 to the
charity that receives the most votes. The participating charities that
are also partners of CEC include Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Memorial
Park Conservancy. Visit http://houstonmarathon.wordpress.com/
and vote! - Houston Audubon Log Cabin Grand Re-Opening. The log
cabin in Houston Audubon’s Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary is re-opening
after its first major restoration in more than 20 years! The public is
invited to a celebration on January 12th, 12:30-5:00pm, at the cabin,
which will feature tours of the cabin, nature activities and crafts,
face painting, live music by “Wild Ben & the Buccaneers”, live
animals, and interactions with “Edith Moore” as interpreted by local
actress Linda Royce. This event is free. Park in the Memorial Drive
United Methodist Church west parking lot at 12955 Memorial Drive and
enter the nature sanctuary through the marked gate. More at www.houstonaudubon.org. - Frank and Cindy Liu Distinguished Visitor Lecture Series –
Peter Park. There is a great lecture coming up with Design
Critic Peter J. Park on January 14 at 6pm at the BioScience Research
Collective (6500 Main Street at University Blvd). Park, who works in
Urban Planning and Design at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, served
as planning director for two large U. S. cities over the last 16 years.
In Milwaukee and Denver, his integrated approach to comprehensive
planning, urban design, and development review resulted in clear visions
for sustainable urban development, places of high quality design, and
streamlined development permitting systems. He led the preparation of
downtown plans, numerous neighborhood plans, and comprehensive zoning
code updates in both cities. This lecture is part of the Chao Center for
Asian Studies’ Frank & Cindy Liu Distinguished Visiting Lecture
Series, and is co-sponsored by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research,
BetterHouston, CNU – Houston, and HoustonTomorrow. Please register for
this event at https://signup.rice.edu/Liu/. - 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. For more information,
visit http://www.urbanharvest.org/events/fruittreesales.html. - Katy Prairie Field Day. Want to get your hands dirty?
The second Thursday of each month, from 8 am to 3 pm, KPC hosts Field
Days, generally at our Indiangrass Preserve. Volunteers will work in
KPC’s Coastal Prairie Native Seed Nursery watering, weeding, and potting
seedlings. Occasionally, we work at other locations. Email
info@katyprairie.org for more details. - GCBO Birds & Bottomlands Blitz. GCBO Birds &
Bottomlands Blitz takes place on the 2nd Saturday of each month. The
next even January 12th, 9-11am, at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and
will cover Trees and Shrubs of the Bottomlands with Michael Lange and
Thomas Adams. Michael Lange is a biologist at the Mid-Coast National
Wildlife Refuge Complex and is in charge of their Columbia Bottomlands
acquisition program. Thomas Adams is a botanist at the Mid-Coast
National Wildlife Refuge Complex. This is an outdoor event that will
require hiking through woods and fields. Visit http://www.gcbo.org/
for more information. - HANC Class: Build a Nest Box for the Eastern Screech Owl.
Birds of all kinds need protection from predators and bad weather and a
safe place to raise their young. Improve our urban habitat for Houston’s
most valuable owl, the Eastern Screech Owl, by taking this hands-on,
family-friendly workshop. You’ll learn about the fascinating habits of
the Eastern Screech Owl and build a nesting box from used lumber
diverted from the local landfill by the City of Houston’s ReUse
Warehouse. One child age 10 and up is welcome with each paid adult. The
class will be held on January 13th, 1-3pm, at the Houston Arboretum
& Nature Center. More at http://www.houstonarboretum.org/. - Hermann Park Bird Survey. The Hermann Park Bird
Survey takes place on the 2nd Monday each month. The next survey will be
held on January 14th, 8:30-11:30am, at Hermann Park (meet in the parking
lot behind the Historic Golf Clubhouse). New participants are welcome.
More at http://www.houstonaudubon.org/. - Bolivar Horseshoe Marsh Work Day. Bolivar Bolivar
Horseshoe Marsh Work Days take place on the third Thursday of every
month. The next work day is on January 17th, from 9am-12pm. Activities
include planting and re-potting native grasses and wildflowers for a
5-acre coastal prairie restoration project. New volunteers are welcome!
To sign up, please contact Flo Hannah at fhannah@houstonaudubon.org.
More at http://cechouston.org/.
- Water and Aquatic Science Education Guides. Texas
Parks and Wildlife, the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at
Texas State University, and the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of
Mexico Studies have teamed up to develop guides to aquatic science for
Texas’ middle and high school students. Teachers and others interested
in aquatic science education for Texas’ middle and high school students
are invited to review and comment on the draft guides, as well as submit
their favorite aquatic science-related activities to include in the
guides. All contributions will be acknowledged. To learn more about the
guides, become a member of the review team, enter discussion and submit
aquatic science activities please log onto http://www.aquaticedguides.org/. - Film: Promised Land. “Promised Land” is in theaters
in select cities across Texas, including Houston. The film tells the
story of a small town which is caught up in the economic frenzy and
environmental storm that is hydraulic fracturing. Learn more about the
movie at http://focusfeatures.com/promised_land.
If the film sparks questions in your mind, or prompts water-cooler
conversation at your office, remember, you can host a coffee/tea at your
home, or a discussion at your place of worship or civic group–or have
the movie “Gasland” shown at any of those–simply by contacting Alyssa
Burgin at alyssa@texasdroughtproject.org. - AF&PA Recycling Awards. The 2013 American Forest
& Paper Association (AF&PA) Recycling Awards are officially
underway! The annual awards program recognizes outstanding school,
business and community paper recycling efforts. An award winner in each
category earns a $2,000 cash prize, original framed ‘paper art’ and
local and national visibility. New in 2013, a Fan Favorite award in each
category will be determined by a voting campaign promoted through
Facebook and Twitter. In addition, schools are encouraged to submit
student artwork and recycling messages that could be used to educate
peers about the importance of paper recycling. Winners, runners-up and
unique programs will become prominent content on a redesigned
paperrecycles.org website and in printed AF&PA outreach materials.
More at http://www.paperrecycles.org/. - TPWD Opportunities for Comment. The Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department is now taking public comment on several proposed
regulations and a list of proposed real estate transactions. Two
Proposed Real Estate Transactions are taking place in the Houston Area:
‘Acceptance of Land Donation — Brazoria County — Approximately 480 Acres
at Christmas Bay Coastal Preserve’ and ‘Request for Deed Modification —
Harris County — Authorization of Pipeline Easement at Lake Houston
Wilderness Park.’ Details are at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/. - RBC Blue Water Projectâ„¢ Grants. The RBC Blue Water
Project supports projects that focus on supporting initiatives that help
protect and preserve water in towns, cities and urbanized areas with
populations of more than 10,000 people. There are two levels of grants
offered: Community Action Grants and Leadership Grants. The Community
Action Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000, and are awarded to local or
community-based organizations in Canada, the United States or the
Caribbean. Applications are due February 8th. Leadership Grants range
from $10,001 to $100,000 and are awarded to organizations that are
leaders in providing programs in North America and other countries where
RBC does business. If you are interested in applying for a 2013
Leadership Grant, you must submit an Expression of Interest by January
11, 2013. More at http://www.rbc.com/. - Landowner Grants. In an effort to reduce wildfire
hazards on private lands, Texas A&M Forest Service is administering
U.S. Forest Service Community Fire Protection Grant funding for
prescribed burning within three miles of a national forest boundary.
Although previously a deadline was set for mid-December, applications
will now be accepted as long as funds are available. Landowners who wish
to apply for grant funds must submit a prescribed burn plan, a map of
the area to be burned showing its proximity to national forest land and
the physical address of the burn unit. Learn more at http://www.kwkt.com/
and download the application at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/. - TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT
Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on cable channels in Baytown,
Deer Park, Seabrook, and on HCC. More info on the TPWD
website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area). This
week’s broadcast will include:- Coastal Conflicts – Impact of Wind Farms
- Parks & Wildlife People: Wildlife Permitting Team
- The Other Big Bend
- Outdoor Info: Shooters Eye & Ear Protection
- The Legend of Old RIP 50th Film History: Time For Seafood
- Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html.
Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.- January 8: Green–Good.
Moderate winds, low incoming background levels, and/or heavy cloud
cover with precipitation should help to keep air quality in the
“Good” range statewide. - January 9: Green–Good.
Moderate winds, low incoming background levels, and heavy cloud
cover with precipitation should help to keep air quality in the
“Good” range statewide. - January 10: Green–Good.
Moderate to strong winds, low incoming background levels, and
lingering cloud cover with precipitation should help to keep air
quality in the “Good” range statewide.
- January 8: Green–Good.
ECONOTES Featured News
Articles–For dozens of additional headlines, visit the CEC
website. (You can let us know about articles, too. E-mail news@cechouston.org).
- Houston’s Luce Bayou project may save Lake Conroe water supply
(Howard Roden – Your Woodlands News, 12/13/2012) The Luce Bayou
Interbasin Transfer is a $297 million project designed to convey water
owned by Houston from the Trinity River basin to Lake Houston. Supported
by the city of Houston, the Region H Planning Group and other
governmental entities, the Luce Bayou project will serve as Houston’s
primary backup water supply. However, some environmental groups,
including the Sierra Club, object to the project. http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Making our coastlines more resilient (Guidry News,
12/25/2012) Part of the underlying value of seeking coastal resilience
is adapting to the coastal conditions of that area, understanding the
geological and hydrological, ecological and historical forces impacting
the beachfront and making nearshore and upland decisions based on that.
A resilient coastline does not keep people away – it just keeps them
safer when storms strike, giving them a better chance of having a home
to come back to once the wind stops blowing. http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Texas Environment 2012: A Year In Review (Rod Rice –
KUHF News) As 2012 draws to a close the big environmental story in Texas
was another year of drought. The extended dry weather took a toll on our
environment and the state’s economy. Large parts of the rest of the
country also suffered from severe drought and 2012 is expected to be the
hottest year on record. http://app1.kuhf.org/
GREEN JOBS Tell them you
heard about it from us! Job listings can be found at CEC’s
Green Jobs page.
- NEW! HARC seeks a GIS/Remote Sensing Research Associate.
HARC is a non-profit research hub located in The Woodlands, TX dedicated
to performing independent analysis for people and institutions seeking
scientific answers in support of a sustainable future. HARC’s research
focuses on clean air, clean water, and clean energy. We are seeking a
person with an educational background and work experience in GIS,
Geography, Environmental Science, Biology or related disciplines and
skills in ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Server, and other ESRI products.
Major duties will include creation of digital mapping products for use
in reports, proposals, websites and presentations; design, creation and
maintenance of interactive mapping applications for distribution via the
internet; and quantitative and statistical analyses on geospatial
datasets. For more information about the position and to upload a
resume, please visit http://mitchell.harc.edu/. - NEW! Houston Endowment is seeking a Vice President For
Programs. The Vice President for Programs works closely with
the President to develop and implement foundation strategies. The Vice
President manages the foundation’s day-to-day grantmaking activities in
keeping with current policies and procedures and coordinates the work of
the entire program staff to meet the highest standards. The Vice
President develops and maintains strong relationships with peer
foundations and community leaders and effectively articulates foundation
goals and programs. The search for the ideal candidate will remain open
until the position is filled. Qualified applicants should forward a
cover letter and resume to: Deborah Bessire, Human Resources Manager,
Houston Endowment Inc./600 Travis Street, Suite 6400/Houston, TX 77002;
dbessire@houstonendowment.org. - Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership seeks Watershed
Coordinator. The mission of the Armand Bayou Watershed
Partnership is to “improve the quality of life in our communities by
protecting, enhancing, and restoring the ecological integrity and
natural benefits of the Armand Bayou watershed.†The Watershed
Coordinator is responsible for the overall administration and management
of the Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership, including
fundraising/grantwriting and business operations. Areas of
responsibility include planning and evaluation, policy and program
development and administration, personnel and fiscal management, and
public relations. This is a full-time position, hired by and directly
accountable to the Armand Bayou Watershed Council, communicating
regularly with its elected Council chair. The Watershed Coordinator
implements policies approved by the Council, manages the organization’s
programs and operations (including implementation of its Strategic
Plan), and represents the organization in the community. Â Cover
letter, resume, and written answers to the questions below should be
submitted via e-mail to: linda.shead@sheadconservation.com. The
questions are: 1. Based on the “Ability to create and foster teams to
solve watershed problems,†how have you used this skill in the past, and
what would you do differently in the future? 2. Tell about past
experience with outside consultants and contractors - The Mercer Society seeks Retail Staff. The
Mercer Society has an opening for a Retail Staff position in The Gift
Shoppe on weekends. Candidates will have responsibility for handling all
sales, greeting visitors, working with volunteers, opening and closing
as well as general care duties and watering of the plants. The Gift
Shoppe is a small, cheerful retail store managed by The Mercer Society.
The sales help support Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens. The shop
sells garden art, tools, books, and a variety of gifts as well as
plants. The work schedule is primarily every other weekend although all
staff work special events. The Gift Shoppe weekend hours are 10 to 3
Saturdays and 11 to 4 Sundays. Retail experience is desirable but not
mandatory. If you are interested in, applying for this part-time paid
position please send a resume with the subject “Gift Shoppe†to
msociety@hcp4.net or mail to The Mercer Society, 22306 Aldine Westfield
Rd, Humble, TX 77338. - Urban Harvest seeks Executive Director. Urban
Harvest is searching for an outstanding individual with strong
leadership, management, and fundraising skills to become its next
Executive Director. The Executive Director of Urban Harvest will work
with the Board, staff, administration, and partners to promote the
organization’s mission and accomplishments, position the organization to
grow and thrive, and set priorities for achieving optimal community
impact. He or she will provide strong leadership for the organization,
including management of programs, staff, operating budget, strategic
plan, donor and community relations, marketing, and development efforts.
The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of business experience,
preferably in the nonprofit field with time as an executive director or
in senior management; management experience leading an organization,
with measurable results in hiring, mentoring, developing, and retaining
staff; proven experience with financial management, fund accounting, and
budgeting; demonstrated track record of generating revenue through major
donors, corporations, and foundations for an organization, as a
volunteer, consultant, or professional; proven success engaging,
building, and supporting a nonprofit governing board at the national,
regional, or local level; and a college degree (required). Applications
and nominations will be accepted until Friday, January 18, 2013. Please
email applications to Pat Lawson at plawson@sterlingandassociates.com. - The Woods Project seeks Club Program Directors. The
Woods Project is seeking part-time (approximately 6 hrs/wk) Club Program
Instructors to teach one or more of our weekly afterschool club programs
for the 2013 spring semester. The right candidate will be an
outdoorsperson with experience working with high school youth,
preferably some experience with at-risk youth. Some additional
requirements are flexible weekly schedule, access to personal
transportation, must be comfortable with camping/backpacking gear, enjoy
being in a mentor/leadership role. Duties will include travelling to
schools to teach an hour club, working with existing curriculum as well
as developing new research-based lessons. Instructors must commit to the
remainder of the 2012-2013 school year, attend one spring semester
camping trip, and are highly encouraged to participate in the 2013
summer trip to places in Northern California or Montana. Ability to work
independently and with confidence is a requirement of the job, as is the
ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. For
more information about The Woods Project and the Club Program Instructor
position, please visit www.thewoodsproject.org.
Interested candidates should contact Brittany White, Director of
Programs, at brittany@thewoodsproject.org. - Hermann Park Conservancy seeks Marketing Manager.
Hermann Park Conservancy is currently seeking a full-time marketing
manager. The marketing manager will have primary responsibility for all
external communications, marketing initiatives, the membership program,
PR, and media and donor relations. The marketing manager will work
closely with the executive director and staff, particularly in the
development department. Hermann Park will reach its 100th birthday in
2014. In preparation for this milestone, the marketing manager will
oversee a multifaceted marketing program, to include media and
sponsorship initiatives, expansion of the membership program, the use of
new web technologies, and promotion of happenings among various
constituencies, including community partners, corporate sponsors,
donors, members, and public officials. To apply, please email a cover
letter and resume to info@hermannpark.org. Click here
for more information. - The Mercer Society seeks Executive Director. The
Executive Director (ED) of The Mercer Society (TMS), a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization, is responsible for the operation and
administration of the organization. The main mission of TMS is to raise
funds for Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. The ED’s main duties
include ensuring that TMS is run in an efficient manner that meets the
fiscal goals and overall objectives of the Board of Directors;
processing all payments through fundraisers, events, and daily
operations including the gift shop; updating TMS website and creating
e-newsletters; facilitating fund-raising both independently and with
others; managing the TMS staff in accordance with the TMS Employee
Handbook; insuring compliance with all state and federal reporting
obligations; being responsible for insuring TMS Bylaws, the Contract
with Harris County and all policies and procedures are adhered to;
serving as a spokesperson for TMS; and serving as liaison to the staff
of Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens (MABG). To apply, send cover
letter, resume and salary requirements to: The Mercer Society/Alan
Raymond/msociety@hcp4.net. - Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) seeks Administrative Assistant.
The Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF), located in Webster, Texas, seeks a
full-time Administrative and Database Assistant. The primary duties of
this position include providing administrative assistance to GBF’s
President; providing assistance to the development team, as needed, in
the areas of membership, marketing, and general development; entering
data into GBF’s database; and providing general administrative duties
including greeting visitors to the GBF office, answering phone calls and
transferring accordingly, ordering office supplies, and operating basic
office equipment. Candidates should possess an associate’s degree or
bachelor’s degree or be currently enrolled in a college or university
undergraduate or graduate program; have previous experience with data
entry and/or database management; be proficient in use of Microsoft
Office software including Word, Excel, and Outlook and have proficient
typing skills; and possess excellent communication skills, both verbal
and written. This is a full-time position with benefits. For a full job
description, please see http://galvbay.org/aboutus_jobs.html.
To apply, email resume to csmith@galvbay.org by Friday, January 11,
2013. - Texas Coastal Watershed Program (TCWP) seeks Graduate Student
Intern. This fall the Texas Coastal Watershed Program (TCWP)
will be hiring a graduate student intern. TCWP is a program of Texas
A&M University that works on projects concerning wetland restoration
and wetland education. The program is located in Houston, TX. Graduate
students in wetland ecology, wetland restoration and wetland education
are encouraged to apply. Interns will assist with several ongoing
projects, focusing on the development of an Operations and Maintenance
plan for restored wetland habitat at Sheldon Lake State Park. This task
is to be completed in cooperation with Texas Park and Wildlife staff.
This primary task will involve technical writing, research, numerical
analysis, and some field work, and will require solid organization and
writing skills. Internship will begin in early January and will conclude
by the end of summer term 2013. Compensation is hourly, and the position
is 20 hours per week. Employment will be at our office in Houston.
Applicants should submit a resume, a 1-page cover letter, and a 2-page
(max) writing sample. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate studies
program at the time of hire. Application packets or questions about the
positions can be sent to m-sipocz@tamu.edu, subject line: tcwp
internship. Visit agrilife.urbannature.org; wetlandteam.ning.com - Texas Coastal Watershed Program seeks Wetland Program
Assistant. The Texas Coastal Watershed Program (Texas
AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University) is seeking
applications for a Wetland Program Assistant to work directly on
existing restoration projects at Sheldon Lake State Park.
Responsibilities include working collaboratively with the Wetland
Restoration Team during Team workdays, completing other potential
wetland restoration sites, and conducting wetland restoration monitoring
(e.g. weekly water level monitoring and quarterly vegetation and
photopoint collection). The Wetland Program Assistant must be a
self-starter with a positive attitude and be able to work comfortably
with volunteers and other staff. The ability to speak in public is a
must, as well as, good writing and editing skills. A Bachelors of
Science in Ecology or natural resource science is preferred, as well as
knowledge and experience working in wetland education or restoration.
Extensive experience may substitute for a degree. For more information
contact Marissa Sipocz at: m-sipocz@tamu.edu. Send letter of interest
and resume by e-mail only. - Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens seeks Conservation Botany
Intern. Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is advertising a
full time (possible part time) paid internship through the Student
Conservation Association (SCA). This internship will focus on plant
conservation efforts at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens and
restoring wild populations of endangered native plants in the Houston
metro area. The intern will assist with formulating a restoration and
management plan for a rare native plant preserve in the Houston metro
area. The intern will assess the viability of Mercer’s frozen seed bank
for three of the major rare prairie plant species in Houston metro area
as well as assist collections of other rare species for the Center for
Plant Conservation National Collection of Endangered Plants. Interested
persons should contact the SCA directly at http://mysca.force.com/
and search for the position: 00192580. More about the SCA at http://www.thesca.org/.