Coalition Notes 01-14-2013

1. 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 17, 2013, 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/.
2. Reception with Jimmy Turner of Dallas Arboretum. Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens is holding a reception with Jimmy Turner on January 18, 2013, from 6-8pm. Jimmy Turner, horticulturist extraordinaire, will amaze you with an eye-popping visual tour of the Dallas Arboretum. This garden holds amazing plant collection trials that will show you lots of new plants that grow well in our climate. You will see images of the Chihuly exhibit of art glass along with the spectacular annual pumpkin festival. Find out about The Mercer Society coach tour to Dallas in October 2013! An evening reception precedes this talk. TMS members $18 – single, $30 – couple: non-members $20 – single, $35 – couple. Please call 281-443-8731 for reservations. More at http://cechouston.org/.
3. 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.
4. Winter Tree ID Walk. Join a staff naturalist at Jesse H. Jones Park for a walk in the park to learn how to identify dormant trees using the bark, twigs, and other characteristics. All ages are welcome. The walk will be from 10am – 2pm on January 19, 2013. More at http://cechouston.org/.
5. Houston Bayou Greenways Spring Kickoff Meeting. The Houston Parks Board wants you to learn about the Houston Bayou Greenways project on January 23, 2013, 6-7pm at the Heights Neighborhood Library (1302 Heights Blvd). The Houston Bayou Greenways has been designed to elevate the city’s standing as one of the top “quality of place” cities in the nation, and demonstrate our commitment to the invaluable ecological capital in the midst of our large metroplex. There is a unique opportunity to create the largest park system in the country by 2020. Learn more about it and how you can be involved at the meeting. More about the meeting at http://parksbyyou.org/ and about the project at http://www.houstonparksboard.org/.
6. Bayou HEROns Kickoff. Join the kickoff of the Bayou HEROns group on January 24th, 2013, 6-8pm, at Jackson’s Watering Hole (1205 Richmond). Houston is the Bayou City and Harris County boasts 22 watersheds that the Bayou Preservation Association (BPA) works to protect and restore. As our great city is experiencing an outdoor revolution, more and more people are taking advantage of our bayous’ recreational assets such as paddling, biking, walking, fishing and bird watching. Bayou HEROns is a membership-based group comprised of young bayou enthusiasts and partners who support this movement and the BPA mission through events, volunteering and advocacy. Learn more about their work while also enjoying the new patio at Jackson’s Watering Hole. For more information please contact laura@theprboutique.com. More at http://www.yelp.com/events/.
7. Healthy Communities Indicators Symposium 2013. After a year of deep-dive research on the indicators that measure the health of our region, Center for Houston’s Future will present its findings on February 22 at the 2013 Healthy Communities Indicator Symposium, at the George R. Brown Convention Center, hosted by Honorary Chair Dr. John Mendelsohn, along with prominent national and regional experts. Join policy makers, national experts, healthcare professionals, elected officials, and community leaders as we examine how the intersection of People and Place creates sustainable and healthy communities. Learn more at http://www.futurehouston.com/.
8. OurRegion Survey Results. Over 6,000 people across the region responded to the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD) survey showing strong preference for preserving regional green space and more balanced transportation spending, according to the survey results at OurRegion.org. One of the surprises of the study is that Houstonians report that traffic isn’t really as big of a deal right now as other concerns when they were asked about the “Less Time on the Road” alternative future scenario. Read more at http://www.houstontomorrow.org/.
9. Green on the Go: Mobile Apps. EarthShare has found many informative and entertaining applications for your smart phone or tablet. You can hike the nearest trail and make healthy eating choices at your neighborhood restaurant in no time — with the confidence that you’re getting the facts from reliable sources! The apps topics include Green Living, Food, Wildlife & Outdoors, and Energy. Learn about these apps at http://www.earthshare.org/.