Coalition Notes 02-04-2013

1. 2013 State of the Air Luncheon. The 2013 Air Alliance Houston State of the Air Luncheon will take place on February 5, 2013, 11:30am-1pm, at United Way. The keynote speaker, Toby Baker, TCEQ Commissioner, will share his thoughts on the state of the Houston region’s air quality. $30 registration with lunch included. Register at http://airalliancehouston.org.
2. KPC Wild West Tour: Owl Prowl & Coyote Howl. Join Katy Prairie Conservancy for a winter night on the prairie as participants enter the realm of charismatic nighttime predators. After a short talk and a light dinner, Master Naturalist and Bird Expert, Glenn Olsen, will lead you onto wild KPC preserves searching for signs of great horned owls, barred owls, screech owls, short eared owls, and maybe even the ghostly barn owl as he utters his ear-piercing scream from the treetops! Everyone will also be on the look out for the crafty coyote. Warm beverages will be provided for the trip to keep you toasty as you listen for the eerie sounds of coyotes yipping and watch for owls gliding on silent wings. Registration is limited so sign up today! The tour will take place on February 8, 2013, 6-9 pm, at KPC’s Indiangrass Preserve. Register here: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/.
3. Houston Arboretum at Night – Tapas on the Trails. Celebrate a Valentine’s evening with gourmet food and wine on the trails of the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. This very special evening features a romantic walk on our softly lit trails, with stops throughout the forest to dine on delicious courses paired with carefully chosen wines. The evening ends at the Meadow Deck, overlooking our one-acre pond and demonstration meadow, where guests will enjoy sparkling wine, handcrafted desserts, coffee, and the company of a live owl. Tapas on the Trails will take place on February 9, 2013, 5-7pm. Cost: $75 per person for Arboretum members; $85 per person for non-members. Childcare for ages 5 and up at a fee of $10 per child. Proceeds benefit the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. More at http://www.houstonarboretum.org/.
4. Texas Climate Issues. Did climate change help bring about the devastating Texas heat wave of 2011? In February, Texas State Climatologist John Neilsen-Gammon will walk through some of the science behind what has happening with our climate, particularly the 2011 heat wave that continues to impact The Woodlands vegetation and water resources. He will illustrate how researchers use computer models to better understand our climate and its changes. His lecture is part of the Going Green Sustainability Series organized and sponsored by The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. In cooperation with The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department. The lecture will be held at 7:00 pm, February 19, 2013 at the South Montgomery County Library. For more information, contact Cinda Hitchcock at (281) 363-2723 or http://www.thewoodlandsgreen.org.
5. 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/.
6. Kayak Certification Courses. Kayak Certification Courses are finally coming back to Galveston Island! Artist Boat is hosting an ACA Level 1 – 3 Coastal Kayaking Course (IDW/ICE) between March 9-13th. These courses are designed to teach participants how to paddle correctly, perform rescues, maneuver kayaks and learn essential kayaking techniques. Upon successful completion participants will have an ACA Instructor Certification and professional kayak training. This is a great opportunity to get your staff, yourself and your friends up to date with the latest certifications and rules. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact Kelly Cloughly at kcloughly@artistboat.org or by phone at (409) 770-0722.
7. Texas Coastal Management Program awards $1.75 million in grants. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson on Monday announced that $1.75 million in coastal grants awarded through the Texas Coastal Management Program will go to 21 projects. 8 of the 21 projects will be in the CEC gulf coast region, including Geological framework study for Follets Island in Brazoria County; Evaluating Groundwater Inflow and Nutrient Transport for Texas Coastal Embayments, coastwide; Texas Students Coastal Monitoring Program, coastwide; Boater Waste Education Campaign: Communicating Environmental Impact and Facilitating Enforcement, in Galveston Bay (CEC member group Galveston Bay Foundation); Increasing Water Quality and Quantity through Watershed Experiential Education in Texas Estuaries (WaterIQWet) (CEC member group The Artist Boat); Dickinson Bayou Wetland Restoration Project – Phase II Construction; Maximizing the ecological value of coastal wetland restoration: comparisons among restoration techniques (upper coast); and Galveston Bay Seafood Advisory Education Campaign (CEC member group Galveston Bay Foundation). More at http://www.glo.texas.gov/.