Houston Environmental News Update March 11, 2014

Houston Environmental News Update March 11, 2014

COALITION NOTES

1. Buffalo Bayou Regatta. Houstonians (ages 12 and up) are encouraged to participate in the 15-mile ACA sanctioned race along the scenic Buffalo Bayou at 9am on March 15, 2014. This is the largest canoe and kayak race in Texas! The starting line is at 7700 San Felipe (just west of Voss), and the race finishes at Sesquicentennial Park. You can enter competitively or paddle for pleasure. Those not wanting to paddle can catch the outdoor fun and cheer on the racers. Free live zydeco music, rock climbing, awards ceremony, and food and drinks will be available for sale at the finish line are at Sesquicentennial Park. Registration is $45 per person ($20 with student or military ID). Learn more at www.buffalobayou.org.
2. Mercer Mart Plant Sale. March Mart is the largest plant sale in the Gulf Coast Region and serves as the major fund raiser for Mercer, Houston’s only botanic garden. There will be an enormous assortment of hard-to-find and unusual plants that thrive in Houston area gardens. Experienced horticulturists will assist in selecting that “just right” plant for your garden. The sale will be held March 13-15, 2014 at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens. Learn more at http://themercersociety.org.
3. CWI Workshop: RESTORE Act. The next Clean Waters Initiative (CWI) workshop is set for March 12, 2014 from 1:30-4:30pm at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor. The RESTORE Act was enacted on July 6, 2012 and stands for Resource and Ecosystem Sustainability Tourist Opportunities, and Revised Economies of the Gulf Coast States. This workshop will include general information about the process, timeline, who will be involved and local efforts. Speakers include the Fish and Wildlife Service, Katy Prairie Conservancy, Galveston Bay Foundation, and the National Wildlife Federation. Register now here. For more information, call 832-681-2524 or email aubin.phillips@h-gac.com.
4. Houston Green Film Series: Bringing It Home. Houston Green Film Series presents Bringing It Home, on March 19, 2014, at the Rice Cinema Media Center. The film is about industrial hemp as a building material. Doors open at 6:30pm so you can enjoy conversation and a light dinner – graciously provided by Dr. Pat Speckand Dry Bones Cafe – before the movie screens at 7pm. The Bringing it Home website summarizes: “A father’s search to find the healthiest building materials leads him to the completion of the nation’s first hemp house. Hemp with lime is a non-toxic, energy efficient, mildew, fire and pest resistant building material. The drawback — industrial hemp is currently illegal to farm in the U.S.A. Industrial hemp is a non-psychoactive plant, grown in 31 other countries that makes 1,000′s of sustainable products and offers solutions for global warming, nutrition, poverty and deforestation.” More at www.facebook.com.
5. Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition Annual Meeting. The Annual Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition Meeting will be held from 11:30am-1pm on March 20, 2014, at Hyatt Houston North. The keynote speaker is Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, who will speak about the issues affecting the region and our watershed. Join GBCC to honor Houston Mayor Annise Parker for her inspiring leadership on the Bayou Greenways Initiative. Outstanding volunteers, community partners, and sustaining members will be recognized. Come enjoy the company and hear about the great accomplishments of 2013! Individual seats are $75. Learn more at http://greensbayou.org.
6. Spring Break Hawk Walk. Come out for a Hawk Walk on March 20, 2014! Join the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center to be amazed by hawks, owls, falcons and even a vulture or two! Kevin Gaines, of Sky Kings Falconry, will lead participants on a tour along the trails of the Houston Arboretum for what is sure to be a memorable hawk walk. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience these magnificent creatures in their native habitats. There will also be photo opportunities and a question and answer time available. Walks will be held at 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 5:30pm, and 6:30pm. The cost is $30 for members, $45 for non-members, and $15 for children under 9. Learn more at www.houstonarboretum.org.
7. Collaborative Access Event: Sam Houston Greenbelt Network II. Through a series of Collaborative Access events, Houston Wilderness provides the environmental community with access to people, places and information that benefit the greater Houston region by strengthening environmental programs and organizational operations. The next event will be held on March 20, 2014 from 10am-12pm at the Houston Wilderness Conference Room. The topic will be Sam Houston Greenbelt Network Master Plans and Connectivity II. More at houstonwilderness.org.
8. Galveston Bay Foundation Rain Barrel Workshop. Rain barrels are an efficient, low-cost method for collecting rainwater. They are placed at downspouts in order to reduce runoff into storm drains, and can be used for watering a garden or houseplants, among many other uses. Learn the benefits of rain barrels, how to use them, as well as proper location and installation at the next GBF Rain Barrel Workshop on March 22, 2014, 9:30-11:30am, at the McGuire-Dent Recreation Center. The cost is $30, and it includes admission to the Rain Barrel Workshop, 35 gal rain barrel courtesy of Coca-Cola (a $70 value), and a RainRecycle connector kit from Rain Barrel Depot. Register at www.galvbay.org.
9. Dick Benoit Upper Texas Coast Prairie Award. The Dick Benoit Award, presented by the Coastal Prairie Partnership, is an annual award given in recognition of an individual (such as a private landowner, Texas Master Naturalist, journalist/author, docent, educator, or other volunteer) or organizational (State or Federal agency, University, Nonprofit institution, etc.) action that demonstrates excellence in prairie conservation of and/or education in the Upper Texas Coast Prairie Region (Greater Houston-Galveston area). Criteria include time commitment (describe the nominee’s dedication of time and effort towards conservation and preservation of the coastal prairie) and accomplishments (describe project(s) by the individual or organization that have benefitted conservation and preservation of the coastal prairie). The CPP Board of Directors will tally and review nominations and will confirm the winner at its April 2014 meeting. The award winner will be notified and the award will be presented at the 2014 State of the Prairie Conference on May 30, 2014. Please return your nomination to Flo Hannah (fhannah@houstonaudubon.org) or mail to: Flo Hannah, Houston Audubon, 440 Wilchester Blvd, Houston, TX 77079 by Friday, March 28, 2014. Nominations should not exceed one page.
10. 2014 River, Lakes, ‘N Bayous Trash Bash. Once a year, thousands of volunteers gather along the Texas waterways to do their part in cleaning up the environment by participating in the largest statewide event to educate the public about the importance of our water resources – River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash®. The Bash will be held on March 29, 2014, from 8:30am-1:30pm. Start time, registration and end time vary from location to location. Please go to the individual cleanup sites for details. To get started, pick a cleanup site near you. Volunteer at any of the sites and receive free lunch, entertainment, door prizes, and a t-shirt. Learn more at www.trashbash.org.
11. KPC Unplugged Adventure: Ranch Roundup. You’ve been to the Rodeo, now it’s time to try your hand at being a cowpoke! Join Katy Prairie Conservancy for the third annual Ranch Roundup on the Warren Ranch – Harris County’s largest working cattle ranch. Watch real live cowboys round up cattle, test your lassoing skills, act out a Texas tall tale, snap a photo with a horse, and much more! There will be cowboy nibbles on hand, but please feel free to bring your own picnic lunch. The roundup will be held on March 29, 2014. The cost is $5 per person. Register here.
12. Garden Architecture: Design & Placemaking in the Bayou City. Architecture Center Houston is requesting submissions of Garden Architecture, Garden Designs and Installations for an exhibit to be held at Architecture Center Houston May 22, 2014 to July 18, 2014. ArCH is looking for projects that are representative of exceptional place-making through the lens of garden design in the Houston area. Categories for entry include built and un-built work. Private and public spaces will be considered. Projects will be evaluated based on quality of design, quality of construction for completed projects, and relevance to the Garden Architecture theme. The submission deadline is March 28, 2014. If you have any questions, contact mat@aiahouston.org or (713) 520-0155. Learn more about submission requirements at https://aiahouston.org.
13. Design the Prize. The Rice Design Alliance invites Houston-area architecture students and young design professionals to design and fabricate the prize that will be awarded to SPOTLIGHT winners for the next five years. Students at the Rice School of Architecture, the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture at the University of Houston, the School of Architecture at Prairie View A&M University, and design professionals residing in the Houston area who graduated from an accredited program since 2000 may submit digital conceptual drawings and descriptions of their three-dimensional object January 27 through March 17, 2014. The competition will occur in two phases: design and production. Evaluated by a seven-member RDA competition jury, these phases will proceed according to the following schedule: Call for entries: January 31; Deadline: March 17; Announcement of semi-finalists: April 4; Deadline for semi-finalists to submit prototype: May 19; Announcement of winner: May 30; Deadline for winner to complete and deliver first award: August 8. The remaining four awards must then be delivered to RDA in Anderson Hall at Rice University by January 31, 2015. Learn more here.
14. 2014 Arbor Day Award Nominations. Trees For Houston is asking for you to help them honor Houstonians who have demonstrated their commitment to planting, protecting, and promoting trees. Nominate people, businesses, community groups, governmental agencies, and foundations whose exceptional contributions in the last year have made Houston a greener city. Winners will be recognized at the thirteenth annual Arbor Day Awards. Nominations can be based upon donations, planting projects, and preservation work. Please be specific. Include the number of trees, where they were planted, how funds were raised, what plant protected trees, and what programs were adopted. Please send photographs. The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2014. Please fax (713-840-8734), email (katherine@treesforhouston.org), or mail (Post Office Box 270477 Houston, Texas 77277) nominations to Katherine Bravo, Trees for Houston. More at www.treesforhouston.org.
15. Walk for the Woods Project! The 3rd Annual Walk for the Woods Project will be held on April 5, 2014, at 10am at Neighborhood Centers, Inc – Ripley House. Walk for the woods is a 5K walk that will take you on a journey through Houston’s historic East End, where many of The Woods Project’s students live and play. This walk raises money for The Woods Project, which is an organization that seeks to develop leadership capacity and life skills in low income youth through a series of outdoor education/environmental awareness programs at wilderness sites in the United States. Save the date for this great event and learn more at www.thewoodsproject.org.
16. Houston Rockets Dog Walk benefiting Hermann Park Conservancy. Bring your furry friend to Hermann Park on April 5, 2014, for The Dog Walk sponsored by the Houston Rockets. The Walk will follow a picturesque, one-mile path around McGovern Lake and the Jones Reflection Pool. Participants will receive one ticket to the Rockets’ April 6 game vs. Denver, a commemorative T-shirt for the owners, and a giveaway for your pup. A portion of the proceeds will go to the creation of a dog park within Hermann Park. The Rockets will host an after party at Lake Plaza with various vendors, goodies and prizes for owners and doggies alike. For info or to register, click here.
17. Houston Rockets Dog Walk benefiting Hermann Park Conservancy. Bring your furry friend to Hermann Park on April 5, 2014, for The Dog Walk sponsored by the Houston Rockets. The Walk will follow a picturesque, one-mile path around McGovern Lake and the Jones Reflection Pool. Participants will receive one ticket to the Rockets’ April 6 game vs. Denver, a commemorative T-shirt for the owners, and a giveaway for your pup. A portion of the proceeds will go to the creation of a dog park within Hermann Park. The Rockets will host an after party at Lake Plaza with various vendors, goodies and prizes for owners and doggies alike. For info or to register, click here.
18. The WaterWeek Festival. The WaterWeek festival educates more than 1,800 students about the importance of protecting their water resources. This event is one of the most popular field trips in our region. Municipal water professionals and environmental educators provide hands-on activities, both indoor and outdoor, primarily suited for third through eighth grade students each day from 9:30am-1pm. The festival is held at the WaterWorks Education Center in northeast Harris County. Attendance is free and advance reservations are required. Download a WaterWorks Education Center Field Trip Request Form to register for one day of WaterWeek. Participation in the art contest is not required. Space is limited to 350 students per day. Learn more here. Monday, April 28 – Friday, May 2 from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.

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COMMUNITY NOTES

1. Environmental Awareness Night at the Toyota Center. The Houston Rockets Events Department is looking for environmental awareness organizations to come out to the Toyota Center on March 17, 2014, to promote their organization. This is a great opportunity to discuss environmental concerns and educate Rockets fans on what they can do to improve the environment. Organizations are welcome to set up their area with exciting green decorations and displays. Many children will be in attendance, so organizations are encouraged to bring educational materials aimed at these younger fans. However, attending organizations must refrain from bringing flyers or making political speeches. To learn more, contact Deborah Khama by email, promotionsintern@rocketball.com, or phone, 713-758-7284.
2. Garden Dialogues: Houston. On March 16, 2014, get exclusive access to private gardens and landscapes in Houston and hear directly from the designers and their clients about their collaborative process. How do clients and designers work together? What makes for a great, enduring collaboration? Garden Dialogues provides unique opportunities for small groups to visit some of today’s most beautiful gardens created by some of the most accomplished designers currently in practice. There will be three garden tours throughout the day. From 10:30am-12pm, visit the garden at the Selden Straus House. The next tour will be held from 1:30-2:30pm at the River Oaks Modernist Estate. Finish the day with the last tour at the Raymond and Susan Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University from 3:30-4:30. Tickets may be purchased for individual garden dialogues ($45) or for all three ($125). Read more about the Garden Dialogues and register at http://tclf.org.
3. Interfaith Environmental Stewardship Event. People of all faiths, or no faith at all, are invited to join with Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims to care for our shared environment on Sunday afternoon, March 30, 2014, from 1:30-4:30pm. Participants will engage in hands-on environmental stewardship by working to create a garden in a disadvantaged neighborhood in Houston. The garden is a program of Almighty Ministries, an organization that empowers at-risk youth from impoverished communities through free after-school programs and summer camps. The after-school program, Youth Going Green Community Garden, educates youth on developing gardening, leadership and social skills, while providing nourishing food. The garden is located at 4706 Idaho in Houston. This event will offer garden activities for all ages and skill levels, including building a tool shed, creating more garden beds and another compost bin. Sponsoring organizations include: Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, Congregation Brith Shalom, GYAN (Green Yatra Action Network) – a project of the Living Planet Foundation, the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, and Almighty Ministries. Contact Lisa at gcs.lrc@gmail.com or 713-372-7345 for more information or to sign up to help.
4. Save the Date! Planning for Disaster Resilience Symposium. This symposium commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center (HRRC) by bringing together past and current HRRC faculty fellows to discuss contributions to the fields of hazards and urban planning research, emphasizing the importance of the intersection of urban planning and hazards as critical for community resilience. Panel discussion topics include: Hazard Mitigation; Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning; Recovery and Adaptation; and Interpretations for Practice. The symposium will be held April 4-5, 2014, at the Texas A&M University at College Station, Langford Architecture Center. The cost is $100 ($35 for students). Learn more at http://hrrc.arch.tamu.edu.
5. Film Screening: The Ghosts in Our Machine. The South Texas College of Law/Houston is hosting a special screening of the critically acclaimed new documentary, The Ghosts in Our Machine. The Ghosts in Our Machine is a multi-award winning consciousness raising documentary that gently reveals one of the most haunting moral dilemmas of our modern world. While the provocative film Blackfish made waves for exposing the consequences of keeping orcas in captivity, The Ghosts in Our Machine illuminates the plight of many other animals rescued from and living within the machine of our modern world, from captive foxes to rescued dairy cows. The screening will be held on April 8, 2014, at 6:30pm at the South Texas College of Law/Houston. Katie Jarl, Texas State Director for The Humane Society of the United States, will speak about ongoing campaigns to address these issues. Learn more here. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.
6. Walter B. Jones Awards Call for Nominations. NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2014 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management. The award categories for 2014 are: Coastal Steward of the Year; Excellence in Local Government (up to five may be awarded); and Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study (up to ten may be awarded). The hallmarks of the awards are innovation, resourcefulness, and a commitment to balancing the needs of America’s natural coastal and ocean resources with the needs of people. Nominations are open to individuals, organizations, and state and local government agencies and their employees. Federal employees and officials are not eligible. Entries must adhere to specific submission and judging criteria and must be received by April 15, 2014. Winners will be notified this summer. For more information, visit the Jones Awards webpage or contact Patmarie Nedelka at Patmarie.Nedelka@noaa.gov or 301-563-1127.
7. The Texas State Parks Photo Contest. Do you have a favorite photo that was taken in one of our Texas State Parks? Perhaps it’s the view from Enchanted Rock or the rim of Palo Duro Canyon, or treasured snapshots of family fun while gathered around a picnic table at Dinosaur Valley, paddling at Caddo Lake or building sandcastles on Mustang Island. Find those favorite photos or to take some new ones, because Texas State Parks is sponsoring the Picture Yourself in Texas State Parks Photo Contest. Each month Texas Parks & Wildlife features an Outdoor Activity of the Month, and in March 2014, it’s Photography Month. To encourage you to head out to a State Park and start taking pictures, TP&W is sponsoring a photography contest with three categories and three prizes. The categories are: Ages 17 and Under; Ages 18 and Over; and Instagram (for all ages) with the hashtag #myparkpic. If your photo is declared one of the three winners, you’ll receive a Hero3+ GoPro Camera, courtesy of Whole Earth Provision Co.! The contest began March 1, 2014 and runs through April 15th. The winning photos will be chosen by a team of Texas Parks & Wildlife photographers and staff. The winning photos will be published in Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine. All photos submitted will be available for reuse in Texas Parks & Wildlife publications and materials. Learn more here.
8. Request for Concept Papers for AmeriCorps VISTA Program. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) Texas State Office seeks Concept Papers for the AmeriCorps VISTA program from innovative, high-performing and outcome-driven organizations that share the AmeriCorps VISTA mission to provide long term solutions to poverty. This Request for Concept Paper (RFCP) is for placement of VISTA members contingent on Fiscal Year 2014 federal budget decisions. Organizations interested in sponsoring an AmeriCorps VISTA project in Texas are invited to submit a Concept Paper to the Corporation for National and Community Service Texas State Office through the online eGrants system. Learn more at www.nationalservice.gov. The deadline for Concept Paper Submission is April 14, 2014.
9. Houston Space Center No Impact Week. Could you go a full week without making an environmental impact on planet earth? How hard would it be to live and work without wasting precious resources? Could you live without creating any trash or using any electricity? Could you save money? Be healthier? Find out this April 19th when the No Impact Week comes to Houston! Space Center Houston is partnering with The No Impact Project for its first annual Earth Day Celebration and planning a No Impact Week Challenge. Space Center will host a kick-off celebration on Saturday, April 19, 2014. There will be activities, music, workshops, demonstrations and film screenings! If your organization is interested in having a booth at the event, coordinating an activity or getting involved in Space Center Houston’s No Impact Week Challenge please fill out this form or contact Lilly at lilly@noimpactproject.org or by phone at (347) 566-1593. Learn more about No Impact Week at http://noimpactproject.org.
10. 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies is pleased to invite U.S. high school students to participate in the 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. This annual contest allows students the opportunity to show off their science and technology skills by submitting research projects focused on the use of remote sensing and analysis tools. Students are asked to identify a U.S. protected area of interest, and design a research project that identifies why the area is unique, why it significantly contributes to our society, how this area has changed over time, and ways remote sensing and geospatial tools can be used to monitor these environmental treasures. Participation is open to all U.S. students in grades 9-12. Entries may be submitted by individuals or student teams. Three cash prizes will be presented, with the first place student or team receiving $2,000, along with a feature in the magazine Apogeo Spatial. In addition to prizes for the winning students, the teachers of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entrants will receive a $200 Amazon.com gift card. Click here for full contest rules and to learn how enter. Entries are due May 5, 2014.
11. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area).
    • What Wardens Do
    • Outdoor Info: Turkey Calls
    • Mother Neff State Park
    • Stripers in Production
12. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • March 11, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • March 12, 2014: Green–Good. Strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • March 13, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.

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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).

1. Study to focus on health of Galveston Bay (Houston Chronicle, 3/6/2014) The Galveston Bay Foundation and Houston Advanced Research Center are partnering to provide residents the new Galveston Bay Report Card that will feature critical information on the health of Galveston Bay. Through a $720,000 grant from Houston Endowment, the Galveston Bay Report Card will provide the public with citizen-driven, science-based measures to assess the health of the bay. The report card will discuss topics such as the status of key habitats (e.g. wetlands, seagrass, oyster reefs), fish and wildlife populations, trends in water quality of local bayous and the bay, and impacts of coastal change and sea level rise. The goal of the Report Card, scheduled to be released in early 2015, is to promote the conservation of Galveston Bay’s natural resources and to increase public participation in the creation of and support for management strategies that protect the bay. www.chron.com
2. Good news for Houston’s parks: Mayor Annise Parker gets cozy with EPA bigwig on long Bayou walk (Elizabeth Rhodes – Culture Map Houston, 3/6/2014) Mayor Annise Parker and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy toured the Buffalo Bayou Park construction area and discussed the bold plans for the Bayou Greenways 2020 project Thursday morning. Parker walked with McCarthy from the Sabine Bridge, past the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark and down the pathway near the bayou. Following their exchange, the mayor held a brief press conference featuring many of the key players in the development of both the Buffalo Bayou Park and Bayou Greenways 2020 project, including Rep. Gene Green and State Sen. Rodney Ellis, Houston Parks and Recreation Department director Joe Turner and Buffalo Bayou Partnership president Anne Olson. The $215 million Bayou Greenways 2020 project, uniquely funded through a public-private partnership, is extremely ambitious and will significantly expand and enhance the Houston parks system by adding 1,500 acres of parkland and 80 miles of new trails along Houston’s interconnected bayous. http://houston.culturemap.com
3. Trees have stood for centuries, but now are in the way (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle, 3/3/2014) Some trees that took root before Sam Houston was born are in the way of progress, highway planners have decided. Four of 10 trees on land owned by Regina McCurdy’s family for almost 150 years – oak trees estimated to be 200 to 300 years old and rare for this flat patch of Texas – are about to be cut down because transportation officials say they need to build a bypass around Snook, population 511 as of the 2010 census. The town is a few miles southwest of College Station. Four other oaks will be wrapped with a retaining wall or guardrail. Two are off the right of way, including one that arborists believe is about 500 years old, making it one of the oldest oaks in the state. Even if it isn’t quite that old, it sprouted before Shakespeare was born, and construction could affect it. www.houstonchronicle.com