Houston Environmental News Update June 1, 2016

CEC is pleased to welcome two amazing summer interns, Jamie Clare Curry and Madelyn Wilson. They will be helping the CEC with development and publications. Please join us in welcoming them! Learn more about Jamie Clare and Maddie.

CEC NOTES

• Save the Dates!
  • Plan to help CEC celebrate 45 years since its incorporation at an open house on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
  • Planning has begun for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour, which is scheduled for January 25 & 26, 2017. We are hosting our first film selection committee meeting tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, 2016, at 7:00 pm. If you are interested in participating–either tomorrow or over the course of the summer–please email rachel@cechouston.org.
• New Subscribers Thank you to our new subscribers: Richard, Elizabeth, Brandi, Nicole, Nick, Courtnery, Steve, Adele, Farrel, Dana, Gene, Daniel, Hilary, Eliana, and all the folks up at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. We hope you enjoy our emails. Please consider liking us on facebook.

COALITION NOTES

1. Greens Bayou Regatta. The Greens Bayou Regatta will combine recreation, stewardship, and education on one of Houston’s most beautiful and secluded waterways, Greens Bayou. The 7.5 mile race course will showcase two planned launch locations, Brock Park and Thomas Bell Foster Park. This inaugural regatta will raise funds and awareness of the proposed 27.5 mile paddle trail. Be a part of this exciting inaugural event and raise funds to make the vision of the Greens Bayou Paddle Trail a reality. Come experience some of Houston’s hidden natural areas! The regatta will be held on June 4, 2016, from 9am-2pm. The race begins at Brock Park and ends at Thomas Bell Foster Park. Learn more and register at http://greensbayouregatta.com.
2. A Conversation About Multimodality in West Houston. In partnership with the Energy Corridor District, MobilityHouston is hosting a conversation about Multimodality in West Houston. The event will discuss the critical mobility questions facing West Houston in the aftermath of damaging floods and the opening of the Grand Parkway through Northwest Houston. Join as MobilityHouston and the Energy Corridor District bring together local transportation experts, planners, advocates and the broad public to engage in a conversation on the future of West Houston. The event will be held on June 7, 2016, 7-8:30pm, at the BridgePoint Bible Church. Learn more and register at www.eventbrite.com.
3. Summer Salons: Water, Water Everywhere. Center for Houston’s Future will be hosting a series of breakfast discussions throughout the summer, bringing big-picture thinkers and regional leaders together for a deep-dive into our community indicators and next steps. The discussions are part of the Summer Salons. The theme is “Water, Water Everywhere: Drinking, Rising, Surging.” The dates are listed below. Tickets are $25. Learn more and RSVP at www.futurehouston.com.
   • June 7 – Drinking Water: Water Quality & Supply
   • July 13 – Rising Water: Dealing with Floods
   • August 10 – Surging Water: Storm Surge Protection/Response
4. BBQ, Beer & Bingo. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center presents for the first time BBQ, Beer and Bingo, a fun and festive event on June 11, 2016, 6-8:30pm, on the lawn of the Arboretum. Enjoy a fun evening with delicious BBQ and beer supplied by St. Arnold’s Brewing Company while playing everyone’s favorite game, Bingo! There will be five rounds of bingo and chances to win great prizes provided by our friends at Bering’s Hardware. The first round will begin promptly at 6:30pm. BBQ and beverages will be served until supplies run out and iced coffee will be available throughout the night from our friends at Katz Coffee. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and your bingo daubers! Pre-registration is required due to limited space restrictions. Bingo sheets provided, daubers will be sold for $3 each. The cost is $20 per members or $45 for non-members. More at http://houstonarboretum.org.
5. Gear Packing Party – Final Prep for Summer Wilderness Experience. Join The Woods Project as they prepare to send 175 Houston high school students on a life-changing 2-week wilderness experience. Volunteers are needed for the last step: getting the gear ready for summer! TWP needs people to come help pack up the bags that will be shipped out to each of the summer locations. This is a big job and at least 40 volunteers will be needed to make it all happen. Snacks and beer will be provided to keep you fueled! Volunteers are needed on June 15, 2016, from 3-8pm. Learn more at www.volunteerhou.org.
6. World Oceans Day Festival – Art Contest. Get ready for World Oceans Day by preparing your own creative masterpiece utilizing marine debris to be displayed at Galveston’s first World Oceans Day! This contest is open to ocean-lovers of all ages! The art pieces must be submitted between May 30 and June 3, 2016, from 8am-5pm at the Artist Boat Office. Then save the date for the World Oceans Day Festival on Stewart Beach on June 8, 2016, 4-7pm. The World Oceans Day Festival features something for ocean-lovers of all ages! Local, regional, and national organizations will host interactive activities to highlight how we are all connected to the ocean.Visitors can create cyanotypes with FotoFest, learn about marine debris with Adopt-A-Beach, explore water quality with the Galveston Bay Foundation, and much more! Spend an evening on the beach and celebrate the Ocean with the rest of the world! Learn more at www.artistboat.org.
7. Community Outdoor Outreach Program. Artist Boat is pleased to announce that they received funding from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Community Outdoor Outreach Program (TPWD CO-OP) for the project titled: “Galveston County and State Park Community Prairie Restoration Outreach Program”. TPWD CO-OP grants help fund community-based youth and family outdoors-oriented programs and activities like camping, backpacking, kayaking and service projects. In the Galveston County and State Park Community Prairie Restoration Outreach Program, service-learning opportunities will be provided to 900 3rd-5th grade students from Galveston Island schools who are from predominately underserved (low income and minority) backgrounds at the Galveston Island State Park (GISP). Through this year-long project, students will become engaged in topics such as habitat loss, wildlife conservation, and ecosystem disruption on barrier islands such as Galveston through an in class Habitat Restoration Workshop, construction and maintenance of school nurseries where a total of 6,000 native prairie plants will be grown, and a Habitat Restoration Adventure, where students will plant the native prairie plants they grew at GISP.
 Read more: TPWD COOP Press Release May 2016.
8. H-GAC Releases Low Impact Development Guide. The Houston-Galveston Area Council is pleased to announce the release of Designing for Impact: A Regional Guide to Low Impact Development. This guide explains LID functions, benefits, best management practices, and ways to overcome obstacles to implementation. The guide also looks at case studies showcasing successful LID projects from around the region and considers five hypothetical site plans comparing costs and environmental impacts of LID and conventional design. A digital copy of Designing for Impact can be found on the H-GAC website. To request a printed copy, contact Mary Martha Gaiennie at marymartha.gaiennie@h-gac.com. There will also be a DESIGNING FOR IMPACT: LID Mobile Workshop on June 16, 2016, 9am-3:30pm. Participants will tour 3 LID projects in the region: Birnamwood Drive, Queenston Manor Apartments, and City of Houston: Fire Station 90.
9. The Year of Reading Dangerously Reading Club. Do you have a secret desire to change the world? If you enjoy reading and discussing environmental issues and what makes people tick, you will want to join us at noon at the Houston Public Library Central Branch. Led by Steve Stelzer, Program Director, Houston Green Building Resource Center. On June 9, 2016, Breakpoint: Why the Web Will Implode, Search Will be Obsolete, and Eveything Else You Need to Know About Technology Is in Your Brain by Jeffrey Stibel. Learn more at http://houstonlibrary.org.
10. KPC Unplugged Adventure: Nightlife. KPC will be holding an Unpluged Adventure on June 11, 2016, 7-9pm on the Indiangrass Preserve. Nighttime on the prairie is full of clicks, chirps, buzzes, and croaks. It’s a virtual symphony of sounds, alive with beautiful moths, fireflies, and night hunting birds. Join KPC for an adventurous expedition into the night prairie and learn what goes bump in the night. Audience: All Ages. Cost: $5 per person. www.katyprairie.org
11. Invasive Species Workshop. The Texas Coastal Watershed Program will be hosting Hans Landel, PhD, of the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center for a workshop on invasive plant species impacting regional prairie and wetlands. Dr. Landel will instruct invasive identification, management, and the use of the online tool Texasinvasives.org. The workshop will be held at TPWD’s regional office (14320 Garrett Rd) on June 25, 2016, from 9am-3pm. There will be both a classroom and field component to the workshop and lunch will not be provided. If you have any questions or would like to attend, contact Daniel Walton at dwalton2@tamu.edu. Seating will be limited so please RSVP.
12. Bayou City Eco-Almanac. The first edition of the Bayou City Eco-Almanac has just been released! Collaborating with friends and partners at the University of Houston Clear Lake, these video shorts are designed to encourage community eco-literacy and open our eyes to the richness of life right in our own backyard. Watch the video at www.youtube.com.
13. Raising Funds for EarthShare of Texas. The Reliant EcoShare program raised more than $450,000 for EarthShare of Texas to support over 35 environmental and conservation organizations in Texas, including The Nature Conservancy of Texas, Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. However, the funds don’t stop there! From now until June 3, 2016, you can share your Lone Star point-of-view on social media by using the hashtags #FromWhereIStand and #ReliantOneOfAKind. For every photo showcasing the state’s natural beauty, Reliant will donate $5 toward EarthShare of Texas, up to $5,000. Read more at www.businesswire.com.
14. Honey Moon. Everyone’s buzzing about the Arboretum’s Honey Moon which will be held on June 18, 2016. The June full moon is called the “Honey Moon,” named for the honey-based mead given to newlywed couples in ancient times. In honor of this tradition and the start of National Pollinator Week, HANC is holding a celebration of bees and honey. Come sample a variety of delicious Texas honeys (along with alcoholic beverages, snacks, and coffee) while you learn all about bees. After learning about these powerhouse pollinators, head out on a night hike under the nearly full Honey Moon. The cost is $30 for members and $45 nonmembers.
15. Bucket Brigade Interpretive Beach Tours. The Bucket Brigade is out on Galveston beaches providing FREE interpretive tours of the coastal and marine ecosystems! Tours last approximately 45 minutes and include hands-on exploration of questions such as “what is in out water”, “how is seaweed a good thing” and “how do I connect to the ocean” that is fun and educational for ocean-lovers of all ages! Tours are available at multiple Galveston beach locations, including Stewart and East Beaches, during the weekends in April and May and daily in the summer. Sign up for tours is on location. For more information on tour times and locations, please visit www.artistboat.org or call 409-770-0722. The Bucket Brigade is a program of Artist Boat and the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees.
16. Upcoming Events
    • World Oceans Day in Galveston – June 8, 2016
    • Full Moon Hike 2016 – June 18, 2016

COMMUNITY NOTES

1. EcoRise Youth Innovations. EcoRise Youth Innovations is an Austin based non-profit that provides sustainability, design, and entrepreneurship programming to K-12 schools with the mission of inspiring a new generation of green leaders. The program offers each school access to standards-aligned curricula, professional development opportunities for teachers, and ongoing support throughout the year. To enliven the classroom experience and promote 21st century career exposure, EcoRise facilitates deep connections between schools and the expansive network of green professionals and organizations across the globe, who provide guest lectures, host learning expeditions, and offer grant opportunities for campus projects. Learn more about the EcoRise Curriculum at http://ecorise.org.
2. Mining The HMNS: An Investigation by The Natural History Museum. Is the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences a museum, or a PR front for the fossil fuel industry? This is the central question of “Mining the HMNS”, an exhibition by The Natural History Museum that interrogates the symbiotic relationship between the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences and its corporate sponsors. The exhibition excavates key narratives and displays in the Houston museum, and highlights the voices and stories that are excluded–those of the low-income predominantly Latino and African-American fence-line communities along the Houston Ship Channel. In partnership with T.E.J.A.S. (Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services), The Natural History Museum will co-host monthly “Toxic Tours” of East Houston’s petrochemical plants and refineries, and conduct extensive air quality monitoring tests in collaboration with scientists from Texas State University. Situated at the confluence of scientific research, environmental justice, and critical museum practice, the exhibition aims to model the museum of the future–one that works to mobilize a collective response to the challenges of the Anthropocene. This exhibit at the Project Row Houses (2521 Holman Street) will be on display from March 26, 2016 until June 19, 2016. Join a toxic tour on June 4, 2016, from 10am-12:30pm. Learn more at www.facebook.com.
3. Texas Community Forestry Awards Nominations. Celebrate the accomplishments of those who have dedicated their talents to spreading a leafy green canopy over Texas by nominating them for the 2016 Texas Community Forestry Awards Program. This program is open to anyone who has a role in building stronger communities by planting, maintaining or protecting trees. There are five categories: Arborist of the Year, The Gold Leaf Award – Landscape Improvement, Arboricultural Project of the Year, Outstanding Arbor Day Activities, and ISAT Volunteer of the Year. Nominations are due by June 2, 2016. Learn more at http://isatexas.com.
4. Summer Solar PV Session. Stay cool this summer by learning more about the technical and policy aspects of solar energy systems. All sessions are FREE and will be conducted by a contractor who can translate the complex aspects of solar energy into plain English, understandable by all – no prior solar PV knowledge required! Training topics include: Solar for Local Governments, Financing Solar Energy Systems, Fire Inspector Training & Fire Code Compliance for Solar Energy Systems, and Solar PV for Real Estate Professionals. The Houston session will be held June 20-21, 2016. Find out more and register at http://gosolartexas.org.
5. Certified Arborist Test Prep Course. This course is designed to teach you arboriculture knowledge (the practice & study of the care of trees) and prepare you to take the ISA Certified Arborist Exam. All 16 chapters from the ISA Certification Study Guide will be covered in detail by professionals working in the field of arboriculture and urban forestry. The class will be held July 29 & 30 and August 5 & 6. Registration is $250. Learn more about the Certified Arborist Test Prep Course.
6. 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, Texas City, Galveston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area). For a preview, visit TPWD’s YouTube Page.
   • Refuge
   • Lone Star Land Steward: Lavaca Rio Ranch
   • Modern Falconry