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January 18, 2017

Houston Environmental News Update January 18, 2017

Scroll down to read notes from our member organizations and the community, or view the emailed version of the newsletter.

Name That Nest!
We’ve chosen this photo in honor of Houston’s Arbor Day, which is coming up this weekend. I suppose we should be asking you to name that tree! If you can guess both, send an email to rachel@cechouston.org for a discount on film tickets. Thank you to former CEC Board Member Della Barbato for this photo.

We hope everyone made it through the rain safely. Be sure to check events to see about possible weather delays or cancellations.

We’ll be sending out an email tomorrow confirming the local films that we will be showing as part of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour, which we are hosting at the River Oaks Theatre on January 25 & 26, 2017–just one week away! Early-bird pricing ends at 5:00 pm on Friday. Ticket sales are higher than last year and we might sell out, so don’t wait too long to buy your tickets.

CEC NOTES

2016wsfflogoFilm Festival January 25 & 26, 2017
Buy tickets at cecfilmfest2017.eventbrite.com! Tickets are now on sale for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour, on January 25 & 26, 2017! We’ll show 24 short films over two nights, including local films.

Learn more about the event at cechouston.org, and check out our facebook page for the latest updates.

COALITION NOTES.

  1. Postponed! Flooding and Storm Surge Symposium. Ironically, due to weather and related flooding, tonight’s symposium is being postponed. AIA Houston will announce a new date and time once it has been rescheduled. Learn more at aiahouston.org.
  2. Engineering and Green Buildings. Join the Green Building Resource Center Jan. 18, 6-8 pm. This Education Seminar Partnership will feature experts discussing what goes into designing more resilient green buildings, that use less energy and are healthier spaces. Please RSVP by visiting usgbctexasgulfcoast.org.
  3. TAEP Luncheon. Join the Texas Association of Environmental Professionals on Jan. 19, 2017, 11:20 -2 pm, at Brady’s Landing. The topic will be “Geospatial Data Solutions For Site and Corridor Projects.” Required reservations can be made at taep.memberclicks.net.
  4. NPSOT Houston Chapter Meeting. Native Plant Society of Texas will host their monthly meeting Jan. 19, 2017, starting at 6:45 pm at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. Mr. David Lewis, a research associate at the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) and an honorary staff member of the Tracy Herbarium at Texas A&M University, will give examples, information and images of common mushrooms and fungi of the Texas Gulf coast. Visit npsot.org for more information.
  5. Young Professionals Happy Hour. The Woods Project will be hosting their First Young Professionals Happy Hour Jan. 19, 2017, starting at 6 pm. Alumni of the Woods Project, volunteers, and friends are invited. Please RSVP on eventbrite.
  6. Critters Uncorked: Owls. Join Houston Arboretum’s young professionals group, Evergreen, for an exciting evening featuring live owls from our friends at Houston Audubon on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. Learn about these fascinating birds while enjoying drinks with your friends. Afterwards, head out on the trails for a group night hike through the woods to look for owls and other nocturnal animals. Learn more at houstonarboretum.org.
  7. Don Greene Nature Park work day. The Don Greene Nature Park is a new, one-acre Harris County neighborhood pocket park left to the county and dedicated October 2015. Don Greene passed away in August 2014 and left the park behind to honor his memory. The Friends of Don Greene is a new non-profit dedicated to restoring the property to its original glory. Don and his brother grew up on the property, and Don ran his business, Whitewater Experience, there from the mid 1990’s until his death. The work day will include planting trees and starting a pocket prairie. Learn more about the activities, location, parking, and facility on the Facebook event page. Organized by Transition Houston.
  8. City of Houston Arbor Day. Mayor Sylvester Turner, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and hundreds of volunteers will celebrate the City of Houston’s 31st Annual Arbor Day on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, at Herman Brown Park. The day commemorates the City’s designation as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The Tree City USA designation is awarded by the Foundation in recognition of the City’s and its citizens’ commitment to the stewardship of trees. Following the official Arbor Day ceremony, volunteers will plant 1,000 trees at Herman Brown Park. Registration is required.  Please contact the Houston Parks and Recreation Department at Oneika.shelby@houstontx.gov to register and for more information on volunteering, or visit houstontx.gov.
  9. Building This City. Join Blue Print Houston on Jan. 24, 2017, 6 pm – 8 pm, at The Silos at Sawyer Yards. Celebrate with Plan Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and former mayors Lee Brown and Annise Parker, at this exhibition event that will honor James E. Furr. Food provided by Houston restaurant Underbelly. Visit blueprinthouston.org to register or to see about sponsorship opportunities.
  10. Seed Cleaning Party. Join Houston Native Prairies Association on Jan. 25, 2017, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion at Herman Park. Volunteers will clean and packet seeds, and learn about the plants native to Texas. Pizza provided. Please RSVP to shen.gcmn@gmail.com.
  11. Free Fourth Grade Field Trips! Are you a 4th grade teacher and want to get your kids outdoors, but the school lacks funds for field trips? Every Kid in a Park in the Houston area is offering FREE transportation for nature-based learning opportunities. Learn more at www.hereinhouston.org. Participating CEC member organizations include Buffalo Bayou Partnership, HPARD, Galveston Bay Foundation, Greens Bayou Coalition, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, Houston Audubon, Houston Zoo, Katy Prairie Conservancy, Nature Discovery Center, and 1/26/16Sheldon Lake State Park.
  12. Composting & Zero Waste Tour. Council member Jerry Davis will be joining Zero Waste Houston for a tour of a composting facility in Houston’s Fifth Ward, Farm Dirt Compost LLC. Join us as we learn about the economic, health, and environmental benefits of keeping food and organic waste out of landfills. There will be a tour of Farm Dirt followed by a conversation about the future of “zero waste” in Houston. Learn more and RSVP on the facebook event page, or visit texasenvironment.org.
  13. Exploration Green Conservancy Town Hall Meeting. Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, Exploration Green Conservancy will host a Town Hall meeting at Clear Lake United Methodist Church at 7 pm in the Wesley Center, located at 16335 El Camino Real. The community is invited to hear from Exploration Green Conservancy and Clear Lake City Water Authority about near and long term plans for the development of Exploration Green. Topics will include updates on conservation and landscaping activity, wetlands development, hike-and-bike trails and fundraising. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A and to explore volunteer opportunities. For more information, visit Exploration Green Conservancy or call 281-317-7535.
  14. Full World: Houston’s Economic and Ecologic Future. Former CEC Board Member, notable environmental attorney, and poet Jim Blackburn is teaching a short course through Rice Continuing Studies on the ecological and economic future of the City of Houston. The course will be held on eight Wednesdays between March 1 and April 19, 2017. Learn more about this not-to-be-missed class by downloading the flyer.
  15. 2016 Accomplishments of the Thicket of Diversity. Ten years ago the Big Thicket Association’s Thicket of Diversity was established to implement vital species monitoring and to promote scientific research on the biodiversity of the Big Thicket.  The program has successfully collected environmental data that is used by resource managers in critical decision-making.  Non-native species are identified so plans can be developed to manage those that serve as the greatest threats to Big Thicket resources.  Rare species are monitored with the hopes of expanding recovery efforts in protected areas.  All information collected helps to determine the effects of climate change, a major threat identified by the National Park Service (NPS) in their Climate Change Response Strategy, 2010.v As of April 2016, the Thicket of Diversity inventoried 2914 species in an All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory.  These include 378 New to the Preserve, 133 New to the State and 14 New to Science. Read more in this report (PDF).
  16. Additional Upcoming Events

COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. Open Architecture HTX Chapter Meeting. Kyle Shelton of the Kinder Institute for
    Urban Research will speak, hear a re-cap of Parking Day 2016 & plan for 2017and learn about upcoming projects and ways to get involved. Thu., Jan 19, 2017, from 6:30 – 8 PM. Learn more and RSVP on the event facebook page.
  2. Wild Hog Control Meeting. The Lake Creek Greenway Partnership is sponsoring a meeting with local landowners and concerned citizens regarding the control of wild hogs along Lake Creek. These invasive pests are responsible for the destruction of native Texas wildlife, plants, and soil. Local landowners and conservationists are interested in working together in a coordinated plan to trap and remove significant numbers of these pests. Mike Heimer, our local expert on this problem and Agri Life Extension Agent, will be making a presentation on research on control of wild hogs, and will help lead a discussion of how to construct and implement a control plan for Lake Creek landowners. Learn more on the facebook event page.
  3. Brazoria County Dunes Day. Recycle your Christmas Tree on Jan. 21, 2017, 9 am – 12 pm. Your recycled Christmas Tree will help Brazoria County Beach build up their dunes. Volunteers needed! Visit facebook.com/events for volunteer information, and a full list of tree drop off locations. Call 979-864-1541 with questions about volunteering.
  4. Clear Creek Clean-ups. The 18th Annual Clear Creek Clean-Up, hosted by the Clear Creek Environmental Foundation, will be on Feb. 11, 2017. Between now and then, CCFC will be hosting weekly pre-cleanups starting Jan. 7 & 8, 2017. http://clearcreekcleanup.org/
  5. Superbowl Recycling Rally. Come to the Houston Zoo Jan. 21, 2017, 9 am – 1 pm. The event is free and open to the public so share the word with your community! Those who recycle will receive a coupon for half off admission to the Houston Zoo. Visit  housuperbowl.com for a full list of items that can be recycled.
  6. Zipcar Midtown Launch. Hear from Houston leaders such as Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Zipcar reps about the progressive impact Zipcar has on Houston and how a pilot program with the City will help further reduce traffic and congestion. Jan. 23, 2017, at 3:30 pm at 2000 Bagby.
  7. Houston Philanthropic Society Networking Mixer. Join us for a networking mixer on Wednesday, January 25th from 5:30-7:30 at the Jack Meier Gallery located at 2310 Bissonnet. RSVP HERE. We are delighted to host The Thread Alliance. Hear from Founder, Sheila Aron. All charity reps, donors, volunteers and non-profit minded individuals are invited! Bring a friend.
  8. How to Meet with Elected Officials. Engaging with elected officials is an important way to build relationships with them and ultimately hold them accountable. Are you meeting with an elected official soon? Attend this training to make to help you get what you want out of your meetings. This training, hosted by the Texas Organizing Project, is Wed., Jan. 25, 2017, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Learn more–and check for possible weather-related postponement–on the Facebook Event Page.
  9. Net Impact Houston Happy Hour. Save the date for the next Net Impact Houston Happy Hour – here is a link to the event on the home page and Facebook. Thursday, January 26, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm, at Okra Charity Saloon, 924 Congress, Houston, TX 77002.
  10. Sunday Evening Conversations on Creation. Christ the King Lutheran Church invites you to a web meeting Jan. 29, 2017, 6 pm. Professor Melissa Anne Sutter from Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, will discuss the vital connections that exist between humans and micro-organisms. Learn more at ctkelc.org.
  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, 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.
    • Bee Searcher: Meet a researcher who’s investigating the health of native pollinators.
    • Coastal Winds: Learn how wind farms use radar to protect migrating birds near wind turbines.
    • Turkey Work: Find out where the turkeys lurk when biologist trap and tag Rio Grande gobblers.
  12. Additional Upcoming Events

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