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Houston Environmental News Update May 27, 2020
May 28, 2020

Houston Environmental News Update May 27, 2020

World Environment Day & Biodiversity, State of the Mobility, Lady Bird Wildlife Center, L.A.N.D.S. Outreach Teacher Workshops, Flower Garden Banks webinars, Green Jobs, and more

The theme for World Environment Day, June 5, 2020, is biodiversity — a call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural world.

The W.E.D. website contains a wealth of information, including practical guides to what organizations, businesses, cities, governments, schools and faith groups can do; global news articles (including stories about relationship between biodiversity and COVID-19); and photos of African savannas, coral reefs in the South Pacific, South American rain forests, antarctic penguins, European arctic foxes, and Asian snow leopards, among other things.

The website highlights the fact that one million plant and animal species risk extinction, largely due to human activities. “If current trends continue, by 2050 the global urban population is estimated to be 6.3 billion, nearly doubling the 3.5 billion urban dwellers worldwide in 2010,” writes the Convention on Biological Diversity in its report Cities and Biodiversity Outlook. “More than 60 percent of the area projected to be urban in 2030 has yet to be built. Most of this growth is expected to happen in small and medium-sized cities, not in megacities.”

In this respect, the Houston region is no different than other cities around the world. Biodiversity is threatened–by urbanization, pollution, pesticides, habitat loss, and degradation, climate change, overhunting and overfishing–in our forests, prairies, and marine habitats. But dire circumstances are not the only news in biodiversity in the Houston region.

A good news example? Just last month, the Houston region was a participant in the City Nature Challenge. Because of COVID-19, this year wasn’t an actual competition, but we still have a great deal to crow about. Well over 1,000 participants identified 3,359 species in 27,853 observations–breaking records in all three categories. As pointed out by Jaime González of The Nature Conservancy, Houston is part of the North American Coastal Plain, designated as one of only 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund.

As I mentioned earlier, the World Environment Day website (and partner sites such as TED’s Earth School) contains many photos and videos about biodiversity, but few are specific to our biodiversity hotspot. iNaturalist’s City Nature Challenge has many photos from our region, but we’d like to challenge YOU to create a short video about biodiversity in our region–perhaps a riff on short biodiversity films featured on TED Earth School. Can you create an example of diversity in our region that could replace the example of the Amazon rainforest used in the into video with a local ecosystem such as the piney woods, coastal wetlands, or prairies?

Please scroll down to read notes from our member organizations and the community.

CEC NOTES

Superpowers Sessions for environmental educators

Join fellow environmental educators in Houston on Fridays for short, “superpowers” sessions, organized by the CEC. Network, learn and share resources, and walk away with new knowledge and new friends. Open to any educator. Ten-minute presentations on local topics, are followed by 15 minutes of Q&A and community-building time. The sessions are offered at two times on the same day (10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) to ensure smaller groups and more opportunity to connect with fellow environmental educators in Houston. May 29: Tech Tools 2.0 used by Teachers,” hosted by Lisa Gianukos and Amanda Brown of Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation; June 5: “Beekeeping in the City,” hosted by Kevin Kohli of Alveole. Details and registration on this Google Form.

CEC Volunteer Info Session June 30 will be held online

CEC seeks individuals who might be interested in volunteering to help with our website and newsletter, plan events, design graphics, serve on one of our committees (programs, communications, finance, fundraising and development, membership, and governance) this year, or possibly joining our board of directors in January 2021. The next info sessions will be held June 30. For more information, please email rachel@cechouston.org, or join us online at Google Hangouts.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

We have endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts, particularly in light of concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Texas Water Development Board seeking nominations for regional flood planning groups

The Executive Administrator of the Texas Water Development Board is seeking nominations for individuals to serve as members of the 15 inaugural regional flood planning groups. These planning groups will be responsible for developing Texas’ first regional flood plans by January 2023, which will culminate in the state’s first-ever state flood plan. The Board will designate one individual for each of the 12 interest categories for voting positions in each of the 15 flood planning regions. For more information regarding this solicitation and for submission instructions, please review the regional flood planning group member solicitation document and use the online member nomination form. The deadline for submitting interest forms to the TWDB is July 2, 2020.

National Survey on Nature Use During a Time of COVID

The Urban Systems Lab at The New School is carrying out a national study on the importance of urban parks, open spaces, and other green spaces during the COVID-19 crisis in the U.S. The main goal of this study is to understand how people are using and perceiving urban parks and open space during the pandemic and how this may affect their mental and physical well-being. Click on the links to take the English version or the Spanish version of the survey.

Virtual Paddling Tour of a Flooded Forest

Tom Douglas of the Houston Canoe Club has put together a “Virtual Paddling Tour of a Flooded Forest.”  From the comfort of home, you can craft a visit to the largest cypress forest on the Texas Gulf Coast. To view the virtual tour, visit houstoncanoeclub.org.

The Swallows of Summer

The Armand Bayou Nature Center offers its “Nature as Normal” blog as a means to “remember that things are still happening as normal in the bigger picture, and that we’ll all be back to normal soon too.” Each weekly entry features photographs by award-winning kayaking photographer Gary Seloff and ABNC Volunteer Photo Walk Leader Lyman Brown, with commentary by ABNC’s  Conservation Director and Chief Naturalist, Mark Kramer. The latest piece is on “The Swallows of Summer.” Find all of the blog entries at abnc.org.

Houston Sierra Club Online Meeting: Restoring Nature’s Relationships

In lieu of an in-person in May, the Sierra Club Houston Group is offering a video presentation with Doug Tallamy, a noted entomologist and professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. The talk emphasizes food webs and the interdependence of species and local ecosystems, and why understanding these relationships are essential for maintaining future biodiversity and human well-being. It is viewable for free at any time. For more information and to access the video, visit sierraclub.org.

Ask an Ecologist

On May 28, 2020 (and every Thursday through September 24), beginning at 3 p.m., Bayou Land Conservancy will present a Facebook Live event called “Ask an Ecologist.” Attendees can submit nature-related questions or topics and receive answers live. For more information, visit the Facebook event.

State of Mobility 5.0 with Mayor Sylvester Turner

On May 28, 2020, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Transportation Advocacy Group will host a virtual event in which Mayor Sylvester Turner will discuss his vision for mobility during COVID-19 and beyond. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com.

RAQPAC meeting: Houston Climate Action Plan

On May 28, 2020, from 2-4 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Regional Air Quality Planning Advisory Committee will host a virtual meeting. The meeting will include a presentation on the proposed Houston Climate Action Plan by Lara Cottingham, the city’s chief sustainability officer. The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams, or by calling +1 346-262-0196 (Conference ID: 919 266 86#). For more information, visit h-gac.com.

Aligning Affordable Housing and Quality Transportation

On May 28, 2020, beginning at 2 p.m, LINK Houston and the Kinder Institute for Urban Research will present a virtual conversation with Transportation for America Director Beth Osborne. Following up on the release of the “Where Affordable Housing and Transportation Meet” report, the event will explore how to better align affordable housing and transportation to address affordability. For more information and to register, visit riceuniversity.zoom.us.

The ‘Bug Lady’ webinar

On May 28 2020, from 5-6 p.m., the Organic Horticulture Benefits Alliance (OHBA) and Urban Harvest will co-host a webinar featuring Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, owner of Bug Lady Consulting and a national speaker, who will present on how to encourage beneficial insects to our gardens and landscapes for better pest insect management. For more information and to register, visit urbanharvest.org.

Don’t Mess With Texas Art Contest entries due May 29

Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Department of Transportation invite Texas students in kindergarten through twelfth grades to submit their best litter prevention-inspired artwork to be considered for the Don’t Mess With Texas Calendar. Students with the top 14 designs will have their work featured in the calendar. Students who create the top 14 winning designs will have their artwork assigned to a month or featured on the cover of the 2021 Don’t mess with Texas calendar, among other prizes. Submissions must be postmarked no later than May 29, 2020. For more information, visit ktb.org.

CreativeMornings/Texas with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

On May 29, 2020, from 8:30-10 a.m., CreativeMornings/Texas will host an online discussion with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Angel Horne and Andrea DeLong-Amaya, who will discuss what nature can teach us about living with strength, vulnerability, and grace during these challenging times. For more information and to register, visit creativemornings.com.

Birdathon 2020 Virtual Awards Celebration

On May 31, 2020, beginning at 4 p.m. Houston Audubon will hold a virtual awards celebration (via Zoom) to celebrate the participants of Birdathon 2020. For logon information, send an email to zseth@houstonaudubon.org. For more information, see the Facebook event.

Discovering Our Texas Native Lady Beetles

On May 31, 2020, from 6-7 p.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church will hold a webinar featuring Rebecca Lloyd, Texas Master Naturalist, who introduce some of the native lady beetles in the greater Houston area and an overview of their biology and habitat needs. The presentation also will explore threats to lady beetle populations, how iNaturalist can be used as a tool to discover who our native lady beetles, and some of the misconceptions about these fascinating insects. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

L.A.N.D.S. Outreach Teacher Workshops begin June 1

The Texas Wildlife Association’s Learning Across New Dimensions in Science (L.A.N.D.S.) Outreach Workshops are six (6) hour trainings that introduce attendees to the TWA, in-class and outdoor lessons and activities, and how to incorporate natural resources into classrooms or programming.  Lessons focus on teaching land stewardship, native wildlife, and water conservation and are Science TEKS-aligned for Grades K-8. This year, the L.A.N.D.S. workshops will be held virtually, from June 1 through August 3. For more information and to register, visit texas-wildlife.org.

Texas Association for Environmental Education conference presentations due June 1

The Texas Association for Environmental Education will hold its annual conference Sept. 25-26, 2020, at Cisco College in Abilene. TAEE now has an open call for presentations for the conference. The deadline for submissions is June 1. Find more information on the HERE in Houston website.

Webinar: Exploring Coral Spawning in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 

On June 2, 2020, from 1-2 p.m., NOAA will host a webinar featuring Dr. Sarah Davies of Boston University, expedition lead of a 2019 mission aboard the research vessel Manta with Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration staff, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary researchers, and partner scientists to observe annual coral reproduction, known as spawning, on the deep reefs of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. For more information and to register, visit gotowebinar.com.

BIG Spring Meeting

On June 2, 2020, from 1-3 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) will hold its annual Spring Meeting. Topics will include the BIG Implementation Plan (I-Plan) revisions and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) updates. Registration is required. For more information or to submit public comment, contact Steven Johnston at 832-681-2579.

Webinar: Exploring for Coral Reef Biodiversity and Connectivity in Flower Garden Banks National

On June 3, 2020, from 10-11 a.m., expedition lead Dr. Joshua Voss, from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, who will recount a 2019 mission to explore areas of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary that have been proposed for sanctuary expansion and investigated the biodiversity and connectivity of mesophotic coral ecosystems. For more information and to register, visit gotowebinar.com.

Urban Reads: Stephen L. Klineberg

On June 3, 2020, from 12:15-1:15 p.m., the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University will present sociologist Stephen Klineberg, Ph.D. in an online discussion of his new book, Prophetic City: Houston on the Cusp of a Changing America, which details the transformation of Houston from a traditionally blue-collar black/white southern city into one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse metro areas in the nation. For more information and to register, visit kinder.rice.edu.

NOAA Ocean Guardian School Program

Applications are now being accepted for participation in the 2020-2021 NOAA Ocean Guardian School program, in which PreK-12 students can use school- or community-based projects to help make a difference in the health and protection of their local watersheds, the ocean and special ocean areas like national marine sanctuaries (including Texas’s own Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary). There are opportunities for schools to participate with or without funding. Applications must be submitted via email by June 1, 2020. For more information, visit noaa.gov.

Public input sought on proposed Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary expansion

NOAA is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking to expand Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The proposal would expand the sanctuary from 56 square miles to 160 square miles to protect additional critical habitat in the Gulf of Mexico. The proposed rule for expansion would add 14 additional reefs and banks to the sanctuary. NOAA is inviting the public to provide input on any aspect of the notice of proposed rulemaking during a public comment period ending on July 3, 2020. The sanctuary will also host three virtual public meetings so that people can learn more about the proposal and submit comments, on June 8 and June 11. Additional information on the proposed rule and how to make comments is available on the expansion website. 

Webinar: Exploring for Black Corals in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

On June 5, 2020, from 10-11 a.m., NOAA will host a webinar featuring expedition lead Dr. Mercer R. Brugler, from New York City College of Technology (CUNY) and the American Museum of Natural History, who will recount the 2019 mission to investigate the biology and ecology of black coral colonies in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. For more information and to register, visit gotowebinar.com.

COVID-19 Registry seeks public’s input

The COVID-19 Registry, spearheaded by Rice University with partnering organizations, is a research study that provides real-time information to health departments on the spread of COVID-19, who is being affected, and how. The registry will help to: track virus spread over time and across geography; measure economic and health impacts; understand behavior in response to policy changes; and identify popular and effective sources of information. Data from the registry will be stored in a highly secure system built by Rice University. Things learned from the registry will be published, but will not include any information that would identify participants. For more information and to take the survey, visit rice.edu. Read the most up-to-date findings here.

TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife

Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3 p.m. 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.

  • Some new invasive ants are driving biologists crazy, but new research into control methods is underway at the lab and in the field
  • Victor Emanuel entered the birding world when, as a boy, he joined a small ornithology club in Houston. That was over seventy years ago, and since, he’s been chasing birds over the world. Considered one of the preeminent birders anywhere, he’s helping prep a new generation of naturalists that will solidify his legacy long after he puts down his binoculars
  • Join a team of fisheries technicians as they perform a creel survey on Lake Conroe. Fisheries biologists doing creel surveys interview anglers, measure fish, and track the number of hours fished. These surveys help get information about the fishing quality and the health of fish populations in the lake

Additional Upcoming Events