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Houston Environmental News Update June 1, 2022
June 1, 2022

Houston Environmental News Update June 1, 2022

Hurricane Season, Summer of Action, Pop-Up on the Plaza, Oyster & SeaFest, World Ocean Day Festival, Clean Water Action Meet and Greet, Green Jobs, and more

Dear Friends,

Today marks the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through November 30. Here in Southeast Texas, we’re all too well-acquainted with the power and destructiveness of hurricanes and tropical storms. We urge you to remain apprised of weather alerts, stock up on hurricane supplies, and have a plan to evacuate if necessary and called upon to do so by authorities.

It’s no secret that extreme weather events have become more frequent and destructive due to the effects of climate change. We at CEC are partnering with the Environmental Defense Fund in developing a Summer of Action.

It’s no secret that extreme weather events have become more frequent and destructive due to the effects of climate change. To help support local environmental justice community members on the front lines of the climate crisis, we at CEC are partnering with the Houston Climate Movement to produce a series of collaborative educational events through a grant from Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

The EDF Summer of Action 2022 will kick off in June with community outreach/listening sessions to get feedback about community concerns as well as provide information about the importance of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Justice40 Initiative. In July, we will host a series of knowledge- and skill-building sessions to support the needs of community members (as identified in the listening sessions) in preparation for advocacy meetings with elected officials in August.

The Summit, align with the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, will be planned in deep collaboration with the Houston Climate Movement, involving community leaders from impacted communities throughout the process. The Summit seeks to be a complement to the City of Houston’s Climate Action Plan, provide an opportunity to advocate for climate action from Harris County, and garner support for federal funding to support the Houston-area neighborhoods impacted by climate injustice.

Stay tuned for details about Summer of Action events.

In the meantime, on Thursday, June 2, from 5-8 p.m., CEC and Blackwood Educational Institute are co-hosting a Pop-Up on the Plaza event at the Skyfarm at POST Houston, the recently redeveloped former central post office on the outskirts of downtown. This free event is open to all and will feature a pop-up farmer’s market, a quick tour of our first plantings at the Skyfarm, and a mixer. Shop, taste, and learn with fellow Texans working toward a greener, healthier future. For more information, visit blackwoodland.org.

Top image: Tropical Storm Harvey along the Gulf Coast, taken by NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik from the International Space Station Aug. 28, 2017. NASA/Randy Bresnik, via WIkipedia

CEC NOTES

Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers

Join fellow environmental educators every other Friday morning for a quick check-in to collaborate. The next meeting is June 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Bring your coffee (or tea) and ideas for things that are working in your programs (or questions about things that are not). The Zoom call is hosted by regional board members from the Texas Association for Environmental Education. Email Alicia at Alicia.Mein@pct3.hctx.net for Zoom link and any questions.

Virtually Wild! Texas Student Learning Programs

Region 4 Education Service Center partners with the Virtually Wild! Texas team to provide students with engaging and interactive TEKS-aligned virtual environmental education field trips that highlight careers in conservation. These free 45-minute programs are live, and teachers and students are encouraged to engage with natural resources professionals by asking questions. Topics vary by program and have included endangered species, animal adaptations, habitat exploration, wildlife crime investigations, and more! Public, private, homeschool, hospitals, and education sites are welcome to view. See program listings and register at esc4.net.

Texas Wildlife Foundation Summer 2022 Teacher Workshops

The Texas Wildlife Foundation is offering Teacher Workshops, both virtual and in-person from June 6-July 28. Teacher Workshops are six-hour trainings that introduce attendees to the Texas Wildlife Association, 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. Learn more and register at texas-wildlife.org.

Other opportunities:

Please scroll down to read about public engagement opportunities and notes from our member organizations and the community.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

2045 Regional Transportation Plan public meetings, survey

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is planning for the region’s next 20 years and wants to forge a new vision that prioritizes safety, convenience, accessibility, and sustainability for the entire Gulf Coast region. It is asking the public to participating in its 2045 regional transportation plan update. You can take the digital survey or register to attend one or more public meetings through June 2.

Air Quality Conformity

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is accepting public comments through June 3 on the proposed air quality conformity determination in the the long-term regional transportation plan (RTP). To submit a public comment, you can: email public comments to: PublicComments@h-gac.com or make public comments by phone at 1-855-363-2516. For more details, visit h-gac.com.

RESTORE Council Invites Public Comment on Comprehensive Plan Update

On April 21, 2022, RESTORE Council Executive Director, Mary Walker announced the update to the Comprehensive Plan for Restoring the Gulf Coast’s Ecosystem and Economy. Gulf Coast stakeholders are invited to review and comment on the draft plan update during a formal comment period which ends at 11:59 MT on June 6. To learn more about the Council’s investments, and how to comment on the draft 2022 Comprehensive Plan Update, visit restorethegulf.gov.

People’s Hearing on TCEQ Sunset Review

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is undergoing Sunset Review at the state legislature. State lawmakers are holding a single public hearing on the TCEQ in Austin on June 22. A Virtual People’s Hearing on June 8, from 5-8 p.m., will offer opportunity for you to share your vision for how the TCEQ can work for us. Comments will be recorded and submitted into the official record of the Sunset Advisory Commission. Register for the Virtual Pubic Hearing at zoom.us. Find documents related to the Sunset Review and provide input at sunset.texas.gov. Learn more at fourourcommunitis.org.

Learn about additional public comment opportunities at cechouston.org.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

We have endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.

How Resilient is Houston?

In its latest data article, Understanding Houston examines the region’s reputation for resilience. “Since 1980 the region has been hit by 26 natural disasters, including five hurricanes, five tropical storms, two wildfires, a dozen rain/flood events and a winter storm, to name a few. Nearly a third of these disasters have occurred since 2015, and yet the population continues to rise, and the three-county area has added jobs at a rate faster than the nation. You’ve likely seen the “Houston bounces back” or “Houston Strong” messaging, but in a region celebrated for its resilience, not everyone bounces back equally after disaster strikes. What factors contribute to our ability to recover from the many ways disasters wreak havoc on our lives? It is important that, while acknowledging Houstonians’ resilience, we discuss the wide-ranging impacts behind the disasters that are often hiding behind the resilience narrative. The human experiences behind these disasters and the data we gather in their wake can both tell us more about what it is that makes Houston resilient and how we can better prepare for the future.” Read the full article at understandinghouston.com.

Texas Tribune: New “resiliency center” at Houston Community College aims to prepare Texas’ largest city for disasters

“In the past six years alone, Houston has faced seven major disasters including multiple floods, a power grid failure, Hurricane Harvey and an international pandemic,” writes Texas Tribune reporter Kate McGee. “The frequency of these events has prompted Houston Community College to invest in an ambitious new training program for first responders, construction workers and business employees to lessen the deadly toil these disasters bring.” Read the full story at texastribune.org. (Image: A rendering of HCC’s planned resiliency operations center. Credit: Houston Community College)

New conservation easement of 552 acres in Jackson County donated to Coastal Prairie Conservancy

The Coastal Prairie Conservancy, formerly known as Katy Prairie Conservancy, this week announced the donation of a conservation easement from Karl Baumgartner, a private landowner who operates a ranch in Jackson County about 15 miles northwest of Edna, Texas. This property will protect another 552 acres of riparian woodland, savannah, wetland, and grasslands in the organization’s nine-county focus area and is only about four miles from another easement held by the land trust. This project expands the Coastal Prairie Conservancy’s footprint in its nine-county area of interest, which includes Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Jackson, Matagorda, Waller, and Wharton. “My land includes multiple ecosystems like forest, meadow, Lavaca River and Chicolete Creek frontage, and all kinds of wildlife. I wanted to make sure this natural habitat is preserved forever,” Baumgartner said in a press release. “We are extremely grateful to Karl for the generous donation that protects land in our focus area,” Mary Anne Piacentini, president and CEO of the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, said. “This agreement will protect vital wetlands, grasslands, and animal habitat on the banks of the Lavaca River. It is my hope that this type of generosity will encourage other landowners to follow suit and consider the donation of a conservation easement to protect their lands from future development.”

Grant opportunity: National Wildlife Federation’s Student Climate Resilience Ambassadors Program

Using the fundamentals of Project-Based Learning, the National Wildlife Federation’s Student Climate Resilience Ambassadors Program will engage students in Houston ISD in climate resilience education. Through the implementation of NWF’s Eco-Schools USA watershed audit, students will apply critical thinking skills to investigate storm resilience problems facing Houston. They will determine the impact of those issues on water quality and create practical solutions that can help mitigate flooding on their campus and in their community. Students will conduct a vulnerability assessment of their school’s neighborhood and a site assessment of their campus. They will participate in two field experiences, and they will design and implement a green infrastructure project such as a rain garden, bioswale, or pocket prairie to help mitigate flooding on their campus. For more information and the application form, send an email to either Kate Unger at UngerK@nwf.org or Marya Fowler at fowler@nwf.org. The deadline for schools to apply for grants is June 10.

Deep in the Heart in Texas theaters

Deep in the Heart, a visually stunning celebration of what makes Texas unique — its diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife behavior that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, opens in theaters on June 3. Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and featuring state-of-the-art cinematography, this family-friendly film journeys from the highest peaks in West Texas, through our aquifers, rivers, and bays, and deep into the Gulf of Mexico. See the trailer. Learn more about the film at deepintheheartwildlife.com. Find a theater near you and purchase tickets here.

H-GAC provides assistance on conservation projects

The Houston-Galveston Area Council will assist organizations with preparing grant applications, convening stakeholders, and otherwise supporting implementation of select conservation projects across the 13-county H-GAC region. To guide its efforts, H-GAC is collecting information about planned conservation projects from local government and non-governmental organizations and categorizing the projects in a priority list. There is no funding associated with this priority project list but selected projects will be eligible to receive H-GAC staff assistance. See the current priority project list and learn more about H-GAC’s work here. The list will be updated quarterly. Submit your project here.

The Texas Tribune seeks help in showing how climate change is impacting Texas

The Texas Tribune, the nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization, is seeking help from the public in documenting where the effects of climate change are being felt in Texas. Reporters María Méndez and Erin Douglas want to know what Texans think the federal, state and local government can and should do to help — and what families and neighborhoods are already doing. The Texas Tribune won’t publish any personal information about sources without first contacting them. Learn more and submit comments at texastribune.org. (Photo: A firefighter with Nueces County Fire Rescue surveys burnt brush in March. Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune)

Buffalo Bayou Partnership 2022 Summer Species: Bees

Buffalo Bayou Partnership is pleased to announce its second annual Summer Species – BEES! Summer Species is a celebration of bayou-adjacent flora and fauna. Commencing in June and continuing through August, BBP will take the Houston community on a deep dive into these busy little bees.  At locations ranging from Yolanda Black Navarro Buffalo Bend Nature Park to Buffalo Bayou Park, experts will lead workshops, walks, talks, and experiential activities for participants of all ages. The festivities begin June 4, from 9-11 a.m. with bee-themed crafts led by Laura Hernandez with Laurenzo Early Childhood Center at Yolanda Black Navarro Buffalo Bend Nature Park (2300 S Sgt Macario Garcia Dr.). For the full listing of events, visit buffalobayou.org.

2022 Houston Oyster & SeaFest

On June 4, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., the Galveston Bay Foundation will hold the 2022 Houston Oyster & SeaFest at Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park. The festival will feature a variety of acclaimed restaurants from throughout the greater Houston area and will also include live music, libations, educational exhibits and more. Event proceeds benefit the Galveston Bay Foundation’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program and habitat restoration efforts. For more information, visit galvbayevents.org.

World Ocean Day Festival

On June 4, from 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Artist Boat will host its World Ocean Day Festival at R.A. Apffel East Beach Park, 1923 Boddeker Rd., Galveston. On World Ocean Day, people around our blue planet celebrate and honor the ocean, which connects us all. This year is the first hybrid celebration of this annual event, being hosted both in-person and broadcast live. The festival will include Eco-Art workshops for kids, judging and awards for the annual Beautiful the Bucket Contest, live entertainment, and more, The festival is free. However, East Beach parking fees will apply. For more information, visit artistboat.org.

Cheers to 30 Years!

On June 4, from 3-6 p.m., the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary will host a celebration of its 30 years in existence at BAKFISH Brewing Company in Pearland. The event will be a relaxing afternoon of games and giveaways where attendees can learn more about this national ocean treasure just off the Texas/Louisiana coast. For more information, see the Facebook event.

Neches River Adventures: Eco-Art Boat on Photography

Big Thicket Association

On June 5, from 4-6 p.m., the Big Thicket Association will host a special boat adventure on the Neches River featuring photographer Keith Carter, who will discuss how he combines his life experiences with photography. He will share tips on what it takes to make compelling images in a busy world, and the importance of building a powerful portfolio of your best work. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit this form.

Lower Trinity River Kick-Meeting

On June 7, from 10-11 a.m., Texas Water Action Collaborative (TxWAC), which matches companies and funders with conservation projects to positively benefit Texas’ water resources, invites your organization to join Texan by Nature and Hess Corporation for a kick-off meeting for the lower Trinity River Basin. The meeting will provide more information about TxWAC, how to get involved, and an opportunity to provide more about your efforts as well. To register, visit zoom.us.

Clean Water Action Meet and Greet

On June 7, from 5-7 p.m., new CEC member organization Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund will host a meet-and-greet event with outgoing and incoming Texas Directors David Foster and Becky Smith in the front patio of Mo’ Better Brews, 1201 Southmore Blvd., Houston. The event will include free hors d’ oeuvres and soft drinks. Happy hour drinks for purchase by guests. Please RSVP to bsmith@cleanwater.org by June 4.

TWRC Wildlife Center Volunteer Interest Meeting

On June 7, beginning at 6 p.m., the TWRC Wildlife Center, which promotes environmental conservation through public education and rehabilitation of Texas wildlife, will hold a meeting for prospective volunteers to learn more about the organization and how to get involved. For more information and to register, visit twrcwildlifecenter.org.

World Ocean Day

June 8 is World Ocean Day, which provides the opportunity for people everywhere to unite to celebrate and take action for our shared blue planet, with one ocean and one climate, which connect us all. World Ocean Day supports collaborative conservation, working with a global network of youth and organizational leaders in more than 140 countries. For more information on how you can participate, visit worldoceanday.org.

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary recruiting Advisory Council members

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for five seats on its advisory council, a community-based group of individuals established to provide advice for sanctuary management. The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following five council seats: Education, Oil & Gas Industry, Recreational Diving, Recreational Fishing, and Research. The application and associated information can be found at flowergarden.noaa.gov. Applications are due by Wednesday, June 8.

Houston Area Urban Forestry Council Annual Meeting

On June 8, from 6-8 p.m., the Houston Area Urban Forestry Council will hold its Annual Meeting at Axelrad Beer Garden, 1517 Alabama St. The $25 ticket includes food, a raffle ticket, two drink tickets, and an annual HAUFC membership renewal. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit haufc.org.

Caney Creek Stakeholder Meeting

The Houston-Galveston Area Council invites residents, local governments, businesses, and non-profits within the Caney Creek Watershed to attend a stakeholder meeting on June 9 from 5:30-7 p.m., at Caney Creek MUD, 405 CR 288, Sargent. The purpose of the meeting s to discuss water quality issues affecting Caney Creek. H-GAC will review a new impaired section of Caney Creek and the status of the Caney Creek implementation plan. Additionally, ongoing implementation in the area will be presented. For more information and to register, visit h-gac.com.

Sierra Club meeting: The Secret Lives of Oystercatchers

On June 9, from 7:30-9 p.m., the Houston chapter of the Sierra Club will hold a virtual meeting featuring a presentation by Susan Heath, Ph.D., director of conservation research at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, who will discuss GCBO’s American Oystercatcher Stewardship program and reveal the secrets of the lives of oystercatchers from her 12 years of monitoring them during the breeding season on the upper Texas Coast. For more information and to register, visit meetup.com.

San Luis Pass Coastal Cleanup

On June 11, from 8-11 a.m., SPLASh and the Plastic Pollution Prevention Partnership invite the public to volunteer for a coastal cleanup at San Luis Pass. Spend the morning cleaning up important bird nesting, resting, and hunting habitat in Galveston. For more information and to register, visit the Facebook event.

Lights Out, Texas!

Lights Out, Texas!, a campaign of education, awareness, and action that focuses on turning out lights at night during the spring and fall migrations to help protect the billions of migratory birds that fly over Texas, is under way. The full Spring Migration period runs through June 15. Texan by Nature and Audubon Texas lead Lights Out, Texas! efforts across the state. For more information on how to participate, visit texanbynature.org.

CONTESTS

Ocean Awareness Contest

The 11th annual Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate. The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest—THE FUNNY THING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE—challenges students to learn about climate change and its impact on the ocean, and to explore new ways to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis. The deadline for submissions is June 13. For more information, visit bowseat.org. (Image: Student artist Luyi Song)

2022 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest

The National Marine Sanctuaries 2022 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest is underway through September 5. All photographers, regardless of skill level or experience, are invited to participate. Each photographer may submit up to 10 photos (minimum of 1200 pixels wide) that tell the stories of the National Marine Sanctuaries, including Texas’s own Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Winning photographs will be announced in October 2022 as the Sanctuaries celebrate their 50th anniversary. For full contest rules and submission information, visit sanctuaries.noaa.gov.

Reminders About Ongoing Opportunities

  • Feral Atlas Summer Intensive Program at Rice University. The Houston Climate Justice Museum will host a week-long summer study intensive on the campus of Rice University from July 18-22, based on the digital humanities project Feral Atlas and led by Rice students and museum staff. Participating students will have the opportunity to be involved in workshops led by local artists and conservationists, travel to nearby museums and collections to meet with museum professionals, and get hands-on experience with disaster recovery. Interested students should fill out this form.
  • The Architecture of Bees. Through August 26, Architecture Center Houston offers the exhibition The Architecture of Bees in the gallery of its headquarters at 902 Commerce St. Curated by architect and beekeeper Wendy Heger, AIA, The Architecture of Bees is an immersive educational visual arts exhibition that brings together designers, architects, naturalists, and beekeepers to illustrate the importance and influence of bees on human design and construction. The exhibit is accompanied by several public programs including bee-keeping courses and pollinator walks in collaboration with Buffalo Bayou Partnership; a Biophilia and Bees lecture; and a beehive-inspired architectural workshop for kids. For more information, visit aiahouston.org. 

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.

  • When there’s an oil spill along the coast or pollution in a small county creek, the fish and wildlife that live there are often hit the hardest. Meet the team of biologists who are called when it is time to investigate the impacts
  • An aspiring nature photographer joins a group of Buffalo Soldier re-enactors and discovers history’s ultimate outdoorsmen
  • In a Wildlife Management Area far, far away, a group of dedicated conservationists put their skills to work, building special rainwater catchment systems known as “guzzlers.” These moisture-collecting guzzlers provide water for bighorn sheep, and any other animal looking for a drink in the desert
  • Load up the bikes and try out some of the mountain bike trails at Colorado Bend State Park
  • Take in the sunrise along the Trinity River from a different perspective.

Additional Upcoming Events

Check out the latest Green Jobs at cechouston.org/green-jobs/.