Coalition Notes 03-26-2012

1. Managing and Conserving Texas Grasslands. In Angleton on March 29, the Native Prairies Association of Texas presents a program on tools and resources for managing and conserving Texas grasslands. The program includes discussions about our grassland heritage, quail habitat management, benefits of land trust easements, federal conservation programs,  and sustainable ranch management. The event also includes a field trip to the Nash Prairie, one of the last intact segments of the Gulf Coast Prairie. For more information and to RSVP, contact Phillip_quast@texasprairie.org or 512-751-9265.
2. Take  a Turtle Barn Tour.  Guests will have a chance to get an inside look at Galveston National Marine Fisheries Service sea turtle laboratory and view 350 sea turtles raised as part of conservation efforts to reduce fishing impacts on sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico. Guests will have a chance to meet Texas legend Carole Allen and Todd Steiner of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project. March 30, 2012, 4:00 pm, in Galveston. Map sent upon registration to to info@seaturtles.org, which is required by March 28 at 5:00 pm.
3. Rivers, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash. Saturday, March 31, 2012. Once a year thousands of volunteers gather along the Texas waterways to do their part in cleaning up the environment and participate in the largest statewide event to educate the public about the importance of our water resources. Trash Bash occurs rain or shine, unless there are severe weather conditions. More information at www.trashbash.org. With 17 sites, there is a clean-up near you:
• Armand Bayou–Bay Area Park
• Bastrop Bayou–Marlin Marina
• Brays Bayou–Mason Park
• Buffalo Bayou–North Drennan Street
• Buffalo Bayou–Terry Hershey Park
• Cypress Creek–Collins Park
• Dickinson Bayou–Highway 3 bridge
• Galveston Bay–Seabrook
• Galveston Bay–Bay Street Park, Texas City
• Galveston Bay–Virginia Point Penninsula Park
• Lake Conroe–Cagle Recreation Area
• Lake Houston–Lake Houston Marina
• Little White Oak Bayou–Moody Park
• Sims Bayou–Glenbrook, Reveille, and Sims Woods Parks
• White Oak Bayou–Little Thicket Park
• White Oak Bayou–Ermel Elementary School
• White Oak Bayou–Jersey Village
4. Houston Green Film Series: “Forks Over Knives”. The next film of the Houston Green Film Series will be shown on March 28th at 6:30pm at the Rice Media Center (2030 University Blvd). The film, “Forks Over Knives”, explores the relationship between diet and illness by following the lives of patients as doctors guide them in switching to plant-based and whole food diets to treat their illness ranging from heart disease to diabetes. For more information, visit http://houstongreenscene.org/.
5. Tools & Resources for Managing & Conserving Texas Grasslands. Native Prairies Association of Texas is holding a landowner workshop, Tools & Resources for Managing & Conserving Texas Grasslands, at the Texas AgriLIFE Extension Offices-Angleton, (21017 County Road 171) from 9:15am-4pm on March 29th. The workshop will cover a variety of topics including “Prairies, Texas Ecological and Historical Heritage, less than 1% remains….”, “Quail & Grassland Bird Habitat Management in Texas”, and “Benefits & Incentives of Land Trust Easements”. RSVP to Phillip Quast at phillip_quast@texasprairie.org; 512-751-9265. More at http://texasprairie.org/.
6. Jones Park Photo Contest. A contest is great incentive for roving the trails looking for a great shot! Two divisions are available: Adult, 16 and older, and junior, 15 and younger. One photo may be submitted for each category: wildlife, scenic/wildflowers, and people in the park. Only photos taken between May 1, 2011 and Monday, April 30, 2012 in Jones Park will be considered. Check web site at www.hcp4.net/jones for more details. Deadline is Monday, April 30, or postmarked by Wednesday, April 25 if mailed.
7. TNC Picnic for the Planet. The Nature Conservancy is promoting Picnic for the Planet throughout Texas. Picnic for the Planet is the world’s largest Earth Day celebration on April 22nd. You can attend an event in your area or even sign up to host one! Picnics can be done with your family, in the work place, or at your children’s schools. For more information, check out www.nature.org/earthday.
8. Activist Training – Clean Air and Water. Houston is the ninth smoggiest metropolitan area in the country and Galveston Bay is at risk because the Clean Water Act no longer protects our smaller streams and waterways. Keeping our air and water clean and safe in Texas isn’t always easy, but you can learn how to do it! Environment Texas and the Public Interest Network are holding an activist training in Houston on April 12th from 4-6pm at the Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library (4100 Montrose Blvd). It’s free (though donations are welcomed and encouraged) and open to the public. Attend to learn the best ways to organize your community and meet fellow activists. Bring your family and your friends! Email tessa@environmenttexas.org for more information and to RSVP.
9. Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Spring Fling. Migration is heating up on the Gulf coast. Twice each year, billions of birds, entire species, swarm across the globe, traveling thousands of miles as they migrate between breeding and wintering grounds – stopping enroute to refuel at coastal stopover sites. GCBO manages its own patch of stopover habitat – the bird sanctuaries at Quintana just ten miles south of our Lake Jackson headquarters where we host a month-long Spring Fling Visitor Station each April. GCBO staff and volunteers assist with bird identification, provide local information and bird checklists, sell snacks and field guides, and post a daily bird list. With this year’s strong westerly weather pattern, Quintana is already attracting many atypical species like Green-tailed Towhee and Harris’s Sparrow. The Spring Fling Visitor Station operates daily during the month of April. For a map go to www.gcbo.org.
10. EPA-Funded Clean Diesel Project. Particulate matter from diesel soot pollution irritates eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. However, that retrofits of diesel engines to reduce the harmful respiratory effects could present significant health and economic gains to individuals and employers. The American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region, in conjunction with the Houston Advanced Research Center, is carrying out a clean diesel project funded by the EPA. The project is designed to retrofit diesel vehicles in fleets in the Dallas and Houston metro areas with various diesel catalysts and filters in order to reduce diesel particulate emissions. In addition to these retrofits, training is provided to truck drivers and fleet managers with knowledge and skills to maintain the emissions reduction technology. ALAPG is also engaged with environmentally concerned organizations to increase public awareness of potential healthy actions to reduce air pollution. Outreach regarding environmental, economic, and health benefits of diesel emissions reductions will achieve increased awareness among diverse audiences of alliance organizations.
11. Give 5 for Conservation. On Saturday, April 21, the Katy Prairie Conservancy and four other Houston-area conservation groups — Bayou Land Conservancy, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Galveston Bay Foundation, and Houston Audubon — are collaborating for the inaugural Give 5% campaign! For more information, visit the Give 5 website.
12. Save the Date:
    • Gulf Coast Green Registration through April 1. Register at http://gulfcoastgreen.org/.
    • Earth Day Houston. Saturday, April 7, 2012. More at http://earthdayhouston.org/.
    • “4 The Park” Fun Run. Saturday, April 7, 2012. More at http://www.memorialparkconservancy.org.
    • Green the Prairie. April 21st from 8am to noon. http://www.facebook.com/
    • Galveston Bay Oyster Appellation Tasting. April 21, 2012. www.galvbay.org.