Calendar
First we volunteer, then we beer! Meet behind the Cullen Running Trails Center to help Memorial Park Conservancy in our volunteering efforts, then hang out and enjoy a complimentary Saint Arnold Brewing Company beer (or 2). Lawn Games and Food trucks will be onsite too!
When: National Public Lands Day
When is that: September 28 @ 4:00pm to 7:30pm
Where: Meet behind the Cullen Running Trails Center. 7575 N Picnic Ln, 77007 (it’s a building)
Why: Is there a better way to join the conservation efforts at Houston’s most awesome park?
What to wear: Pants and close-toed shoes.
Kid friendly: Yes! Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Food Trucks: Yes!
Walking Tour
Willow Waterhole is hosting a free walking tour on Saturday, December 21, at 10 AM. The tour is 60-90 minutes in length and is easily walk able for all ages. Plenty of parking is available at 11350 Ricecrest and they will meet under the big oak tree. Please join to learn about the history of their green space, upcoming events, and future plans. Dogs are welcome on leash.
Going Green in Houses of Worship – Learn from Others!
The Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston invites you to learn how houses of worship in Houston are going green and consider what you could do in your own house of worship. Join speakers of a variety of faith backgrounds who will discuss work in their houses of worship to go green in their building, grounds, worship services, community service projects, advocacy, educational programs, and more. After each speaker presents on their work, we will have break-out sessions where you can discuss your challenges in going green in your house of worship and get tips from others. People of all faiths are encouraged to attend, as are representatives of local environmental non-profits that would like to work with people of faith on environmental issues. Please join us! The Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston acts to empower the faith community in the greater Houston area to act and advocate on behalf of the environment. For more information about this event, or the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston, please contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com.
On Jan. 26, from 9:45-11 a.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church will host a presentation by Dr. Stephen Long, a public health physician, on the EAT Lancet Commission on Food, Planet & Health: Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems report. This study, compiled by 37 scientists and other experts from 16 countries, aims to establish a global food economy that could combat chronic diseases in wealthy nations like ours and provide better nutrition for poor ones, all without destroying the planet. For more information, see the Facebook event.
Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church invites you to a monthly environmental education web meeting series whose theme in 2020 is The Wonders of Nature.
Lady beetles, or ladybugs, have long been recognized as one of the best biological controls for many insect pests in both home gardens and agri-business. The diversity in this family of insects has been well-characterized yet they have largely been represented by only a few select species which have been introduced in the U.S. via different methods. So, who are our native lady beetles? What are their dietary preferences and habitat needs? This presentation is an introduction to some of the native lady beetles in the greater Houston area and an overview of their biology and habitat needs. Additionally, the presentation 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. Join this conversation with Rebecca Lloyd, Texas Master Naturalist, as we wonder at Texas Lady beetles! Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions about this talk.
Jubilee for the Earth
2020 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m., online
Join with Christians of all traditions in a Jubilee for the Earth, an observance of the 2020 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This ecumenical service, hosted by Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston, will be a time to pray, to praise, to profess our faith, to confess, and to leave empowered to lead transformed lives.
To join this service, use this link:
https://ctkelc.us14.list-
manage.com/track/click?u=fc688c254497a823dbdfd13b9&id=ab685b6ecf&e=8d08aaba44
For more information, contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com
Sip hot chocolate as you stroll through the beautiful Houston Zoo grounds and take in the sights and sounds of the season. Interact with Candy the Zoo Lights Zebra presented by H-E-B, get a selfie on a giant ice throne, and take a socially distanced photo with Santa as he prepares for the holidays in his workshop!
Stroll through a 125-foot-long, Infinity Tunnel of Light, see dragons come to life in the 4-D Enchanted Forest presented by King & Spalding LLP, and experience “snow†in Texas!Â
TXU Energy Presents Zoo Lights
November 14, 2020 – January 10, 2021
5:30-10:30 p.m., last entry at 9:30 p.m.
Buy early for the best price! Tickets will NOT be available for purchase at the gate.
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS
Note: Ticket prices are the same for adults and children. Children ages 1 and under are free. Members save $3 per ticket when you log in to purchase.
Find additional information in our Zoo Lights FAQ section below.Â
For the safety of Houston Zoo staff, guests, and animals, visitors 10 years and older are required to wear facial coverings that cover their nose and mouth.
Houston Parks Boards have something to celebrate that’s historic: Bayou Greenways 2020, a 150-mile, 8-year, $220 million endeavors that are transforming our city. This year, Houston Parks Board is celebrating with a Week of Thanks, with creative and engaging activities every day starting Monday, November 16, and a special culminating moment at noon on Thursday, November 19 that Houston Parks Boards are striving to make the happiest time of your week.
This year’s event, though it’s not Houston Parks Board usually luncheon, is not only a crucial part of supporting Houston Park Board mission work, it is an opportunity to come together virtually to celebrate this incredible project that is benefiting millions of people every day.
Register below and join Houston Park Boards on November 19 as they celebrate this momentous achievement.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
© David Hanson. Photographed during a survey at Baytown Nature Center.
Next survey of the fall 2020 season: Thursday, October 15, 2020. Remember to wear your masks and Houston Audubon will try to social distance the best we can. One significantly different change is Houston Audubon will not be sharing scopes so if you have a scope and want to use one bring it. Houston Audubon will meet at 8:00 AM in the parking lot behind the entrance building.
Houston Audubon in partnership with the Baytown Nature Center is leading a monthly count at the Baytown Nature Center. David Hanson is the leader. The survey is usually conducted on the third Thursday of each month, September through May, and results are posted on eBird. The survey normally begins at 8 AM. Meet in the parking lot behind the 6th entrance building at or a little before 8 AM.
Entry fee waived for count participants: There is no entry fee for the participants of the bird survey. Please inform the gate attendant when you arrive and then meet behind the entrance building.
The Baytown Nature Center is a 450-acre site on two peninsulas surrounded by three bays. More than 300 species of birds depend on this area for migration, feeding or nesting. This former residential subdivision now features picnic shelters, fishing piers, pavilions, and scenic overlooks. There’s also a butterfly garden and bird sanctuary. The Baytown Nature Center is an official site on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and is part of the Houston Christmas Bird Count.
DIRECTIONS
From Houston: Take I-10 East to the Baytown Spur 330 exit (2nd exit after the San Jacinto River Bridge). From Spur 330 take the Bayway Drive exit and turn right at the traffic signal. Proceed south on Bayway for about 2 miles to the Baytown Nature Center entrance on the right (watch for stone entrance sign).
From the south on TX 146: Cross the Fred Hartman Bridge on TX 146; continue on TX 146 to TX 330 Spur north; go 1.9 miles and exit at Baker Rd/Wade Rd; turn left onto W. Baker Rd.; travel ½ mile and turn left onto Bayway Drive; go 1 mile to the entrance of Baytown Nature Center on the right.
Raptor Photography Shoots
Hawks, falcons, owls and more await you at Houston Audubon’s Raptor Photo Shoots. You will have the opportunity to photograph Houston Audubon’s education raptors in an intimate setting at both the Houston Audubon Raptor & Education Center and at Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. Whether you use a simple point and shoot or serious photography equipment, you will enjoy meeting and learning about these awesome birds. Raptor Shoots are typically from 8 AM – 10 AM but times will be confirmed by email for each session depending on sunrise. Light refreshments will be served on the deck for all to enjoy during the shoot. Space is limited to 20 participants. The fee is $40.