Calendar
Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable on Monday, July 8, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor.
The PNA Roundtable serves as a forum for discussion of issues related to parks and natural areas, promotes the PNA Award Program, and maintains a regional inventory of parks. The PNA roundtable facilitates information exchange and planning efforts between various stakeholders and collaborators to protect and preserve parks and natural areas across the region. To register visit events.r20.constantcontact.com/register.
NATIVE PLANT SOCIETYÂ OF TEXAS HOUSTON CHAPTER
WILDSCAPES WORKSHOP
Wildscapes Workshop, a one-day, not-to-be-missed educational event and local native plant sale. This year’s event will involve featured speakers providing up-to-date information on the relationship between native plants and our local wildlife and environment, and Houston’s prairie history, culture, and its future.
Wildscapes Workshop benefits local native plant gardens, grants, and scholarships.
NPSOT promotes research, conservation, and utilization of native plants and habitats through education, outreach, and example.
Register at NativePlantSociety.org
The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards is an annual awards program that honors achievements in environmental preservation and protection. There are ten diverse award categories that provide citizens, communities, businesses, and organizations an opportunity to obtain the state’s highest environmental honor and be recognized for their environmental projects. The deadline for submission is September 27th.
Since 1993, they have honored more than 250 successful environmental projects and efforts. By honoring these winners, the TCEQ hopes to encourage others to initiate like-minded projects and reinforce a spirit of environmental stewardship. These are the categories:
- Agriculture
- Civic/Community
- Education
- Environmental Educator of the Year
- Individual
- Innovative Operations/Management
- Pollution Prevention
- Technical/Technology
- Water Conservation
- Youth
Join us for this important Environmental Forum to discuss topics that are focused on the City of Houston. You are encouraged to bike or travel electrically by taking the Green Line to the Coffee Plant/Second Ward light rail station. The house is one block away at 317 Sampson Street. Please bring your own chair and reusable water bottle.
The event is sponsored by 350.org Houston, Citizens Climate Lobby Houston, Energy & Environmental Democrats, Environment Texas, Houston Climate Movement, and Houston Renewable Energy Group. #oursharedhouston
Shell Educators’ Preview: Start your evening at 4 p.m. and earn one hour of CPE credit while viewing our newly renovated George W. Strake Hall of Malacology.
HMNS’ Educator Members will have an opportunity to speak to Tina Petway, the
Museum’s Associate Curator of Malacology, during the Shell Educators’ Preview.
As a special treat, all guests will also be able to visit our newest special exhibition,
Art of the Brick until 6:00 p.m.!
The Educator Event @HMNS: Continue your evening with us starting at 5 p.m.
and earn up to three additional hours of CPE credit depending on which
programming you attend. HMNS is featuring several ways to earn CPE credit from
attending workshops to taking a guided tour to seeing a show in our Planetarium.
Educators are able to earn a total of up to 4 hours of CPE credit while attending
HMNS’, An Evening for Educators!
Registration Information
Educators: Free
Non-Educators: $10.00
(Pricing includes entry to the George W. Strake Hall of Malacology and Art of the Brick)
Registration begins Tuesday, July 30th and ends Wednesday, October 2nd.
Please complete the online form at hmns.org/eveningforeducators to reserve your spot. For questions, contact educatorevent@hmns.org.
The native plant sale will be open to luncheon attendees Friday, October 18th at the Pearland First United Methodist Church Family Life Center, (2314 N. Grand, Pearland, TX  77581) when the Doors open at 10:30 AM.  The native and adaptive plant sale continues for the duration of the luncheon ending around 1:30PM.
The plant sale moves to the Stella Roberts Recycling Center (5800 Magnolia, Pearland, TX 77584) Saturday morning, October 19th from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM.
Fall Plant Sale
Fall is one of the best times to plant in Houston so get ready to garden at our Fall Plant Sale! We will be offering native flowers, shrubs, and trees – perfect for attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators to your yard or garden. Proceeds benefit the Arboretum’s conservation and education efforts. Members receive discounts on all plant sale purchases.
Plant Sale Tips:
- Park at the 610 Entrance for easy accessibility
- Arrive early – the best plants go fast
- Bring a wagon if you have one – we will have a limited number for customer use
- Become a Member – members receive discounts on all plant sale purchases
Check out Houston Arboretum & Nature Center website for more information.
Rain is as important as carbon dioxide in cooling our planet. People must restore trees and soil to restore the water cycle.
The image above shows how trees pump huge amounts of water back into the air and create more rain further inland. It is a river in the sky.
When folks started climate modeling, to simplify, they ignored water vapor and focused on carbon dioxide. But the water cycle is 95% of planetary cooling while carbon dioxide is only 5%, according to Dr. Walter Jehne. We need to keep on reducing emissions, but it’s time to also work on restoring ecosystems and their soils. Besides this may be an easier and faster way to make a difference.
To learn more and register to this event visit Coolingourplanet

Celebrate Texas Arbor Day with a tree planting demonstration and receive a complimentary tree sapling while supplies last. Visit the outdoor library corner to find books on trees and how to care for them at Mercer’s West Side Arboretum. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, FACE PAINTING, HISTORICAL TREES, CHILDREN’S CRAFTS