Calendar
Join KMP naturalists to explore the night sky. Binoculars, camp chairs, and flashlights are recommended. Face coverings required.
Celebrate women’s history month by learning about the women who make a difference in parks, wildlife, and science. Face coverings required.
Enjoy a catered lunch and live entertainment.
$10 per person
Payments must be received by Wednesday, March 17
The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory’s “Brew on the Bayou†third annual celebration will take place on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at GCBO’s headquarters in Lake Jackson at 299 Highway 332 West.
Sample and enjoy local specialty brews and wines from eight breweries and three wineries. Listen to live music by the Intercoastal Pirates, watch a live raptor show, grab a bite to eat from local food trucks, and check out the silent auction. Our beautiful wooded grounds will be lit by torchlight. Take a pontoon boat ride on the bayou. Walk our nature trails.
Tickets are $20/person in advance and can be bought by calling 979-480-0999. Pre-sale ends March 10. Tickets will cost $25 on the day of the event. ID required at door for brew-tasting. Included in the ticket price is everything except food trucks and dessert table. Admission includes 12 drink tasting tickets; additional beer or wine tickets will be available for purchase. Come support our wildlife conservation work while enjoying a magical evening on the bayou!
The 2021 Texas Land Conservation Conference will be held as a virtual event April 14-16 and will offer a variety of program content and learning experiences related to land and water conservation in the Lone Star State. This year’s event will also feature regional (outdoor, safe, and socially distanced!) in-person networking events on Thursday evening. As 2021 will be our 25th-anniversary conference, we will be raising a glass to celebrate this milestone!
With nearly 300 attendees and growing, the conference is the preeminent statewide meeting for anyone working in the field of land and water conservation, private landowners interested in conserving their land, government, business, and NGO agency partners, and any person interested in learning more about these important issues in Texas. This year’s event will be our first-ever virtual event and it will be jam-packed with fantastic sessions on a diversity of important land and water conservation topics. Please make plans to join Texas Land Conservation Conference for what is sure to be another excellent learning and networking opportunity!
Friday, Starting at 4 p.m. – TMS Member Shopping
Saturday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Public Shopping
All ages; no registration required.
Celebrate Earth Day with Mercer Botanic Gardens! April is the best month for planting and celebrating Mercer Botanic Garden planet! Pick out a new tree to fill out your yard or add some flowering shrubs like Hibiscus! Choose from a variety of choice plants including trees, flowering shade and sun perennials, shrubs, herbs, and more to fill out your garden beds!
Shop this online-only sale at https://themercersociety.square.site/ All orders are pickup only; plants cannot be shipped. Plant pickup is off-site at The Mercer Society’s Horticultural Propagation Center, located approximately one mile from Mercer at 3602 Hirschfield Road in Spring, TX. For more information, call The Mercer Society at 713-274-4166.
To become a TMS member, or to renew your membership, visit https://themercersociety.org/get-involved/membership/ today!
Pollinator migration season is nearly here! Show your love of these beneficial insects by attending the Fourth Annual Pollinator Festival and Plant Sale on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mercer Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road in Humble.
What to Buy
Shop plants that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden. The Mercer Society’s (TMS) Pollinator Plant Sale features host and nectar plants, including blue mistflower, purple coneflower, cardinal flower, Texas lantana, and scarlet tropical sage. Create a stunning home habitat for monarch butterflies by planting a wide variety of Texas native milkweed, including zizotes milkweed, green milkweed, aquatic milkweed, swamp milkweed, and antelope horns. Bring other local and migrating species to your yard by adding Texas native host plants. False nettle attracts red admirals and queens, spicebush lures spicebush swallowtails, and maypop brings gulf fritillaries.
Activities
This free, outdoor community event also features a scarecrow contest, lawn games, educational displays, and a book sale hosted by the Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library and Friends of the Library. Visit local exhibitors and vendors and participate in pollinator-themed activities, including the Pollinator Partners Promenade, a self-guided garden tour. If you need advice on pollinator plant selection or garden maintenance, visit a Harris County master gardener at the Ask a Master Gardener tent or connect with knowledgeable TMS plant growers.
Live performances will occur throughout the day, including an eclectic mix of Appalachian fiddle tunes and Celtic music by the Dulcimer Doin’s, Native American flute music by the Spring Cypress Flute Circle, and popular songs from the 1920s to today by the Houkulele Strummers. To add to the fun, visitors are invited to dress in bee, butterfly, bat, hummingbird, or flower attire.
What to Bring
Plant sale attendees are encouraged to bring something to transport their purchases, as wagons are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Proceeds from the Pollinator Plant Sale benefit Mercer Botanic Gardens. The festival is held outdoors at Mercer’s East Side Main Garden. Event parking is at the West Side Arboretum. Parking for those with disabilities is at the East Side Main Garden. Shuttles are available to transport visitors between the garden and arboretum on the east and west sides. A parent or guardian must accompany children younger than 16. Volunteer opportunities are also available. Email jhartwell@hcp4.net for details.
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour is returning to Houston on January 29, 2022. Hosted by the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, this year’s film fest will be a hybrid event, taking place both online and in person at MATCH to accommodate everyone’s COVID safety preferences.
SPONSORS
Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors:
Chaired by Scott and Judy Nyquist, the citizens of Houston will attend an event hosted by the Rice Design Alliance to honor Rice Architecture for bringing people together for the past 50 years. The Rice Design Alliance enhances the Houston urban community by working on local design issues, which keeps the working world in our city functional. The event’s proceeds will go to the Rice Design Alliance’s educational mission.
Join other Christians to celebrate Earth Day by participating in a streamed pre-recorded creation-focused worship service. Listen to the wisdom, song, and stories from our fellow Creatures, human and non-human. The Rev. Dr. Carmelo Santos will share the message of the day. This 45-minute worship service is in English with full Spanish translation, and does not include communion. Observe Earth Day by praising the Creator and giving thanks for God’s good creation in worship on April 22! Register to participate at www.eventbrite.com at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creation-focused-worship-for-earth-day-tickets-301138712997?aff=ebdssbdestsearch. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions.