Calendar
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!
Interested in volunteering? Stop by the Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center for a casual gathering with staff and volunteers to learn about the variety of rewarding volunteer opportunities.
Ages 16+ or accompanied by an adult. Families are welcome. Please contact volunteer coordinator Brent Wilkins at 281-446-8588 or bwilkins@hcp4.net for more information and to RSVP.
In 1996, a cross-section of stakeholders came together in Pittsburgh for the very first federally co-sponsored National Brownfields Training Conference. Now join National Brownfields Conference as we celebrate the 19th event from September 27th–30th, 2021, in Oklahoma City, OK at the Oklahoma City Convention Center!
Cosponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the National Brownfields Training Conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing formerly utilized commercial and industrial properties. Mark your calendars for three days of training, networking, and business development!
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.
Texas Trustees Holding Annual Public Meeting December 1
The Texas Trustee Implementation Group will hold its annual public meeting via a webinar on December 1, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. CT. During the meeting, They will present an update on Texas Restoration Area plans, projects, and activities. They will provide opportunities for attendees to submit questions as part of the webinar registration process, and during the Webinar via chat. The webinar is open to everyone, and they encourage your attendance and participation.
This free virtual event is brought to you by the Texas Water Resources Institute for those who will partake in the agency panel for program updates and a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension panel discussing continued engagement with stakeholders in response to COVID-19.
Join us for the 4th Annual Wild About Houston Green Film Festival, showcasing more than a dozen short films from the Greater Houston Area that tell the story of local environmental issues, their champions, and how you can make a difference.
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.