Calendar
Join the Texas Conservation Alliance in planting longleaf pine saplings.
Help care for nursery trees from the Historical Texas trees collection and other natives at the Mercer Botanic Gardens Horticultural Propagation Center. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a refillable water bottle. Online registration begins at 9 a.m. 30 days prior to the event. Online registration closes 48 hours prior to the event.
Mercer Botanic Gardens offers a variety of volunteer opportunities at three facilities within one mile of the gardens, interested in volunteering? Then attend this event!
Online registration begins at 9 a.m. 30 days prior to the event. Online registration closes 48 hours prior to the event.
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.
Join your community and several area partners on Houston’s Arbor Day, January 22nd. Bayou Land Conservancy and partners will be planting native trees that will help protect water quality and community health.
There are two shifts (either from 9:00 am to 10:30am or 11:00 am to 12:30pm). You can register for one or both, all are welcome to volunteer with Bayou Land Conservancy! Register here: bayouland.org/arborday22 or contact BLC for more information.
Parks and Natural Areas Awards
H-GAC established the Parks and Natural Areas awards program in 2006 to highlight best practices and innovative approaches to parks planning and implementation. H-GAC honors projects in the categories of Projects Over $500,000, Projects Under $500,000, Planning Process and Policy Tools, and Programming.
This program recognizes outstanding parks and natural areas around the region. No funding is associated with this award program.
Chapter Meeting: Photographing Texas Prairies
Join the Native Plant Society of Texas for their chapter meeting on Zoom! Register
Monday, February 14 • 6:30 p.m.
Good photography can change hearts and minds. Join professional photographer Sean Fitzgerald for a presentation on how to photograph prairies for maximum impact, with a particular focus on often overlooked Texas prairie ecosystems. Learn valuable tips to take better photos using a variety of techniques to help you tell the stories you want to tell.
Experience forest bathing, led by a certified guide, followed by practice of the Christian spiritual discipline of the Earth Examen. Forest bathing, a practice that originated in Japan, involves taking in, in all of one’s senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. Forest bathing has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and focus, enhance creativity, and lead to an increased sense of calm and altruistic behavior, in addition to other benefits such as boosting the immune system and lowering blood pressure. As Christians, we understand that God is present in God’s creation, and after our guided forest bath, we’ll spend some time considering the Earth Examen as we reflect both on our time spent forest bathing and on our relationship with all creation. This activity is for a small group and space is limited. Please register at www.eventbrite.com at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/forest-bathing-earth-examen-tickets-291848535827. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions.
Conservation Grants
Conservation Grants can be awarded to projects anywhere in Texas. In its first 25 years the Birding Classic has donated $1,071,000 in conservation funding to nature tourism and avian habitat restoration, enhancement, and acquisition projects throughout the state!
Number of grants awarded (and their amounts) are determined based on team registration fees (independent and sponsored) and corporate sponsorship dollars collected each year. The Birding Classic is a cost-recovery event, so once minimal event costs are covered all remaining funds go to conservation grants in Texas. Organizations are not required to register a team in the Birding Classic to be eligible to submit a project proposal.
All approved projects submitted by the May 1st deadline will be provided to winning Birding Classic teams to select which projects are funded by Conservation Grants.