As landfill space and raw materials become scarcer, recycling of used materials becomes a more cost-effective and sensible option. Periodically H-GAC hosts workshops to bring new ideas and knowledge to local governments on a wide range of recycling-related topics.

Regional Recycling Roundtable

The next roundtable will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, November 15, 2018, in H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor.

The topic is Composting as a recycling strategy. Presentations will include:

• Trends and Status in Commercial Composting
• Municipality Case Study
• Master Composter Overview

Registration is requested.

For more information about the roundtable, please contact Becki Begley at becki.begley@h-gac.com or 713-993-2410.

2018 Update on Nesting Shorebirds in Galveston County presented by Kristen Vale of American Bird Conservancy

The Galveston County Audubon Group (GCAG) of the Houston Audubon Society hold monthly meetings jointly with the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council (GINTC). The meetings are held in the Wortham Auditorium on the first floor at the Rosenberg Library, 7 – 8 p.m. They welcome guests to come early at 6:30 p.m. to visit with other birders about their recent outings and sightings before the meeting. Membership is free and meetings and field trips are open to the public. Membership in Houston Audubon Society is encouraged but is not required.

Texas City Dike Field Trip: Saturday, November 17: 8:30 a.m. – Noon

Meet at the Texas City Dike Pavilion parking lot.

Register online at www.houstonaudubon.org or contact Juanita Perkins at jperkins@houstonaudubon.org

Secretive and challenging to identify are what make this group of birds fun. The Upper Texas Coast is a great place to see wintering sparrows. Learn the key principles of identification that will enable you to separate the 17 different species that are possible. After this class you will no longer call sparrows little brown birds, you will recognize them as sparrows.

Comes with a field trip for Saturday, December 1, 7:30am-4:00pm

Member cost: $75

Non-member cost:$90

Register online at www.houstonaudubon.org or contact Juanita Perkins at jperkins@houstonaudubon.org

In this class we will focus on the many species who winter in our region, including raptors, waterbirds, sparrows, and other land birds.

Comes with a field trip for Saturday, December 15, 7:30am-4:00pm

Member cost: $75

Non-member cost:$90

Presentation: The Upper Texas Gulf Coast provides a variety of habitats that attract winter waterfowl and other water birds such as loons and grebes, making it a wonderful birding destination during the fall and winter months. Identification of these birds can be somewhat tricky, however. This interactive presentation will cover the different family groups and provide information about behavior, habitat, and plumage that can aid in identification. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and everyone is encouraged to come early to share about recent outings and sightings.

Field Trip: Jan. 19, 2019, 8:30 a.m. – Noon, @ Moody Gardens south Aquarium Parking lot, 1 Hope Blvd

Meet at Moody Gardens as a starting point and give everyone the game plan for the trip. Attendees can consolidate into carpools. Narration broadcast will be available on an FM radio channel for caravan options.

The City of Angleton will host the next Bringing Back Main Street Revitalization roundtable meeting at the Brazoria County Historical Museum. During this roundtable, participants will hear information on meeting building codes and regulations when renovating older buildings in downtowns. The presentation will be followed by a tour of two renovated buildings in downtown Angleton. H-GAC hosts quarterly roundtables to help local governments, chambers of commerce, and economic development interests promote the economic revitalization of downtown areas. Online RSVP is requested.

The Bringing Back Main Street initiative offers local communities a place to share best practices and engage in a regional dialogue about revitalizing and supporting vibrant downtown spaces. Each quarter, community leaders gather for a roundtable on topics ranging from small business support to sidewalk infrastructure. These ongoing roundtables add to the knowledge shared during a 2015 workshop series.

Save the date for H-GAC’s next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable. The location and topic are to be determined.