This is the fourth webinar in ASWM and NRCS’s jointly-developed nine-part wetland training webinar series. The webinar will begin with a presentation on the variability in wetlands across the country, including how specific wetland functions and services vary by wetland type. The webinar will then move to a second presentation on wetland benefits and their impact on other resources at the watershed scale.  Participants will come away from the webinar with an increased understanding of variability of wetlands and their associated functions and services nationwide, as well as how wetland loss and wetland restoration can have impacts at the watershed scale.

Presenters: Doug Norris, Wetland Program Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Andy Robertson, Executive Director, Geospatial Services, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

In November 2018, new HHS Physical Activity Guidelines were released. They confirmed what America Walks already know- that when people move more, they are healthy, active, and engaged. Join America Walks for “Let’s Get Moving: The Power of Physical Activity” as they explore the guidelines and how communities are promoting physical activity with this webinar. This webinar is intended for those just starting out on the walking path as well as those interested in learning more about the topic.

Attendees of this webinar will:

• Learn about programs, policies, and projects that support walk-ability in rural communities and small towns
• Hear inspiring stories of communities on the walking path
• Explore resources that can help you in your work to create walk-able communities

Webinar: Learn about our research campaign to improve understanding of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current

Following recommendations from a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, the Gulf Research Program is developing a long-term research campaign to improve understanding and prediction of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current System.

Known as Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS), the campaign is envisioned as a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional research campaign to improve understanding of the various interacting physical, biological, and chemical processes at work in the Gulf of Mexico. In December, the Gulf Research Program announced the award of $10.3 million in grants for eight new projects to conduct studies and collect data and observations that will inform the planning and launching of the campaign.

On January 11, project team members for that first round of funding awards will convene to plan for and facilitate coordination of efforts across their different projects. A portion of that meeting, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. ET, will be broadcast as a webinar open to anyone interested in learning more about the origin, current work, and longer term vision and timeline for the research campaign.

Register for the webinar: https://nas.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8dc5d96edd0cea5da1175b8c1&id=8a861bd61e&e=0a9537353a

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.

Trees are important oxygen producers, help provide energy-saving shade and the presence of trees positively impacts our psychological well-being. Keep Pearland Beautiful will pass out native trees during Arbor Day. KPB encourages a suggested donation of $10/tree (Two per household limit).

Pearland will benefit from these trees in multiple ways. First, people are attracted to a community with beautiful landscaping that includes trees for shade. Second, in city urban spaces and your own neighborhood a thriving tree canopy is important to keeping temperatures down in the summer. Planting trees around your home increase the energy efficiency of your air conditioner in the summer months. And finally, everyone benefits psychologically from having green spaces with trees. Visit their website, provided above, for an updated list of their tree selection.

Join Citizens’ Environmental Coalition as they visit the Hannah and Arthur Ginsbarg Nature Discovery Center in Bellaire. There will be a guided tour outside and a chance to view major renovations that were completed recently. They will visit the pocket priarie, deciduous woodlands, prairie wetland, and cypress pond in Russ Pitman Park; nature play area; and Critter Classroom. On the tour, you will learn about environmental education initiatives at a mainstay of environmental education inside the loop. The last part of the meeting is our traditional EEE Round-table Forum where members and attendees introduce themselves, their programs, make announcements and discuss challenges and successes in environmental education.

Even one life lost is too many. Pedestrian safety is a critical part of planning for healthy, active, and engaged communities. Learn about resources and ideas to improve safety with this webinar. This webinar assumes basic knowledge of issues related to walking and walk-ability.