Night hikes at 7 and 8 p.m., mini owl prowl at 7:30 p.m., cabin tours, winter bird craft, pond fishing and live animal time. Campfire, s’mores and tacos. (Vegan and gluten-free options available). Tacos catered by Tacos A GoGo – veggie, chicken, beef tacos with corn/flour tortillas available. Reservation includes 2 tacos per person.

Cost: $30 adult/$35 non-member adult; $15 children (ages 3 & up); $20 non-member children; FREE for children under 3 years

Celebrate the wonder of trees at the Arboretum’s annual Arbor Day. Enjoy free, fun activities for the whole family, including guided tree hikes, wood-turning demonstrations, crafts, seed and sapling giveaways, and more.

Arbor Day Activities and Crafts:

• Guided tree hikes
• Wood-turning demonstrations
• Nature crafts
• Seed and sapling giveaways

You are invited to join the Houston Audubon education staff for a fun and educational presentation about local owls, meet three live rehabilitated owls in the Bayou Barn at Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center and take a hike through the woods in search of wild owls. Popular for all ages and especially for owl enthusiasts. Space is limited; register today.

Memorial Park Conservancy continues the Memorial Park 101 series with Habitat Chat. Meet at the Cullen Running Trails Center at 5 p.m.and join MPC on an hour long guided hike in four distinct ecosystems present in Memorial Park.

Each year, the prestigious Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award recognizes members in the community who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to aiding in the conservation, preservation, restoration and/or advocacy of Houston’s waterways. Nominees can be from the nonprofit, public or private sectors. Please submit nominations by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2019. Submit the nomination information in the body of an email, or as an attachment, or by fax. Email to info@bayoupreservation.org, or fax to 713-529-6481.

The Adult Owl Prowl is the perfect way to spend a Saturday night in nature. Learn about the wise and wonderful owls you can find in Houston, and get up close and personal with live owls from the Wildlife Center of Texas. After the presentation, participants will head out into the woods to look for owls (and other nocturnal animals) along the Arboretum trails. Enjoy light snacks, wine, beer, and hot drinks to warm you up after the night’s walk.

Eligible applicants include:

• Local Governments
• Businesses & Industry
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Universities and Educational Institutions
• Utility Districts

The Water Innovation Strategies of Excellence (WISE) Awards recognize innovative strategies and projects in the Houston-Galveston region that serve as models for improving water quality. Joint applications for larger, collaborative projects are encouraged. Winning projects must exhibit efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation and serve as models to improve surface water quality. Applications must be completed online by Feb. 6, 2019, at noon. For more information, visit h-gac.com.

Save the date for H-GAC’s first Parks and Natural Areas Summit and Awards Ceremony from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, February 8, 2019, at H-GAC Conference Room B, Second Floor. The Summit will include presentations about various H-GAC programs that can provide goods, services, technical assistance, and funding for parks and natural areas projects.

The event will also include the annual Parks and Natural Areas awards recognition ceremony. These projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region. Projects will be honored in three categories: Planning Process, On-the-Ground Projects Over $500,000, and On-the-Ground Projects Under $500,000.

A light breakfast will be served. Registration will open in late December or early January. Registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by the H-GAC program showcase at 9 a.m. The awards program will be followed by networking with H-GAC staff and other parks professionals.

The Summit will include presentations about various H-GAC programs that can provide goods, services, technical assistance, and funding for parks and natural areas projects. These projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region. Projects will be honored in three categories. The event will also include the annual Parks and Natural Areas Awards recognition ceremony. The awards program will be followed by networking with H-GAC staff and other parks professionals.