Calendar
Postponed: New Date TBD Spring 2021
Welcome to the first Houston Resilience in Schools Summit hosted by National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and Houston-area partners. The aim of this Summit is to connect middle and high school teachers and students to the experts, resources, strategies and plans that will allow them to affect change on their campus and in their communities related to climate resilience and public health. A call to action from Mayor Sylvester Turner and a keynote from Houston’s Chief Resilience officer, Marissa Aho, will inspire teachers to engage their students in a climate resilience project that will help advance specific goals set forth in both the Houston Climate Action Plan and the Houston Resilience Strategy.
In the morning, teachers will engage in presentations and activities from Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF), EcoRise and NWF that will set the stage for successful project planning and design thinking with their students. They will also learn from their peers – four Houston-area teachers from different disciplines will model their path to empowering student leaders through successful project-based learning (PBL).
During the afternoon, a panel of climate resilience experts in the non-profit, business and health sectors will equip teachers with the knowledge and resources to help them bring climate resilience education to the classroom. Teachers will have the opportunity to work with their peers to scaffold an authentic climate resilience project to implement at their school or in their community during the 2021-2022 school year. Projects will exemplify PBL principles and help to advance one or more goals of the City of Houston Climate Action Plan and the City of Houston Resilience Strategy.
$500 Stipends/grants. After the Summit, teachers will be given the opportunity to submit a proposal to NWF, based on the plans for a campus or community climate resilience project that they outlined during the Summit. Up to 20 teachers from different campuses will be eligible for a $500 stipend/grant to facilitate the implementation of the project during the 2021-2022 school year.
Focus – middle and high school teachers
Teachers will earn 6 hours of Continuing Education Credits which includes 1 hour of asynchronous time prior to the workshop.
Important Information. The Resilience in Schools Summit will be held on the Zoom platform. To take advantage of the updated breakout room features like self-select and move from room to room, all participants need to update zoom to be on version 5.3.0 or later. Make sure you have the most updated version of Zoom installed on your system. You can download it here https://zoom.us/download. If you do not update, you will not be able to utilize the new features. You will receive a link to the event via the email you use to register .
Virtually WILD! Texas – students can interact LIVE with scientists & conservationists across the region. See archived videos on the Facebook page. The program lasts 45 minutes, and occurs twice a day. Check the website for specific times (they vary).
Grade Levels: This program is planned at a 3rd – 5th grade level, but participants of all ages will gain useful information.
Registration: Sign up through Region 4 ESC to gain access to each live program.
Join in to see wild places around Houston, and meet the people working hard to keep them wild.
Join Spring Creek Greenway Ambassador and published birder Joanne “JoJo†Bradbury on a bird walk on the first Saturday of every month.
Contact JoJo @ jojobirder@comcast.net for more information.
VMS Code:  AT: Single Presentation – BLC Birding Walk
Virtually WILD! Texas – students can interact LIVE with scientists & conservationists across the region. See archived videos on the Facebook page. The program lasts 45 minutes, and occurs twice a day. Check the website for specific times (they vary).
Grade Levels: This program is planned at a 3rd – 5th grade level, but participants of all ages will gain useful information.
Registration: Sign up through Region 4 ESC to gain access to each live program.
Join in to see wild places around Houston, and meet the people working hard to keep them wild.
Over the course of 8 weeks and over 32 instructional hours, you can gain a greater understanding of entomology, integrated pest management in the garden, landscape and home, be able to identify common insects, spiders and arthropods in Texas, learn about butterfly gardening and native pollinators and much more. iNaturalist training, invasive insects to watch in Texas, medical entomology, using dichotomous keys for identification will also be covered.
See the website for more details.
The films presented by the Houston Green Film Series are free to public and funded by volunteer efforts, in-kind contributi
In general, the series is screened on the third Wednesday of each month.
For current films, visit the Houston Green Films website or Facebook page.
Join Spring Creek Greenway Ambassador and published birder Joanne “JoJo†Bradbury on a bird walk on the first Saturday of every month.
Contact JoJo @ jojobirder@comcast.net for more information.
VMS Code:  AT: Single Presentation – BLC Birding Walk
Whether you’re a long-time volunteer or interested in becoming one, You are invited to attend Mercer’s new monthly volunteer orientation meetings, starting on February 11.  This orientation will review Mercer’s beginnings and history, along with all the volunteer opportunities that are available now will be in the future. Whether it’s working in the gardens, reading to children, being a Mercer Ambassador, or participating in a specialty activity or plant sale, we have a lot planned for 2021!
Registration is required as space is limited. Recommended for ages 16 and older, or ages 12 to 15 if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Trail maintenance, volunteer work crew, and garden group.
For information on volunteer opportunities at Kleb Woods, contact Megan Ahlgren
VMS CODE: RM: Kleb Woods
It’s time to volunteer again! You know you want to, but you know there are rules, right? So here they are:
- Only a certain number of people will be allowed in each garden area. Be prepared to grow where you’re planted (work where you’re most needed)!
- You must supply your own gloves and tools.
- Park at the education building, not in front of the office.
- If you are more comfortable wearing a face mask, you are more than welcome to.
- Limits on the number of people should allow for 6 feet social distancing. Be mindful of the distance.
- As always, bring adequate sun protection and water.
- If you have been exposed to COVID-19, please quarantine for 14 days before joining Texas Master Naturalists – Heartwood Chapterat the Forest.
Volunteer slots begin at 9 am and end at noon. Contact heartwoodvsp@gmail.com for the latest plans.
VMS: RM: WG Jones State Forest (Specify garden or nursery maintenance)