The health and safety of our generous donors and supporters are Turtle Island Restoration Network top priority, so the 2020 Art of Saving Sea Turtles benefit is going virtual!

Please join us on Thursday, October 29 from 5:30-6:30 pm Central to celebrate local sea turtle conservation and community art and help raise critical funds to support Turtle Island Restoration Network’s sea turtle conservation programs in the Gulf and on Galveston Island!

Turtle Island Restoration Network will be honoring Turtles About Town and the artists, sponsors, and individuals who have faithfully supported our mission. Turtle Island Restoration Network will also be introducing the artists and sponsors of 19 new sea turtle statues that will bring the total number of colorful Kemp’s ridleys on Galveston Island to 50!

We want everyone to learn, explore, and connect with nature. To do that we need the environmental field and nature-focused organizations to be more inclusive, diverse and representative of all communities.

Join youth leaders from the Austin Parks and Recreation Department Park Ranger Cadet Program to discuss the intersections of racial equity, connecting to the outdoors, and outdoor careers. For the first half of the session, they will share the work they’ve been doing in Austin to address racial equity by building a green careers pipeline for young leaders. In the second half youth leaders and attendees will dive into discussion topics such as: barriers to connecting with nature, why they focus on race, importance of knowing the history of an area, being a white ally, guidance for having tough conversations & curricular resources, eco-therapy in relation to this work, building partnerships, peer mentorship model, youth leadership development, the importance of elevating youth voices, and creating pathways to employment.

Come to the session ready to share stories, successes, challenges, and questions! We hope to have open and honest conversations, share strategies and resources, and strengthen our network of people doing this work. Together, we can work towards a Texas where nature and outdoor careers are more accessible for people who have been historically excluded.

Hosted by Texas Children in Nature.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is hosting a socially distanced picnic in place of its annual fundraising gala. Or, BBP will deliver
a picnic for you to enjoy at home while tuning into our virtual program. Although the event format has changed, the goal remains
the same—raising much-needed funds for the ongoing care,revitalization, and activation of Houston’s greatest natural resource.
Enhancement of the five-year-old Buffalo Bayou Park was made possible by a catalyst gift from the Kinder Foundation, along with the City of Houston through Houston Parks & Recreation Department, Harris County Flood Control District, and Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #3. This award-winning park has become a focal point for the city, providing a place for recreation, relaxation, and respite for hundreds of thousands of visitors. During the current health crisis especially, this accessible public space has been a critically important refuge for Houstonians of all ages and walks of life. Buffalo Bayou Park comes to life when friends like you are there,
so please join with Buffalo Bayou Picnic in honoring its essential role in the community.

http://www.facebook.com/BayouLandConservancy/photos/gm.2584861421765029/10159302880777448/?type=3

Join Bayou Land Conservancy on Friday, November 13, 2020, for our Annual Land Lover Gala Home on the Range (your range!) This year’s event will be held virtually and bring just as much joy and excitement as ever. Get Wild About Texas this year with keynote speaker Ben Masters, Texas Wildlife Filmmaker. Ben will take us through a journey about his latest film Deep in the Heart.

Deep in the Heart will be the first blue-chip wildlife documentary ever produced about our beloved Texas. The film will celebrate many conservation success stories while showcasing some of the most important ecological issues through the eyes of wildlife and wild places. Imagine Planet Earth…but in Texas! Through witty narration, humor, and state-of-the-art cinematography, the film will showcase approximately twenty wildlife species ranging from the iconic bison to the mysterious ocelot. The feature-length film will begin in the high plains and peaks of West Texas, flow through diverse ecoregions along our many river systems, and conclude along the bays, estuaries, and the Gulf of Mexico. Deep in the Heart aims to inspire Texans to conserve our remaining wild places, to show the connectivity of water and wildlife, and to recognize Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale.

Birding in the Barrio, a workshop by Texas Children in Nature

This workshop explores the importance of diversity for the next generation of birders and ways to help minority birders overcome the fear of birding through The Texas Blue Jay Project.

Join CEC and the City of Houston on December 11 to leverage community resources and create strategic opportunities for Houston-area youth to engage in civic conversations and actions around climate resilience. This virtual, collaborative planning workshop is for all Houston informal educators and community engagement coordinators. Details and free registration via this Eventbrite link.

Join staff from Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve for a look at how to use iNaturalist to participate in a BioBlitz.

Then participate in a Bird Count Feb. 12 – 15 and the BioBlitz March 13-21 in any of the parks.

Contact Jerrel Geisler with any questions: jgeisler@hcp4.net.

Civic Science: Inquiry to Action