The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Climate Communications Initiative (CCI) aims to coordinate efforts across the Academies to successfully address public questions about climate change, develop innovative approaches for communicating and disseminating climate information, and provide easy access to evidence-based findings and explanations of climate change to various audiences. The CCI will enable the Academies to advise the nation in more nimble and responsive ways, pulling from the deep and diverse body of work from the institution’s seven programmatic divisions and three honorific societies.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have put in place an Advisory Committee to provide expert oversight and guidance for the plan; part of their process is to convene an in-person meeting (to be held on March 6) to gather input. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine welcomes you to join their meeting via webcast, and participate in this full-day meeting!

To register for the webinar or for more information, visit eventbrite.com.

Meet in the outdoor classroom near the Nature Center for a one-hour beginner
class with JJPV member and instructor Doug Ebeling.

Programs are for all ages unless otherwise noted.

All Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center programs and events are free of charge unless otherwise noted and open to the public regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, physical ability, national origin, or religion. Anyone requiring special assistance to participate in these programs should contact the nature center. Programs meet at the Nature Center unless otherwise noted. Solid shoes are recommended for all walks. Call 281-446-8588 for more information.

Habitat Restoration

Our volunteer group meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon at the HPARD Greenhouse.

We propagate plants from locally collected native seed. A typical workday may include seeding pots, bumping up trays into 1-gallon containers, separating seedlings, and weeding pots. We will also have special seed collecting trips, invasive species removal workdays, and planting events in our restored prairies!

We are also beginning to conduct semi-annual vegetation transects and monthly bird surveys at our current and future restoration sites. If you’re good at identifying plants or birds or if you would like to learn more about them, come join us!

If you’re interested in volunteering for the NRMP, email kelli.ondracek@houstontx.gov.

In a total of 10 classes (25 hours of instruction), this series covers everything you want to know about growing vegetables. Topics include the advantages of organic and ecological approaches over chemicals; vegetable garden design; irrigation and drainage; soil fertility, mulches and composts; organic pest control; seeds, transplants, where to get them and how to plant them. The last half is a detailed discussion of selecting, growing and using the many varieties of vegetables, annual herbs, and melons.

Those who complete the class will become certified Organic Vegetable Specialists.

This is a series of ten classes and may not be taken individually. Assignments for the class include the reading of Dr. Bob Randall’s book, Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro-Houston. Cost of the book is $45.

SCHEDULE

Thursdays, 2018 from 6:30pm to 9pm

Class 1 – January 18

Class 2 – January 25

Class 3 – February 8

Class 4 – February 22

Class 5 – March 8

Class 6 – March 22

Class 7 – April 5

Class 8 – April 19

Class 9 – May 3

Class 10 – May 17

For an in-depth schedule, go to Spring 2018 class schedule and description.

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING

I-45 S, exit Cullen, go south, enter University of Houston campus, proceed through Elgin, Holman, Entrance 14 and Entrance 13, Cougar Place, turn left at Wheeler, take first right into driveway – park to the left of Lot 9C(although it says permit required, we have permission) Follow Urban Harvest signs back to Wheeler at Cullen. Walk north along Cullen, pass entrance 13 Cougar Village and follow the Urban Harvest signs to the classroom

For more classes by Urban Harvest, view their Upcoming Classes.

Workdays are held once a month, October through March on the second Saturday of the month. We start work around 8:30 AM and work until about noon, when we break for lunch, provided by Houston Audubon and prepared by the lunch crew. Lunch at the picnic area of Boy Scout Woods is a good chance to visit with other volunteers and recharge from a morning of exercise and work. After lunch, we take about an hour to tie up any loose ends and clean up.

Come be a part of sanctuary maintenance, habitat restoration, and Houston Audubon’s amazing volunteer workforce. Email Pete Deichmann at pdeichmann@houstonaudubon.org for more information or to be put on the email list.

• November 10
• December 8
• January 12
• February 9
• March 9

Meet in the outdoor classroom near the Nature Center for a one-hour beginner
class with JJPV member and instructor Doug Ebeling.

Programs are for all ages unless otherwise noted.

All Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center programs and events are free of charge unless otherwise noted and open to the public regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, physical ability, national origin, or religion. Anyone requiring special assistance to participate in these programs should contact the nature center. Programs meet at the Nature Center unless otherwise noted. Solid shoes are recommended for all walks. Call 281-446-8588 for more information.

Mayor Landrieu will discuss lessons learned from a natural disaster.

Join sponsoring teams to help remove invasive plants. Learn more about this effort at www.texasinvasives.org. Ages 10+. Reservations required beginning Mar. 07, 2018.

All Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center programs requiring reservations are limited in size and open to one family per phone call. Group reservations are not allowed unless otherwise indicated. Preferential reservations are given to Harris County residents. Persons not residing in Harris County may attend a space-limited program if spaces are available.

All programs and events are free of charge unless otherwise noted and open to the public regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, physical ability, national origin, or religion. Anyone requiring special assistance to participate in these programs should contact the nature center. Programs meet at the Nature Center unless otherwise noted. Solid shoes are recommended for all walks. Call 281-446-8588 for reservations or information.

Meet in the outdoor classroom near the Nature Center for a one-hour beginner
class with JJPV member and instructor Doug Ebeling.

Programs are for all ages unless otherwise noted.

All Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center programs and events are free of charge unless otherwise noted and open to the public regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, physical ability, national origin, or religion. Anyone requiring special assistance to participate in these programs should contact the nature center. Programs meet at the Nature Center unless otherwise noted. Solid shoes are recommended for all walks. Call 281-446-8588 for more information.

Interactive program times (CST): 9:00 AM, 10:15 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:00 PM

Non-interactive program times (CST): 9:00 AM, 10:15 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:00 PM

TWA’s Youth Videoconferencing is:

• Free, interactive, curriculum-enhancing, natural resource programs
• Designed for Grades 1-6, TEKS-aligned K-8
• 45 minute programs (includes student Q&A)
• TEKS aligned post activities and worksheets

Registration closes one week prior to program date. Each program time has 4 Interactive and 50 Non-interactive spots available.

• April 10th (Tu) – Bats-A-Billion
• April 20th (F) – The Magic of Monarchs
•  April 24th (Tu) – Fox Facts
• May 2nd (W) – Aquatic Insect Investigation
•  May 17th (Th) – Reptile Lifestyle
•  May 22nd (Tu) – Prickly Porcupines

For more information, visit texas-wildlife.org.