The Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable’s mission is to “assist in the development of public policy initiatives to expand parks and natural areas in the 13-county H-GAC region for the improved quality of life, habitat, and water quality.” This group meets in a roundtable format, does not consist of a formal board, and is open to anyone interested in participating. For more information, and to register, visit www.h-gac.com/community.

Start your weekend by enjoying a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast drifting down the bayou on our pontoon boat, the “Bayou Ranger”. Observe wildlife searching for their breakfast on the bayou. This trip through the heart of the Nature Center presents an uncommon opportunity to watch and learn about bayou life. Enjoy pastries, juice and coffee while underway. Maximum 8 persons, ages 5 to adult.  Adults must accompany children under 18 years old.  Reservations are required by phoning 281-474-2551.

Mark your calendars to attend Nature Night’s “Living in Space” with Lisa Shore of NASA.  She will talk to us about what it’s like to train for and then live and work in space onboard the International Space Station. Part of working in space includes taking occasional spacewalks to maintain the space station or support science experiments. It’s not as easy as it looks in the movies. She’ll explain the parts of the US spacesuit, the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), what it really takes to get your space suit ready to go out the hatch, and what makes spacewalks so challenging. There will be a full size training version of the EMU for demonstration purposes. Audience members will have the opportunity to touch and get pictures of real space suit hardware.

Activities begin with themed crafts and fun snacks at 6:30 pm, followed by a brief nature walk before a 7:00 pm presentation by a kid-friendly speaker. We wrap things up at 8:00pm.  Advance registration required.

ALL ABOARD!

Interested in the latest developments regarding the Texas Bullet Train? Join Scenic Houston on Thursday, June 21st for a briefing from Texas Central on its latest progress and plans to build the first high-speed train in the U.S., right here in Texas. We want to share this opportunity to learn all about the bullet train with you and your organizations. Please join us.

WHAT: Texas Bullet Train update, presented by Texas Central

Lunch provided

WHEN: Thursday, June 21st – 12noon to 1:30pm

WHERE: Frost Bank Financial Center, 1700 Post Oak Blvd, 77056, 3rd Floor Conference Room — Click here for detailed directions.

WHO: Michael Moore, Regional Vice President, Texas Central Partners

HOW: RSVP to reservations@scenichouston.org by Wednesday, June 20th

We appreciate your RSVP to ensure seating and lunches

From the Texas Bullet Train website:

This project is a privately developed high-speed train system that will provide another choice for those traveling between the two largest economic powerhouses of Texas – Houston and North Texas. Together, these areas represent approximately half of the Texas population.

Once constructed, the train is scheduled to run every 30 minutes during peak travel times and hourly during off-peak times, with a midpoint stop on the 90-minute journey in the Brazos Valley. Connecting these regions with this safe, reliable and productive transportation option will provide Texans more great choice as they travel for work and play. Additionally, this important infrastructure positions the state for future growth and creates tens of thousands of new jobs for Texans.

As developers of this private project, Texas-based Texas Central continues to promote an open conversation with all parties about the high-speed train. With a project of this scale, there are naturally questions and concerns.

  

The Houston Urban Conservation Summit will provide a unique opportunity to learn about the restoration, management, and monitoring of Houston’s diverse ecosystems and wildlife!

Location: Sheldon Lake State Park & ELS

What to bring: All participants should bring a reusable water bottle, notebook, and business cards.

Day-of-event contact: (281) 660-6683

Cost: $10 per person (includes lunch)

Rating: Intermediate to Expert

Registration: REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Please find registration details at prairiepartner.org and HoustonPrairie.org or click here to register now

Mark your calendars to attend Nature Night’s “Freaky Frogs” with Eric Duran, Staff Naturalist and Educator at the Nature Discovery Center. Using live animals, specimens, models, and photos, Eric will show visitors the various common frogs of the Houston area, and will talk about their lives and habitats. Visitors will also learn and try to make some local frog calls.

Activities begin with themed crafts and fun snacks at 6:30 pm, followed by a brief nature walk before a 7:00 pm presentation by a kid-friendly speaker. We wrap things up at 8:00pm.  Advance registration required.

STS-AIChE – Third Friday Networking Lunch

Topic:  A Bold Vision: EHS Compliance in a Rapidly Evolving 21^st Century World

Jed will walk us through regulatory compliance – past, present, and future—with a special focus on how to position yourself and your company to take advantage of some dramatic changes that appear to be coming in the regulatory compliance sector in the era of Trump. Come prepared with questions in your areas of concern. It promises to be extremely informative and relevant.

Speaker: Jed Anderson Esq

Mr. Anderson is recognized nationally and regionally as a leading expert in the areas of air quality and climate change law.  He was formerly with the nationally prestigious law firms of Baker Botts, and Vinson & Elkins, and “of counsel” to the law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Houston Law School.

Jed has given invited testimony to the Texas Senate Natural Resources Committee, and his work has caught the attention of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as a catalyst for positive change on this complex issue.

Costs:  There is no registration fee.  The lunch menu ranges from $8 to $12, and the South Texas Section will subsidize lunches by $3 per attendee. STS members, as well as non-members, are welcome to attend.  We only request that you pre-register at the STS-AIChE.org website so we can get an accurate headcount for the restaurant.

Join USGBC Texas’ Gulf Coast Region for a celebration of Houston’s latest LEED Platinum Projects! Local Owners, Developers, and Architects will discuss their insights from pursuing the highest level of LEED Certification for Core & Shell (CS), New Construction (NC), and Commercial Interiors (CI) projects. The presentations will be followed by a tour of HOK’s LEED Platinum Office.  

Registration:

• Emerging Professional – $15.00
• Member – $25.00
• Non-Member – $35.00
• Student – $15.00