The Trust for Public Land
Purpose: The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come.
Programs: Conservation Vision (“Greenprints”); Conservation Finance (public funding); Conservation Transactions (easement and fee acquisitions); Texas Water Protection and Parks Intiative; ParkScore; Parks for People. TPL is active in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Galveston and Austin/San Antonio regions.
Major Events: Earth Day Dallas.
Publications: Land & People, a semi-annual national magazine; The Trust for Public Land – Texas, a state newsletter; TPL Near You, an electronic newsletter.
Robert Kent, State Director
Robert.kent@tpl.org
Mike Lange, Senior Project Manager, Texas Coast
Mike.lange@tpl.org
Marlon P. Connley, Houston Program Manager
Tel: (832) 627-7688
Houston Parks Board
Purpose: The Houston Parks Board creates, improves, protects and advocates for parks for everyone. HPB is driven by the vision of thriving parks and communities for everyone forever.
Programs: Parkland and greenspace acquisition; park capital improvement projects; collaboration with other green groups; Neighborhood Partnership Program; 50/50 Park Partners Challenge; Volunteer Program.…More DetailsPurpose: The Houston Parks Board creates, improves, protects and advocates for parks for everyone. HPB is driven by the vision of thriving parks and communities for everyone forever.
Programs: Parkland and greenspace acquisition; park capital improvement projects; collaboration with other green groups; Neighborhood Partnership Program; 50/50 Park Partners Challenge; Volunteer Program.
Bayou Greenways 2020: HPB, in partnership with the City of Houston and Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and in coordination with Harris County Flood Control District, is currently leading the transformational $220 million project to complete a 150-mile network of connected parks and trails along Houston’s major waterways.
Beyond the Bayous: Beyond the Bayous is the shared vision of HPB and its cross-sector partners for expanding Greater Houston’s public realm to improve greenspace equity and connectivity between parks, homes and jobs; increase public access to parks; and enhance the environmental health of communities.
Speakers Bureau: Contact Executive Director. https://houstonparksboard.org/get-involved/request-a-speaker
Publications: All annual reports are published on HPB’s website. To view the reports as well as videos about HPB’s impact, click here.
Beth White, President and CEO bethwhite@houstonparksboard.org
Lisa Kasianowitz, Outreach Manager lisa@houstonparksboard.org
General Email Address: info@houstonparksboard.org
Save Buffalo Bayou
Purpose: To educate the public and public officials about proper land management on our many streams, drawing on the latest science, and to advocate for enlightened flood and erosion control and drainage policies and practices that respect the natural process of our local bayous and creeks, their floodplains and watersheds, the trees and vegetation growing on their banks, all of which are so vital for the health of our waters, our environment, and us.
Programs: Paddle with geologist Tom Helm on a two-hour floating class down a historic nature area on Buffalo Bayou. Learn about our 18,000-year-old bayou, about the formation of the bluffs and sandstone rocks during the last ice age, and see how the sand moves downstream, why the way the river looks the way it does, and much more. Classes can be scheduled any day of the week for small groups; larger groups can schedule for weekends only.
Frank C. Smith, Jr., Board Founding President
Susan Chadwick, Executive Director
Texas Community Watershed Partners
- Can Houston Feed Itself? …
Purpose: To provide education and outreach to local governments and citizens on the impacts of land use on watershed health and water quality.
Major Events: Workshops, Seminars, Conferences, Courses, and Classes.
Volunteer Opportunities: Restoration Projects, Conservation Projects, Landscape Installation Projects, and Wetland Workdays.
Publications:
- Can Houston Feed Itself?
- Stormwater Wetlands
- Is Denser Greener?
- The Resilient Coast
- Urban Parks
- Choices for Growth
- Texas Coastal Wetland Guidebook
- 5 Tips for Organic Lawn Care
- WaterSmart Landscaping
- Living Shorelines
Charriss York, Stormwater Program Specialist
cyork@tamu.edu
Steve Mikulencak, Planning Programs Leader
smikulencak@tamu.edu
Valeria Keese, Program Coordinator, Resilience and Sustainability Planner
valkrdz@tamu.edu
Formerly known as “Texas Coastal Watershed Program”
Bayou Preservation Association, Inc.
Purpose: To celebrate, protect and restore the natural richness of all our bayous and streams.
Founded in 1966 to protect and restore the richness and diversity of our waterways through activism, advocacy, collaboration and education. BPA monitors water quality, plans clean-ups for bayous, restores habitat, reviews permit applications and sponsors seminars on flood reduction.
Sarah P. Bernhardt, President & CEO
Robert L. Rayburn, Board Chair
Linda R. Shead, Board Vice Chair
Eric Ruckstuhl, Stream Corridor Restoration Consultant
Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Purpose: To enhance the quality of urban life by providing safe, well-maintained parks and offering affordable programs for the community.
Major Events:
Jan – Arbor Day; Youth Tennis classes begin
Feb – Salt Grass Trail Ride; Adult sports leagues begin
Mar – Tour de Houston, Metal & Muscle Expo; Lake Houston Wilderness
Apr – Houston Children’s Festival, Japan Festival, Houston International Festival
May – Challenge Day, Summer Pool Opening
June – Summer Food Program begins, Golf Tourn; Hershey Track & Field Meet
Jul – Freedom Over Texas; Houston Pops July 4th Celebration
Oct – Asian-American Festival; Wildflower seed planting
Nov – Via Colori
Dec – Heritage Society Candlelight Tour, Holiday Tree Lighting
Year round – Lake Houston Park Nature Center events
School year – After School Enrichment Program
Volunteer Opportunities: Oneika McCarthy
(832) 395-7030 oneika.peters@houstontx.gov
Publications: Activities Catalog – Winter/Spring Issue Dec 1, Summer Issue
Apr 1, and Fall Issue Aug 1.
Member: Commission for Accreditation of Park & Recreation Agencies.
Steve Wright, Director
(832) 395-7050
steve.wright@houstontx.gov
Estella Espinosa, Division Manager, Communications
(832) 395-7022
estella.espinosa@houstontx.gov
Greens Bayou Coalition
Purpose: Founded in 2007 to address quality of life issues along the 45-mile watershed through flood mitigation, parks & trails development, preservation of green space, and economic development.
Major Events: Annual Meeting, Bayou Clean Up Days, Tree Plantings.
Volunteer Opportunities: Committee service, Clean-up days, tree plantings, site preparation on park development, Adopt-A-Site, Volunteer Water Quality Testers.
Speakers Bureau: Call Candice Pauley at (281) 874-2139.
Publications: Newsletter.
Kelly Snook, Executive Director
(713)-417-0404
ksnook@greensbayou.org
Colleen Ulibarri, Program Manager
culibarri@greensbayou.org
Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition
Purpose: A coalition of municipal utility districts, homeowner associations and other community organizations functioning as a steward between the residents, local/state government, land developers and non-profits to work on planning and implementation of improved flood protection and environment preservation throughout the Cypress Creek watershed.
Meetings: Third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 p.m., at Lake Forest Utility District, 14223 Lakewood Forest Dr.
Programs: Flood Protection: Research, consultation, advocacy and education. Preservation: Greenway trails/ park development focused on preservation of floodplain lands. Reforestation projects. Speakers are available to give presentations to your class or student group upon request. Contact website for booking information.
Major Events: Annual meeting featuring guest speakers and forthcoming watershed plans. Sponsor scout reforestation and water quality projects.
Volunteer Opportunities: Both outdoors and indoors. Retired folks in high demand. Grant applications.
Richard D. Smith, President
12503 Ramona Drive
(281) 469-5161
Peter R. Smullen, Vice-President.
Environmental Institute of Hou – UHCL
Since 1991, the mission of the Environmental Institute of Houston at University of Houston-Clear Lake has been to advance understanding of the environment through interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach.
Purpose: It serves as a contact point for the community to access the expertise and resources of the university. Additionally, EIH partners with agencies, community and environmental groups, and businesses to conduct research and outreach projects in the Houston region. EIH focuses on four areas: pollution prevention, environmental policy, natural resource conservation, and environmental education.
Dr. George Guillen, Executive Director
(281) 283-3950; guillen@uhcl.edu
Wendy Reistle, Environmental Education Program Coordinator
(281) 283-3045; reistle@uhcl.edu
Texans for Clean Water
Purpose: Texans for Clean Water is a coalition of business leaders and citizens who are committed to protecting the waterways. Through education, prevention and collaboration, we can eliminate floatable litter: including drink containers, polystyrene to-go containers and plastic bags, from Texas waterways. In doing so, we will generate economic prosperity and improve water quality for all Texans and Texas wildlife.
Programs: Speakers are available to talk about strategies to improve water quality by reducing, discarding, and appropriate alternatives to: plastic bags, polystyrene to go containers, and other AWAY FROM HOME packaging. Texans for Clean water also works to support municipal and statewide legislation to prevent land based litter from becoming marine debris.
Speakers:Contact-Mary Wood
Mary@texansforcleanwater.com
Volunteers Opportunities: Help to spread the message that litter is a problem in Texas. What’s your favorite tool to get the word out? Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter? Whatever it is, click here for our latest post on Facebook and relay it out to your audience.
Armand Bayou Nature Center
Purpose: To preserve 2,500 acres of vanishing coastal prairie, hardwood forest and bayou wilderness habitat and wildlife refuge; to give opportunities to experience and understand the remaining natural ecosystem; to reconnect people with nature.
Programs: Year–round adult, child, and family programs including Third Sundays in Nature Series, FREE to the public; Eco-Exploration pontoon boat and canoe trips; guided day and night hikes; Eco-Camp summer and holiday camps; Great Texas Birding Trail Site 81; Teachers can receive SBEC credit for classes. Speakers are available to come speak to your classroom or group, contact website or call for booking.
Major Events: Apr. – World Migratory Bird Day; May – Fundraising Dinner and Auction; Oct. – Creepy Crawlers; Nov. – Martyn Farm Harvest Festival; Dec. – Christmas Bird Count
Children’s Activities: Critter Corner, Connections and Bayou Studies classes; naturalist lead and self-guided school field trips; scout programs;
Volunteer Opportunities: Prairie Friday Team, Stewardship Saturday Team, Trail Guides and History Interpreters, Environmental Education Docents, Nature Center Maintenance Crew, Teen Volunteer Corps, BSA Venturing Crew, seasonal prairie and bayou marsh restoration.
Publications: Along the Bayou, Bayou Foliage
Tim Pylate: Executive Director
Phone: (281) 474-2551
Email: tim@abnc.org
Heather Millar
Phone: 713 274 2667
Email: heather@abnc.org
Mark Kramer
Phone: 713 274 2672
Email: mark@abnc.org
Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER)
Purpose: To raise awareness of the connections between pollution, place and the public’s health. CEER envisions a region that is equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically strong; where residents have the opportunity to live, work, learn, play, and pray free from environmental hazards. CEER advocates for public and private investment in protecting communities by cleaning up hazards that contaminate air, water, and land. At the same time, these investments must prevent or reduce flooding.
CEER is a coalition that brings together 25 organizations and their expertise, resources, and tools to meet the needs of communities. They work with communities impacted by environmental pollution, hazards and climate change.
Programs: CEER hosts candidate forums, town halls, workshops, trainings and calls to action connected to its advocacy campaigns. Advocacy campaigns are organized around CEER’s 8 Point Plan.
- Embrace Transparency
- Focus on Air
- Focus on Land
- Focus on Water
- Focus on Resource Recovery and Recycling
- Focus on Displaced People
- Embrace Resiliency
- Focus on Equity
Publications: Creating Lasting Change in a Climate Altered Future; Eyes on the Future, Connected to the Past: Climate Justice in Northeast Houston; Our Local Vision of Just Recovery; Community Conservation.
Houston Wilderness
Purpose: Houston Wilderness is a broad-based alliance of business, environmental and government interests that acts in concert to protect, preserve and promote the unique biodiversity of the region’s precious remaining ecological capital from bottomland hardwoods and prairie grasslands to pine forests and wetlands.
Programs: Collaborative Access Program, Sam Houston Greenbelt Network, Collaborative Grant Organizing, Wilderness Passport, ecosystems services, and Get Out Here Houston.
Volunteer Opportunities: Speaking engagements
Publications: Houston Atlas of Biodiversity; Family Passport; Ecotourism & Wellness Passport
Deborah January-Bevers, President & CEO
Deborah@houstonwilderness.org
713-524-7330 x 205
Sean Stone, Advancement Director
Sean@houstonwilderness.org
Jose Alducin, Environmental Programs Facilitator
Jose@houstonwilderness.org
Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy
Purpose: Founded in 2001, the Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy (WWGC) partners with the Harris County Flood Control District and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department to enhance the 280 acre Willow Waterhole Park as a native plant and wildlife area and a passive recreational green space.
Programs: Music in park performances, movies in park screenings, conservation volunteer work days on the second saturday of each month, monthly bird surveys on the third saturday of each month by Houston Audubon Society, and free environmental education series for kids and families.
Meetings: Monthly.
Major Events: April Music Fest; Cross Country Meets & Fun Runs; Invasive Fish Round-up and Carp-a-thon in the fall.
Volunteer Opportunities: Historian, photographer, trail maintenance, cleanup days, event and festival volunteers, fundraising, guided hikes, children’s programs, scout projects.
Speakers: Available for community and school groups.
Publications: Website, Facebook, and Newsletter. http://www.willowwaterhole.org https://www.facebook.com/willowwaterhole
Ralph Rieger, CPA, CGMA, President
rieger@riegercpa.com
Brays Bayou Association
Purpose: To reduce the risk of flooding in the Brays Bayou watershed.
Meetings: Open meetings are held the third Monday of every month, 7:30 p.m., Conference Room, The Gathering Place, 5410 South Willow Drive, 77035
Major Events: Annual meeting in March.
Volunteer Opportunities: Contact Charles Goforth.
Speakers Bureau: Speakers available to give presentations in classrooms or to groups. Contact Charles Goforth.
Publications: Articles in various media.
Charles Goforth, President, Acting Treasurer
Goforth@VonnieCobbRealtors.com
713-667-6234
Don Hickle, Secretary
dchickle@att.net
Native Prairies Association of Texas
Purpose: The Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) is a non-profit membership organization and land trust dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of native prairies, savannas, and other grasslands in Texas. NPAT protects over 2000 acres of native Texas grassland, including over 100 acres of endangered/threatened tallgrass prairie. In 2010, NPAT started its first local chapter in Houston to allow members in the metro area to meet and discuss local and regional projects and raise awareness for the organization in the Texas Gulf Coast region.
Programs: Presentations for landowners about land conservation methods in Texas; Educational presentations and field trips designed for children and adults; land restoration education and support; development of regional land restoration guides; performed a 95 county survey locating remnant native prairies in Texas.
Publications: Quarterly newsletter, Texas Prairie News; periodic e-mail updates. Back issues are available at http://www.texasprairie.org.
Meeting Times: 4th Wednesday of each month except November and December; Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77074.
Lan Shen, President
NPAT Houston Chapter
http://prairiepartner.org/group/hnpat
HNPAT@texasprairie.org
White Oak Bayou Association
Purpose: To promote greater public awareness, appreciation, and enjoyment of White Oak Bayou, its tributaries and environs by advocating the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the natural wildlife habitats thereof, while promoting compatible educational and recreational opportunities within the area. White Oak Bayou Association was founded in May 1986.
Meetings: Monthly: 2nd Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. except November; Annual: November (Location, date, and time to be announced); Please confirm meeting location, date, and time by calling (713) 864-3008.
Programs: Field trips, tree planting, bike ways, storm water quality and environmental advocacy, participation in Harris County Flood Control District stakeholder committees, coordination with City of Houston Floodplain Management office, and education. Coordination with Bayou Preservation Association.
Publications: Website – http://www.bayoupreservation.org.
Tom Gall, President
tgall@tjgall.com
Christina Hughes, Vice President
Bob Lee, Vice President
Carolyn White, Vice President
Teresa Matlock, Treasurer
Treehalpc@gmail.com
Doug Shannon, Secretary
Bayou Land Conservancy
Purpose: Bayou Land Conservancy is a community-sponsored land preservation organization to permanently protect land, with a focus on the 13 watersheds that feed Lake Houston. We preserve river and bayou corridors, other properties with significant wildlife habitat value, and places where family recreation can occur in harmony with nature.
Jill Boullion, Executive Director
jboullion@bayouland.org
Becky Martinez, Conservation Director
bmartinez@bayouland.org
Cherie Wilson, Office Administrator
cwilson@bayouland.org
Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Purpose:Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the Houston non-profit organization revitalizing and transforming Buffalo Bayou, our city’s most significant natural resource. Coordinating the integration of major improvements into the Bayou greenway, the Partnership seeks increased community involvement through pedestrian, boating and biking amenities, art installations, and other natural and built attractions.
Major Events: Buffalo Bayou Regatta, kayak tours, history hikes, walk tours, bat tours, Second Saturday Boat cruises, Twilight tours, Seasonal Cruises, Nights on Blue Bayou events along the Sabine Promenade.
Children’s Activities: Kids’ Day on Buffalo Bayou, Second Saturday Boat Cruises, bat tours and kayak tours. Speakers are available to give presentations to your school classroom or group. Contact Trudi Smith for booking.
Volunteer Opportunities: Monthly Volunteer Day,Tree planting, cleanups, Adopt-A-Spot, help with events, office work.
Anne Olson, President
aolson@buffalobayou.org
Trudi Smith, Director of Public Relations and Events
tsmith@buffalobayou.org
Houston-Galveston Area Council
Purpose: The Houston-Galveston Area Council is a region-wide voluntary association of local governments in the 13-county Gulf Coast Planning region of Texas. H-GAC’s mission is to serve as the instrument of local government cooperation, promoting the region’s orderly development and the safety and welfare of its citizens. Key governmental services include transportation planning, disaster resiliency, cooperative purchasing, homeland security, workforce development, air and water quality planning, forecasting, and mapping.
Programs: H-GAC engages in a variety of collaborative environmental planning efforts including watershed protection, solid waste management and air quality for sustainable development. It is also actively involved in education and public awareness programs, including Commute Solutions and NuRide, the Clean Waters Initiative, Regional Recycling Roundtable.
Volunteer Opportunities: H-GAC offers year-round volunteer opportunities through our Texas Stream Team volunteer water monitoring program, as well as at a one-day Trash Bash waterway cleanup event. For more information on opportunities, visit http://www.h-gac.com/go/getinvolved.
Jeff Taebel, Director of Community and Environmental Planning
(713) 993-4560
jeff.taebel@h-gac.com
Kathy Janhsen, Principal Program Coordinator
Kathy.janhsen@h-gac.com
(713) 993-2423
The CEC has a searchable, web-based version of the Environmental Resource Guide. You may also download older versions of the printed guide below.
Archived Resource Guides