Houston — Environmental Resource Guide
Purpose:Â Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center is a 2,800-acre outdoor education and recreation facility located in northeast Harris County. It offers year round adult and family programs and activities as well as field trip opportunities for students of all ages. Beginning in 2003, the park is became an important restoration site for tall grass prairie.…
Purpose: The Last Organic Outpost generates healthy communities and establishes a local food economy in Houston’s under-served neighborhoods through urban farming and farm-based art & education. They empower communities through sustainable agriculture that teaches residents to produce safe, healthy and accessible food for all. They envision growing ‘Food Everywhere’ and seeding an Urban Agricultural District that cultivates our region’s food and supports local farmers to thrive despite economic, environmental, health and social challenges.…
Purpose:Â Founded in 1981 to transform communities through innovative, and child-centered learning.
The Houston region has one of the largest child populations in the United States and Children’s Museum Houston serves an audience of more than 1 million children and families each year. Children’s Museum Houston is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that relies on private and public contributions.…
Purpose: Rice Environmental Analysis is teaches students rigorous methods that are needed by industrial and governmental organizations to deal with environmental issues.
Programs: The Environmental Analysis program includes track courses, a management course, a policy and ethics course, and a seminar with the students involved in the other Professional Master’s Program tracks.…
Purpose: Levy Park is a six acre public green space in the Upper Kirby District which recently reopened after a $15 million renovation for the purpose of creating an entertainment and recreation destination for the immediate community and for the people of Greater Houston. The Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority in partnership with the Upper Kirby District Foundation, funded the renovation and Levy Park’s many public amenities.…
Purpose: To promote the evolution and implementation of Plan Houston as the basis for planning the City’s future. Blueprint Houston serves as a resource and catalyst for better long-term planning for Houston’s future growth and development.
Blueprint Houston was founded in 2003 to build community support for a coordinated planning process to make improvements to Houston’s quality of life.…
Purpose: To promote, develop, maintain, and enhance the Energy Corridor District through implementation of projects, services, and initiatives in the realm of public safety, transportation and mobility, infrastructure, streetscape, and economic development. Through active leadership, advocacy, and collaborative efforts, the District works to accelerate area improvements for long-term economic vitality.
Meetings: Second Friday of each month in ECD office 14701 St.…
Purpose: To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.
Meetings: Second Thurs., 7:30 p.m., St.…
Purpose:Â The mission of The Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) is to promote research, conservation and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach, and example.
Meetings: 7:00 p.m., program at 7:30 p.m., the 3rd Thurs. of each month, Nov. Social & Seed & Plant Swap, Dec. holiday dinner, Jan.…
Purpose:Â To preserve the coastal prairie for people and wildlife. KPC now protects over 24,000 acres of coastal prairie in Texas. On the Katy Prairie in Harris, Ft. Bend, and Waller counties, KPC owns nearly 13,500 acres and protects nearly 5,000 acres through conservation agreements with private landowners. KPC is also working to protect coastal prairie in other Texas counties.…
Purpose: The Houston Community ToolBank is a nonprofit tool lending program that stewards an inventory of tools for lending to charitable organizations to increase the impact of their mission-related efforts in the community. With year-round access to an inventory of tools for use in volunteer projects and facility and grounds maintenance, the ToolBank provide resources to enhance the charitable sector’s capacity to serve, facilitating hands-on volunteerism in the greater Houston area.…
Purpose:Â 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.…
The Exploration Green Conservancy, Inc. (EGC) has been formed and incorporated to develop, preserve and protect the land known as Exploration Green (EG). This area was purchased by the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) for use as a storm water detention area: the CLCWA created a Master Plan for the area and initially sponsored the formation of the EGC.…
Purpose:Â 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:Â Â
- Can Houston Feed Itself?
…
Purpose: Established in 1964, the Houston Canoe Club’s members are interested in all types of paddlesport from canoeing to kayaking, quietwater, whitewater, touring and racing. We do it all and have fun doing it. Canoe safety presentations are available for school groups.
Meeting Time: 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77074.…
Purpose: To accelerate the clean energy transition by incubating climatetech startups focusing on electricity, agtech + water, buildings, transportation, manufacturing, and resilience + adaptation. As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown Labs brings together startups, corporations, investors, policymakers, and many others with a focus on scaling climate solutions. Driven to provide startups with the resources, knowledge, connections, and equipment they need to thrive, Greentown Labs offers climatetech startups lab space, shared office space, a machine shop, an electronics lab, software and business resources, and a large network of corporate customers, investors, and more.…
Purpose:Â Houston Tomorrow is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all the people of the Houston region through research, education, and discussion. Its vision is that on its 200th birthday, the Houston region will be home to the healthiest, happiest, most prosperous people in the United States.…
Purpose:Â Scenic Houston works to eliminate visual blight because all Houstonians are entitled to a green, uncluttered, visually appealing city. Scenic Houston promotes sign control, billboard reduction, freeway landscaping, scenic byway development, and enhanced design standards for public projects. Our success improves the quality of life for all Houstonians.
Major Events: Scenic Visionary Awards Dinner, October.…
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.…
Purpose:Â 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.…
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