Environmental Resource Guide
Purpose: The Resilience & Sustainability Office is responsible for implementing Resilient Houston and the Houston Climate Action Plan. Together, these documents provide a clear framework to foster the growth of a Houston that is both a healthy place to live and an equitable, inclusive, and affordable city that leads in climate mitigation and adaptation and offers a transformative economy that builds forward.
Purpose:Â 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.…
Purpose: The HAUS Project was formed in late 2010 to provide affordable, sustainable, cooperative housing in the accessible, urban core of the Houston region within close proximity of Houston’s growing light rail transit system. Our goal is to open 5 green coops in 5 years.
The mission of HAUS Project is to
Provide affordable housing operated cooperatively by residents.…
Purpose: To develop leadership capacity and life skills in low income youth through a series of outdoor education/environmental awareness programs at wilderness sites in the United States. Goals: • To prepare students for college and beyond by fostering life skills and mindsets through outdoor education; • To provide hands-on science lessons in a natural environment; • To empower students to take advantage of leadership opportunities; • To teach students how to adapt to/accept and engage in foreign environments; and • To give students the opportunity to succeed in new endeavors.…
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:Â 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.…
Purpose: To enhance, enable, and integrate sustainable use of land and water for the Houston area’s continued growth and economic vitality.
Maintaining the pace of growth and development in the greater Houston area requires that those with a vested interest adopt new ideas and employ new methods that will insure that growth can be sustained.…
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:Â Identify, protect, conserve, and enhance the natural and cultural resources, values, and qualities of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and its regional environment for this and future generations. Programs: Down Under, Out Yonder (DUOY) Educator Workshop and Scuba Field Experience – annually in July.…
Purpose:Â Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church was chartered in 1960 to serve the growing western suburbs of Houston. Proudly recognized as a Welcoming Congregation (LGBTQ friendly), Emerson Church invites people of all races, ethnicity, ages, gender identities, and sexual orientations to join us. The congregation has the diversity of spiritual beliefs, cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations that make Unitarian Universalism such a dynamic faith.…
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.…
Purpose: The mission of BikeHouston is to promote safe bicycling and to improve the quality of life in the Houston area. Goals -secure equitable access to regional facilities, lands and roads -educate the public about rights and responsibilities of bicyclists -promote public awareness of the personal and community benefits of cycling Meeting Time: Varies, see website.…
Purpose: The Gulf Restoration Network (GRN) is a network of environmental, social justice, and citizens’ groups and individuals committed to restoring the Gulf of Mexico to an ecologically and biologically sustainable condition. Within this vision, we see the mission of GRN as one of uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the resources of the Gulf Region for future generations.…
Purpose: To cooperate in the enjoyment and study of nature; to further conservation of natural resources and foster interest in them, and to work toward the establishment and maintenance of natural sanctuaries and preserves.
Meetings: Second Thursday, 7:30 p.m.,
Sept.- May at Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet.
Groups:
Botany/Entomology has the materials and expertise to share the wonders of plants and insects.…
Purpose:Â This Ornithological Society is a group of friends of all ages in Galveston County, Texas, who share a love for learning about birds.
Programs: They have meetings and classes and birding trips like the Water Bird Workshop or Shorebird Seminar. Members have day and overnight field trips to observe birds in their natural setting.…
Purpose: To preserve and protect the Texas coast and its recreational resources. To defend the Texas Open Beaches Act. Our issues are water quality, beach access, erosion, and coastal development. Our goal is to stand on the beach 30 years from now and be able to say, “We made the right decisions.†We were founded in 1999.…
Purpose: The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and water on which all life depends. With operations in all 50 states and 35 countries, and a staff of 3700 including 600 scientists, we are the world’s largest non-profit conservation organization. Since 1964, TNC in Texas has been protecting our state’s natural landscapes.…
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: To promote the preservation and appreciation of Houston’s architectural and cultural historic resources through advocacy, education, and committed action; thereby creating economic value and developing a stronger sense of community. Regular Meetings: Walking tours, second Sunday of each month. Programs: Preservation advocacy, Historic Neighborhoods Council, Realtor programs, heritage education program, heritage tourism promotion, Museum of Houston digital archive and online museum.…
Purpose:Â To enable the public to experience and learn more about healthy and energy, water, and material conserving design and construction; also known as Green Building.
Steven M. Stelzer, AIA, LEED AP, Program Director
steve.stelzer@houstontx.gov
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