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UID:5032-1776510000-1776524400@backthebay.org
SUMMARY:Nature Day at Sea Center Texas
DESCRIPTION:The City of Houston currently sits as the largest public landowner in the city\, managing 380 park spaces that span over 25\,000 acres. Located within numerous watersheds throughout the city\, these parks offer a unique opportunity to showcase water management practices that have large-scale impacts to both water quality and quantity throughout the region. Population and industry growth coupled with unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events has only furthered the need to better manage the city’s water resources. \n\nThe City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s (HPARD) Natural Resources Management Program is tasked with delivering solutions to water quality and quantity problems for the department in the form of nature-based infrastructure projects. The City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative is targeting all parks adjacent to waterways for the creation of forested buffers to improve water quality within Houston’s Bayous and prevent erosion\, among other benefits. The department is currently restoring/managing 130 acres of coastal prairie habitat within five parks and is also targeting reforestation of medians throughout the city. In order to support the increasing numbers of nature-based infrastructure features throughout the park system\, HPARD identified the need for a Water Management Plan (WMP). The plan would serve to establish overarching policy stances for impacts to water quality and quantity throughout the park system and rights-of-way in Houston. In fiscal year 2023\, HPARD was awarded grant funding through GBEP under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to create such a plan. \n\nTo maximize impact\, HPARD sought to align the WMP with current city\, county\, and regional water planning efforts. The goal is to both reduce water use and improve water quality in City of Houston parks by standardizing internal water use practices\, improving water efficiency\, and supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions. The WMP establishes standard operating procedures to improve efficiency\, monitoring capacity\, and intervention efficacy. This allows HPARD to reduce water use while ensuring the same level of amenity provision and environmental restoration activities. The plan also identifies potential contaminants within the parks and establishes best management practices (BMPs) for minimizing the introduction of potential pollutants while also providing strategies for mitigating external contaminants through nature-based solutions. The WMP also establishes the following: \n\n\nNature-based infrastructure goals for the preservation\, enhancement\, and acquisition of natural habitat throughout the City of Houston;\n\nStrategies to manage invasive species adjacent to waterways;\n\nAn analysis of nature-based stormwater infrastructure features that could be associated with future project developments to improve water quality of impervious features added to park projects;\n\n\n\nRecommendations for achieving consistency in irrigation practices to reduce water consumption associated with landscaping and tree planting projects throughout the city;\n\nDetailed analysis of fertilizer and pesticide use within the department;\n\nAnalyze BMPs throughout the department to create specific standard operating procedures to be followed by departmental staff;\n\nRecommendations for actions to reduce water loss and water waste; and\,\n\nDrought contingency planning including prescribed burns and wildfire planning.\n\n\nHPARD’s WMP serves to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city while also ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The plan aims to establish and demonstrate BMPs that support regional water initiatives while offering new models of water management in the region. Implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices including fertilizer use reduction\, decreased use of irrigation\, and creation of natured-based infrastructure goals for future park development projects all help to reduce sources of nonpoint pollution entering Houston waterways. Prudent management of the city’s water resources through projects such as these help to ensure their continued use well into the future. \n\n 
URL:https://backthebay.org/event/nature-day-at-sea-center-texas/
LOCATION:Sea Center Texas\, 302 Medical Drive\, Lake Jackson\, TX\, 77566
CATEGORIES:GBEP Events,Partner Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260422T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260423T170000
DTSTAMP:20260403T142057
CREATED:20260309T152148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T152148Z
UID:5040-1776844800-1776963600@backthebay.org
SUMMARY:Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting
DESCRIPTION:The City of Houston currently sits as the largest public landowner in the city\, managing 380 park spaces that span over 25\,000 acres. Located within numerous watersheds throughout the city\, these parks offer a unique opportunity to showcase water management practices that have large-scale impacts to both water quality and quantity throughout the region. Population and industry growth coupled with unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events has only furthered the need to better manage the city’s water resources. \n\nThe City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s (HPARD) Natural Resources Management Program is tasked with delivering solutions to water quality and quantity problems for the department in the form of nature-based infrastructure projects. The City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative is targeting all parks adjacent to waterways for the creation of forested buffers to improve water quality within Houston’s Bayous and prevent erosion\, among other benefits. The department is currently restoring/managing 130 acres of coastal prairie habitat within five parks and is also targeting reforestation of medians throughout the city. In order to support the increasing numbers of nature-based infrastructure features throughout the park system\, HPARD identified the need for a Water Management Plan (WMP). The plan would serve to establish overarching policy stances for impacts to water quality and quantity throughout the park system and rights-of-way in Houston. In fiscal year 2023\, HPARD was awarded grant funding through GBEP under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to create such a plan. \n\nTo maximize impact\, HPARD sought to align the WMP with current city\, county\, and regional water planning efforts. The goal is to both reduce water use and improve water quality in City of Houston parks by standardizing internal water use practices\, improving water efficiency\, and supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions. The WMP establishes standard operating procedures to improve efficiency\, monitoring capacity\, and intervention efficacy. This allows HPARD to reduce water use while ensuring the same level of amenity provision and environmental restoration activities. The plan also identifies potential contaminants within the parks and establishes best management practices (BMPs) for minimizing the introduction of potential pollutants while also providing strategies for mitigating external contaminants through nature-based solutions. The WMP also establishes the following: \n\n\nNature-based infrastructure goals for the preservation\, enhancement\, and acquisition of natural habitat throughout the City of Houston;\n\nStrategies to manage invasive species adjacent to waterways;\n\nAn analysis of nature-based stormwater infrastructure features that could be associated with future project developments to improve water quality of impervious features added to park projects;\n\n\n\nRecommendations for achieving consistency in irrigation practices to reduce water consumption associated with landscaping and tree planting projects throughout the city;\n\nDetailed analysis of fertilizer and pesticide use within the department;\n\nAnalyze BMPs throughout the department to create specific standard operating procedures to be followed by departmental staff;\n\nRecommendations for actions to reduce water loss and water waste; and\,\n\nDrought contingency planning including prescribed burns and wildfire planning.\n\n\nHPARD’s WMP serves to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city while also ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The plan aims to establish and demonstrate BMPs that support regional water initiatives while offering new models of water management in the region. Implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices including fertilizer use reduction\, decreased use of irrigation\, and creation of natured-based infrastructure goals for future park development projects all help to reduce sources of nonpoint pollution entering Houston waterways. Prudent management of the city’s water resources through projects such as these help to ensure their continued use well into the future. \n\n 
URL:https://backthebay.org/event/texas-bays-and-estuaries-meeting/
LOCATION:University of Texas Marine Science Institute\, 855 East Cotter Avenue\, Port Aransas\, TX\, 78373
CATEGORIES:Partner Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260502T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260502T160000
DTSTAMP:20260403T142057
CREATED:20260309T153500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T153500Z
UID:5043-1777716000-1777737600@backthebay.org
SUMMARY:Spring Fling: An Earth Day Celebration
DESCRIPTION:The City of Houston currently sits as the largest public landowner in the city\, managing 380 park spaces that span over 25\,000 acres. Located within numerous watersheds throughout the city\, these parks offer a unique opportunity to showcase water management practices that have large-scale impacts to both water quality and quantity throughout the region. Population and industry growth coupled with unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events has only furthered the need to better manage the city’s water resources. \n\nThe City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s (HPARD) Natural Resources Management Program is tasked with delivering solutions to water quality and quantity problems for the department in the form of nature-based infrastructure projects. The City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative is targeting all parks adjacent to waterways for the creation of forested buffers to improve water quality within Houston’s Bayous and prevent erosion\, among other benefits. The department is currently restoring/managing 130 acres of coastal prairie habitat within five parks and is also targeting reforestation of medians throughout the city. In order to support the increasing numbers of nature-based infrastructure features throughout the park system\, HPARD identified the need for a Water Management Plan (WMP). The plan would serve to establish overarching policy stances for impacts to water quality and quantity throughout the park system and rights-of-way in Houston. In fiscal year 2023\, HPARD was awarded grant funding through GBEP under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to create such a plan. \n\nTo maximize impact\, HPARD sought to align the WMP with current city\, county\, and regional water planning efforts. The goal is to both reduce water use and improve water quality in City of Houston parks by standardizing internal water use practices\, improving water efficiency\, and supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions. The WMP establishes standard operating procedures to improve efficiency\, monitoring capacity\, and intervention efficacy. This allows HPARD to reduce water use while ensuring the same level of amenity provision and environmental restoration activities. The plan also identifies potential contaminants within the parks and establishes best management practices (BMPs) for minimizing the introduction of potential pollutants while also providing strategies for mitigating external contaminants through nature-based solutions. The WMP also establishes the following: \n\n\nNature-based infrastructure goals for the preservation\, enhancement\, and acquisition of natural habitat throughout the City of Houston;\n\nStrategies to manage invasive species adjacent to waterways;\n\nAn analysis of nature-based stormwater infrastructure features that could be associated with future project developments to improve water quality of impervious features added to park projects;\n\n\n\nRecommendations for achieving consistency in irrigation practices to reduce water consumption associated with landscaping and tree planting projects throughout the city;\n\nDetailed analysis of fertilizer and pesticide use within the department;\n\nAnalyze BMPs throughout the department to create specific standard operating procedures to be followed by departmental staff;\n\nRecommendations for actions to reduce water loss and water waste; and\,\n\nDrought contingency planning including prescribed burns and wildfire planning.\n\n\nHPARD’s WMP serves to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city while also ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The plan aims to establish and demonstrate BMPs that support regional water initiatives while offering new models of water management in the region. Implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices including fertilizer use reduction\, decreased use of irrigation\, and creation of natured-based infrastructure goals for future park development projects all help to reduce sources of nonpoint pollution entering Houston waterways. Prudent management of the city’s water resources through projects such as these help to ensure their continued use well into the future. \n\n 
URL:https://backthebay.org/event/spring-fling-an-earth-day-celebration/
LOCATION:Armand Bayou Nature Center\, 8500 Bay Area Blvd\, Pasadena\, TX\, 77507\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260506T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260506T153000
DTSTAMP:20260403T142057
CREATED:20260309T153751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T153751Z
UID:5044-1778054400-1778081400@backthebay.org
SUMMARY:TEA Region 4 STEM Conference
DESCRIPTION:The City of Houston currently sits as the largest public landowner in the city\, managing 380 park spaces that span over 25\,000 acres. Located within numerous watersheds throughout the city\, these parks offer a unique opportunity to showcase water management practices that have large-scale impacts to both water quality and quantity throughout the region. Population and industry growth coupled with unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events has only furthered the need to better manage the city’s water resources. \n\nThe City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s (HPARD) Natural Resources Management Program is tasked with delivering solutions to water quality and quantity problems for the department in the form of nature-based infrastructure projects. The City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative is targeting all parks adjacent to waterways for the creation of forested buffers to improve water quality within Houston’s Bayous and prevent erosion\, among other benefits. The department is currently restoring/managing 130 acres of coastal prairie habitat within five parks and is also targeting reforestation of medians throughout the city. In order to support the increasing numbers of nature-based infrastructure features throughout the park system\, HPARD identified the need for a Water Management Plan (WMP). The plan would serve to establish overarching policy stances for impacts to water quality and quantity throughout the park system and rights-of-way in Houston. In fiscal year 2023\, HPARD was awarded grant funding through GBEP under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to create such a plan. \n\nTo maximize impact\, HPARD sought to align the WMP with current city\, county\, and regional water planning efforts. The goal is to both reduce water use and improve water quality in City of Houston parks by standardizing internal water use practices\, improving water efficiency\, and supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions. The WMP establishes standard operating procedures to improve efficiency\, monitoring capacity\, and intervention efficacy. This allows HPARD to reduce water use while ensuring the same level of amenity provision and environmental restoration activities. The plan also identifies potential contaminants within the parks and establishes best management practices (BMPs) for minimizing the introduction of potential pollutants while also providing strategies for mitigating external contaminants through nature-based solutions. The WMP also establishes the following: \n\n\nNature-based infrastructure goals for the preservation\, enhancement\, and acquisition of natural habitat throughout the City of Houston;\n\nStrategies to manage invasive species adjacent to waterways;\n\nAn analysis of nature-based stormwater infrastructure features that could be associated with future project developments to improve water quality of impervious features added to park projects;\n\n\n\nRecommendations for achieving consistency in irrigation practices to reduce water consumption associated with landscaping and tree planting projects throughout the city;\n\nDetailed analysis of fertilizer and pesticide use within the department;\n\nAnalyze BMPs throughout the department to create specific standard operating procedures to be followed by departmental staff;\n\nRecommendations for actions to reduce water loss and water waste; and\,\n\nDrought contingency planning including prescribed burns and wildfire planning.\n\n\nHPARD’s WMP serves to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city while also ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The plan aims to establish and demonstrate BMPs that support regional water initiatives while offering new models of water management in the region. Implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices including fertilizer use reduction\, decreased use of irrigation\, and creation of natured-based infrastructure goals for future park development projects all help to reduce sources of nonpoint pollution entering Houston waterways. Prudent management of the city’s water resources through projects such as these help to ensure their continued use well into the future. \n\n 
URL:https://backthebay.org/event/tea-region-4-stem-conference/
LOCATION:Region 4 McKinney Conference Center\, 7200 Northwest Drive\, Houston\, TX\, 77092
CATEGORIES:Partner Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260509T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260509T120000
DTSTAMP:20260403T142057
CREATED:20260209T195949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T151717Z
UID:5034-1778313600-1778328000@backthebay.org
SUMMARY:Wetlands Walkabout
DESCRIPTION:The City of Houston currently sits as the largest public landowner in the city\, managing 380 park spaces that span over 25\,000 acres. Located within numerous watersheds throughout the city\, these parks offer a unique opportunity to showcase water management practices that have large-scale impacts to both water quality and quantity throughout the region. Population and industry growth coupled with unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events has only furthered the need to better manage the city’s water resources. \n\nThe City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s (HPARD) Natural Resources Management Program is tasked with delivering solutions to water quality and quantity problems for the department in the form of nature-based infrastructure projects. The City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative is targeting all parks adjacent to waterways for the creation of forested buffers to improve water quality within Houston’s Bayous and prevent erosion\, among other benefits. The department is currently restoring/managing 130 acres of coastal prairie habitat within five parks and is also targeting reforestation of medians throughout the city. In order to support the increasing numbers of nature-based infrastructure features throughout the park system\, HPARD identified the need for a Water Management Plan (WMP). The plan would serve to establish overarching policy stances for impacts to water quality and quantity throughout the park system and rights-of-way in Houston. In fiscal year 2023\, HPARD was awarded grant funding through GBEP under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to create such a plan. \n\nTo maximize impact\, HPARD sought to align the WMP with current city\, county\, and regional water planning efforts. The goal is to both reduce water use and improve water quality in City of Houston parks by standardizing internal water use practices\, improving water efficiency\, and supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions. The WMP establishes standard operating procedures to improve efficiency\, monitoring capacity\, and intervention efficacy. This allows HPARD to reduce water use while ensuring the same level of amenity provision and environmental restoration activities. The plan also identifies potential contaminants within the parks and establishes best management practices (BMPs) for minimizing the introduction of potential pollutants while also providing strategies for mitigating external contaminants through nature-based solutions. The WMP also establishes the following: \n\n\nNature-based infrastructure goals for the preservation\, enhancement\, and acquisition of natural habitat throughout the City of Houston;\n\nStrategies to manage invasive species adjacent to waterways;\n\nAn analysis of nature-based stormwater infrastructure features that could be associated with future project developments to improve water quality of impervious features added to park projects;\n\n\n\nRecommendations for achieving consistency in irrigation practices to reduce water consumption associated with landscaping and tree planting projects throughout the city;\n\nDetailed analysis of fertilizer and pesticide use within the department;\n\nAnalyze BMPs throughout the department to create specific standard operating procedures to be followed by departmental staff;\n\nRecommendations for actions to reduce water loss and water waste; and\,\n\nDrought contingency planning including prescribed burns and wildfire planning.\n\n\nHPARD’s WMP serves to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city while also ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The plan aims to establish and demonstrate BMPs that support regional water initiatives while offering new models of water management in the region. Implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices including fertilizer use reduction\, decreased use of irrigation\, and creation of natured-based infrastructure goals for future park development projects all help to reduce sources of nonpoint pollution entering Houston waterways. Prudent management of the city’s water resources through projects such as these help to ensure their continued use well into the future. \n\n 
URL:https://backthebay.org/event/wetlands-walkabout/
LOCATION:Exploration Green Phase I\, 16350 Diana Ln\, Houston\, Texas\, 77062\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261013
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261016
DTSTAMP:20260403T142057
CREATED:20251212T172025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T172025Z
UID:5016-1791849600-1792108799@backthebay.org
SUMMARY:Texas Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference
DESCRIPTION:The City of Houston currently sits as the largest public landowner in the city\, managing 380 park spaces that span over 25\,000 acres. Located within numerous watersheds throughout the city\, these parks offer a unique opportunity to showcase water management practices that have large-scale impacts to both water quality and quantity throughout the region. Population and industry growth coupled with unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events has only furthered the need to better manage the city’s water resources. \n\nThe City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s (HPARD) Natural Resources Management Program is tasked with delivering solutions to water quality and quantity problems for the department in the form of nature-based infrastructure projects. The City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative is targeting all parks adjacent to waterways for the creation of forested buffers to improve water quality within Houston’s Bayous and prevent erosion\, among other benefits. The department is currently restoring/managing 130 acres of coastal prairie habitat within five parks and is also targeting reforestation of medians throughout the city. In order to support the increasing numbers of nature-based infrastructure features throughout the park system\, HPARD identified the need for a Water Management Plan (WMP). The plan would serve to establish overarching policy stances for impacts to water quality and quantity throughout the park system and rights-of-way in Houston. In fiscal year 2023\, HPARD was awarded grant funding through GBEP under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act to create such a plan. \n\nTo maximize impact\, HPARD sought to align the WMP with current city\, county\, and regional water planning efforts. The goal is to both reduce water use and improve water quality in City of Houston parks by standardizing internal water use practices\, improving water efficiency\, and supporting the implementation of nature-based solutions. The WMP establishes standard operating procedures to improve efficiency\, monitoring capacity\, and intervention efficacy. This allows HPARD to reduce water use while ensuring the same level of amenity provision and environmental restoration activities. The plan also identifies potential contaminants within the parks and establishes best management practices (BMPs) for minimizing the introduction of potential pollutants while also providing strategies for mitigating external contaminants through nature-based solutions. The WMP also establishes the following: \n\n\nNature-based infrastructure goals for the preservation\, enhancement\, and acquisition of natural habitat throughout the City of Houston;\n\nStrategies to manage invasive species adjacent to waterways;\n\nAn analysis of nature-based stormwater infrastructure features that could be associated with future project developments to improve water quality of impervious features added to park projects;\n\n\n\nRecommendations for achieving consistency in irrigation practices to reduce water consumption associated with landscaping and tree planting projects throughout the city;\n\nDetailed analysis of fertilizer and pesticide use within the department;\n\nAnalyze BMPs throughout the department to create specific standard operating procedures to be followed by departmental staff;\n\nRecommendations for actions to reduce water loss and water waste; and\,\n\nDrought contingency planning including prescribed burns and wildfire planning.\n\n\nHPARD’s WMP serves to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city while also ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The plan aims to establish and demonstrate BMPs that support regional water initiatives while offering new models of water management in the region. Implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices including fertilizer use reduction\, decreased use of irrigation\, and creation of natured-based infrastructure goals for future park development projects all help to reduce sources of nonpoint pollution entering Houston waterways. Prudent management of the city’s water resources through projects such as these help to ensure their continued use well into the future. \n\n 
URL:https://backthebay.org/event/texas-association-for-environmental-education-annual-conference/
CATEGORIES:Partner Events
END:VEVENT
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