Houston Audubon

As we kick off 2025, we’re excited to start the new year under the helm of our new President & CEO, Jed Aplaca. Jed has dedicated his career to the preservation and stewardship of natural resources, driven by a lifelong passion for the environment. Jed’s background in conservation biology and botany aligns perfectly with the organization’s critical land management efforts, particularly in native plant restoration. His history of successful partnerships with local organizations bolsters Houston Audubon’s community outreach and education programs, both in the community and at our sanctuaries. Jed answered a few questions so we can get to know him better - check it out on our blog! https://lnkd.in/gpagr3VU

Spring has sprung in the Native Plant Nursery at Edith L. Moore! Our volunteers have been seeding and growing grasses, forbs and wildflowers from the Houston area. Houston Parks and Recreation Department recently picked up a large order of plants to use in their restoration project at E.R. and Ann Taylor Park. National Wildlife Federation is providing plants for Bellaire High School and Dezavala and Rodriguez Elementary to build habitats on their campuses. Big or small, our team of volunteers enjoy supplying plants for local restoration projects. You can also add native plants to your home! Our spring native plant sale is on Saturday, April 5th from 8 to 11 am. After that, you'll be able to shop our native plants online. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gkws_9jd.

Last week, we had a fantastic turnout for a screening of the Lights Out, Texas! documentary at the Houston Zoo. In a packed auditorium, attendees watched the film which captures the Lights Out, Texas! campaign’s effort to reduce avian mortality caused by light pollution and glass in our built environment. The screening was followed by an expert panel discussion which included our very own Land Conservation Director, Pete Deichmann. This event was hosted by Audubon Texas, Houston Zoo, Houston Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology and sponsored by MetroNational Want to learn more about actions you can take to help birds? Visit https://lnkd.in/gfgWgMAY

We were honored to a part of the first 2025 Witness Series event on Saturday, February 22. The theme was "Empowered by Flowers: Flora, Fauna and Self-Care", which included a BIPOC artists panel where they discussed their relationship to nature, ancestor flower arrangements led by Brittany Mayfield, and an overview of the history of the Columbia Tap trail by Naomi Carrier, founder of Texas Center for African American Living History. We were also happy to see our partner Friends of Columbia Tap there supporting the event. Houston Audubon spoke about the birds found along the Columbia Tap trail and gave away blue bird nest boxes to two lucky winners. Don’t miss the next Witness Series event on Saturday, March 22 at E.R. & Ann Taylor Park! For more information on the Witness Series, visit https://lnkd.in/gGX96YnC

Are you a teacher in the Houston-Galveston area or do you know one? With spring migration upon us, we’re offering special guided school field trips to High Island in April and May. School groups with reservations receive a 1.5 hour guided tour led by our very own Houston Audubon staff. They’ll witness the wondrous sight and sounds of hundreds of nesting birds at the rookery, and continue through the many habitats in the sanctuary, spotting and learning about birds along the way. Find more information and the reservation form at https://lnkd.in/gkHXRs-B, or share this post with someone you know!

On Saturday, April 5, enjoy free admission to all of Houston Audubon's High Island sanctuaries - Boy Scout Woods, Smith Oaks, Eubanks Woods, and Gast Woods. These sanctuaries are a haven for birds and visitors - we welcome almost 400 species of birds and thousands of visitors from all 50 states and 20+ different countries! On our free admission day, staff and volunteers will be available to answer all your birdy questions. We'll also have birding classes in the Morse Field Station, Flock Talks at the Rookery, and volunteers stationed throughout the McGovern Canopy Walkway to help you find birds! Bring the family out for a beautiful day with the birds. https://bit.ly/42P0kc2

Join us for a beach cleanup at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary! This will be an excellent opportunity to see many shorebirds and likely thousands of American Avocets. Your efforts will provide clean habitat for our beach-nesting birds! Learn more at https://lnkd.in/ge6W4nnY

When visiting High Island, you will undoubtedly be enamored by the abundance of spring migrants that litter the trees and ground. So much that you may completely forget to eat! Once that hunger really hits, you’ll be wondering where you can go to grab a bite. Read our latest blog post to learn about five great restaurants you can visit on the coast. https://lnkd.in/g6xGaaHi ?? American Avocet / Greg Lavaty

We need help at our Coastal Natives Nursery! We're seeking volunteers to assist our staff with the propagation of native Texas plants, which will be used for habitat restoration at our sanctuaries. The next workday is this Thursday, March 13th. Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/40T6Vzx Check out all volunteer opportunities at https://lnkd.in/giCriw6Z

Join us for our spring plant sale! This is your chance to pick the brains of our expert nursery volunteers with all your native plant and gardening questions. Chat with our volunteers about your needs and go home with the perfect plants for your space, small or large. Native plants support native bees, butterflies and birds; choose from wildflowers, grasses and forbs to increase the biodiversity of your habitat. Our plants are hyper-local material collected only from heritage prairies, so they are extra tough to thrive in our variable climate. Pro tip: if you want to consult with our volunteers about the plants that are right for your space, bring several photos of the planting area at different times of day so they can see what the light is like. In addition to a close photo of the planting location, it’s also helpful to bring a wide photo of the entire area showing structures, trees, or other plantings. Visit our online store to see our inventory: https://lnkd.in/gXsFcpDa