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CEC Notes Houston Earth Day 2003
Coalition Notes Katy Prairie Conservancy The Katy Prairie Conservancy just added another 371 acres of the Katy Prairie to its protected preserves, bringing the total of protected lands on the prairie to more than 7,700 acres. The total includes lands protected and owned by the Conservancy and lands protected by other conservation organizations. At press time, KPC organizers said they expected to reach their goal of 10,000 protected acres by the end of January. Conservationists can help reach that goal by participating in KPC’s new adopt-an-acre program. For a $1,000 donation, individuals and organizations can adopt a one-acre tract of prairie land. The money donated will be used to acquire more lands to be protected. Environmental Art Exhibit Natural Legacy will host a Student Environmental Art Exhibit and “Friendraiser” at Michaeline’s Restaurant & Gallery on Tuesday, Feb 25 from 5:30 pm - 8 pm. There will be an exhibit and auction of the paintings produced by high school participants in Natural Legacy’s Student Environmental Art Council. The student artists will be in attendance to discuss their work. $20 donations will be welcomed at the door. Food will be catered by Michaeline’s Restaurant and there will be an open bar. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Natural Legacy’s community-based environmental art after-school programs and field experiences for high school participants. Michaeline’s is located at 1512 W. Alabama (across from the Menil Art Gallery parking lot). For more information contact Debbie Rhodes at 713-590-5193 or debbie.rhodes@naturallegacy.com. EcoNotes Big Thicket Preserve among endangered parks
The Big Thicket National Preserve, located in Beaumont, was included in this year’s National Parks Conservation Association list of parks most threatened by air pollution, motorized vehicles, and nearby development plans. Development projects that threaten the preserve include a project in progress to widen a 100-mile stretch of U.S. 69 that passes through the preserve, bringing increased pollution and fracturing migratory corridors, and a proposal to raise an existing dam on the Lower Neches River by as much as 10 feet, which could interfere with seasonal flooding. The clear cutting and development of land surrounding the preserve by timber companies could damage lands up to the edges of the biologically sensitive Big Thicket. Publishers of the “10 Most Endangered Parks” list, NPCA was originally created as a watchdog for the National Park Service. Reservoir alternative saves water, wildlife Like Houston, the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is struggling to keep up with rising water needs. As an alternative to constructing a new reservoir, the usual solution to water shortages, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Tarrant County Regional Water District initiated a $22 million raw-water-treatment wetlands project that will reclaim not only used water but also wildlife habitat. The Trinity River watershed is a major source of water for county residents. Down stream, located just below the Richland Chambers Reservoir, is the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area, a 14,000-acre preserve. Raw water from the river will be pumped into a complex of shallow-water impoundments, each containing a native wetland plant community to facilitate water filtration and purification. On the outflow end of the complex, cleansed water will be returned to the reservoir. The TPWD and the water district are showing how the development of water-treatment facilities such as this one can help to reduce the need for reservoir construction and subsequent loss of habitat. Equally important, they are demonstrating how the creation of wildlife habitat can also help to meet alarming water-supply needs. (ENN) U.S., Mexico reach water agreement Under an agreement reached last month with the U.S., Mexico will provide at least 400,000 acre-feet of water to the Rio Grande. In exchange, the United States must give Mexico 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River. For the past decade, Mexico has been drawing more water from the Rio Grande than it is entitled to under a 1944 treaty between the two nations. Mexico’s water deliveries to the U.S. have fallen more than 1.5 million acre-feet short of treaty requirements, which Mexico has blamed on extreme drought conditions. |
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Houston Earth Day 2003 is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to get involved. If you’re part of an environmentally oriented non-profit group or business, or you’re an artist or vendor who would like a place to exhibit your green wares, sign up now for a booth at Earth Day. The CEC also needs volunteers to help on the day of the event. Houston Earth Day 2003 will be held at Rice University on April 19 from 10 am - 6 pm. For information on booth reservations or volunteering contact Sarah Doss at 713.524.4232 or 