Clean Waters Initiative Volunteer Monitoring Workshop – December 1 (In Person) 

H-GAC's Clean Waters Initiative Workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon. Friday, December 1, at Challenger Seven Center, 2301 W. Nasa Blvd., Webster

This workshop will focus on the outstanding work of volunteer monitors in our region and how their efforts expand our knowledge of water quality. Topics will include how the data collected by volunteer monitors is used, and how different volunteer monitoring programs operate in the region. The workshop will also feature a live demonstration of field methods.

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend.

Clean water is crucial to our region's environment, economy, and quality of life. The Clean Waters Initiative (CWI) program offers workshops that help local governments, landowners, and residents develop effective strategies to reduce pollution in area waterways.

Refreshments sponsored by Quiddity Engineering LLC - Quiddity.

For more information, contact Rachel Windham.

Bacteria Implementation Group Fall Meeting – December 5 (Hybrid) 

The Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Fall meeting will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, December 5.

The meeting will be at H-GAC, second floor conference rooms, and on Zoom. Registration is required to attend online and requested to attend in person.

Topics will include the 2023 annual report, BIG Implementation Plan revisions, Targeted Bacteria Monitoring and Total Maximum Daily Load updates.

For more information, contact Steven Johnston.

Fall Planning Workshop – December 5 (Online) 

Register today for H-GAC's annual Fall Planning Workshop from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, December 5.

The event will be online, and registration is required.

In an era when urban development often leads to displacement and gentrification, our workshop is dedicated to paving the path toward a more equitable future. This workshop will explore equitable development strategies that create thriving communities without sacrificing the well-being of long-standing residents. This workshop is ideal for urban planners, community leaders, policymakers, developers, and anyone passionate about creating inclusive, vibrant neighborhoods. 

Confirmed workshop speakers include:  

• Keynote: Bill Fulton, AICP, Principal, William Fulton Group
• Sam Leichtling, City Planning Manager, Department of City Development, City of Milwaukee
• James Armstrong, President & CEO, Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation
• Julia Duranti-Martínez, Senior Program Officer, Community Research & Impact, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
• Trent Lethco, Leader Americas Transport Consulting, ARUP
• Rob Baird, Program Manager, Prevention Institute

This event is eligible for 2.5 CM Credits from the American Planning Association.

For more information, contact Sarai Osorio.

Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable – January 23, 2024 (In Person) 

Make plans to participate in the next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

The event will be at the Brazoria County Historical Museum, 100 E. Cedar Street, Angleton. Join us to to discuss how incremental changes can have a big impact on a small downtown, learn from experts during a panel discussion, share ideas during a roundtable, and conclude with a walking tour of Downtown Angleton. Check in and breakfast begin at 9:30 a.m. Program and walking tour -- 10 a.m. to noon. Registration is requested.

The Bringing Back Main Street initiative offers local communities a place to share best practices and engage in a regional dialogue about revitalizing and supporting vibrant downtown spaces. Each quarter, community leaders gather for a roundtable on topics ranging from small business support to sidewalk infrastructure.

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

Parks and Natural Areas Summit and Awards Ceremony – February 9, 2024 (In Person) 

Save the Date for the Parks and Natural Areas Awards recognition ceremony from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, February 9, 2024, at H-GAC, Second Floor Conference Rooms.

Registration is requested, but not required to attend.

Award-winning projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region. Projects will be honored in four categories: Planning Process, On-the-Ground Projects Over $500,000, On-the-Ground Projects Under $500,000, and Programming.

Participants will also hear about equity in parks and natural areas planning from keynote speaker David Buggs, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

As our population becomes more ethnically diverse, we must consider:

• How do we engage the changing demographic in more outdoor activities and conservation careers?
• How do organizations who support and are engaged in natural resource conservation activities become relevant to this growing population and maintain its current participants and supporters?

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo.

Trash Bash® to Celebrate 30 Years of Waterway Cleanups – March 23, 2024 (In Person) 

Mark your calendar for the 30th River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash®, Texas’s largest single-day waterway cleanup on Saturday, March 23, 2024. 

Since its inception, more than 119,000 volunteers have collected over 2,431 tons of trash, 22 tons of recyclable materials, and 12,184 tires. Find out how to volunteer and promote a healthy Galveston Bay watershed at one of their many cleanup locations on March 23, 2024.

Cleanup supplies, event t-shirts, and lunch are provided to all volunteers. Trash Bash hopes you will come out and help “Clean it like you mean it !” ®

Take Care of Texas Video Contest

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) invites students in 6th through 12th grades to enter the annual Take Care of Texas Video Contest. Student videos should be 30 seconds long and portray positive ways Texans can help keep air and water clean, conserve water and energy, or reduce waste. The contest deadline is Friday, December 1, and the public will have the opportunity to pick their favorite videos January 16-24, 2024. There will be six winners. Waste Management of Texas, Inc. will provide prizes—gift cards and scholarships.  

Take Care of Texas Art Contest

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is hosting the Take Care of Texas Art Contest for kindergarten-fifth grade students to depict positive ways to help keep the air and water clean, conserve water and energy, and reduce waste. The theme for 2024 is Recycling, and the contest sponsor is Texas Chemical Council. The contest begins on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. The deadline to enter is Friday, March 1, 2024.

Keep Texas Beautiful Governor's Community Achievement Awards Due February 15, 2024

For more than 30 years, Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, has awarded the prestigious Governor's Community Achievement Awards to Texas communities for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful. This year, 10 winning communities will share $2 million in landscaping awards from the Texas Department of Transportation, with the amount based on population size. The funds are used for landscaping projects along local rights-of-way. There is a $25 application fee. The application period opens Tuesday January 2, 2024. The deadline to apply is Thursday, February 15, 2024. 

Audubon Christmas Bird Count – December 14, 2023-January 5, 2024

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is December 14 through January 5 each year. Organized by the National Audubon Society, this global, all-volunteer effort collects data on local bird populations. Individual counts are open to birders of all levels, and there is no fee to participate. Several events are scheduled across the region.

Governor’s Community Achievement Awards Webinar – December 6

Keep Texas Beautiful will host a webinar from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, December 6, to discuss the Governor’s Community Achievement Awards. During this webinar presented by Texas Downtown, participants can learn more about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply for the 2024 grant cycle. The cost of this webinar is $50 for Texas Downtown members.

Registration is required.

Writing a Winning GCAA Application Webinar – January 10, 2024

Keep Texas Beautiful will host a webinar from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 10, 2024, to discuss tips for writing a winning Governor’s Community Achievement Awards application. During this webinar participants will hear from three GCAA-winning communities as they delve into the art of crafting a successful GCAA application. Winners will share their process for data collection for answering questions and how they work with others in the community to put the application together..

Registration is required.

Orange Show Earns Texas Historic Commission Grant

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts in Houston recently received funding from the Texas Historical Commission's Texas Preservation Trust Fund (TPTF).

The TPTF was established in 1989 as stable source of funding to assist preservation efforts throughout the state. The TPTF offers competitive, matching grants to qualified applicants for the acquisition, survey, restoration, preservation, planning, and heritage education activities leading to the preservation of historic properties and archeological sites or collections.

Established in 1980, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art focuses on the ability to make basic elements of art accessible to the public through a wide variety of programs, including the Orange Show Monument, the Beer Can House, the Art Car Parade, and folk-art parks and installations.