Conservation

Conservation Events

Summaries of current/upcoming political decisions and events you can act on or participate in to benefit the environment and conservation. Scroll for: Political Actions, Education/Train-ing/Service, Citizen Science/Projects, Have Fun To Help Conservation (Including Youth Events). Most items are in date order (soonest first) and linked to details or websites. CLICK CAPITALIZED TITLES for more info. (NOTE: Inclusion of news from other groups does not constitute endorsement. Use common sense in dealing with unfamiliar groups.) Long-term conservation info and action options have been moved to Conservation Resources/Options.

POLITICAL, LEGAL & ECONOMIC ACTIONS

For political points of contact, click here.)

MAYOR HARDBERGER FAREWELL — Una Gran Despedida for Mayor Phil and Mrs. Linda Hardberger is planned by the San Antonio Parks Foundation & the San Antonio Museum of Art to honor their support for arts and parks in San Antonio. It will take place in SAMA's Luby Courtyard and the new Beretta Hops House Terrace overlooking the Riverwalk extension, Sunday, May 31, from 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Proceeds will be divided between SAMA and the Parks Foundation.

SA LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSLETTER — The City of San Antonio’s new environmental office has launched a newsletter on environmental news and issues. The April issue is linked here.

PETITION DRIVE FOR RECYCLING IN APARTMENTS AND CONDO UNITS — In San Antonio tons of trash produced by apartment units and condos are thrown into a landfill. Let the City of San Antonio know that recycling matters! Download a petition form, gather signatures, then mail petitions to Alamo Group of the Sierra Club.

CURRENT ZONING HEARINGS — Permanent section for impending hearings with special conservation implications. No current posting! In addition, AGUA (Aquifer Guardians in Urban Areas) maintains an on-line map of pending zonings. Go to http://www.aquiferguardians.org/blog and click on WHIMBY (What’s Happening In My Backyard) at top of web page.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/SERVICE/AWARDS

SPECIAL EARTH DAY PREMIERE — Solar San Antonio and Disneynature premiers "Earth" on April 22. New film explores delicate balance of life on Earth, narrated by James Earl Jones. Solar San Antonio invites you to join us Wednesday, April 22, at the Alamo Quarry Theater at 255 E Basse Rd. for the 7:15 show. Mention Solar San Antonio at the box office for discounted pricing ($6 tickets).

OTHER LOCAL EARTH DAY EVENTS —April will host a plethora of Earth Day related events. Check link for some.

BANFF FILMS — Whole Earth Provisions has announced the Banff Mountain Film Festival will be coming to San Antonio on Sunday, May 3, our city’s first time to see some of the best mountain cinema in the world. The SA show date is Sunday, May 3, at the Empire Theatre and the cost is $20. The San Antonio presentation will benefit Last Chance Forever, the Bird of Prey Conservancy.

NATIVE PLANT CERTIFICATION — The San Antonio and Boerne Chapters of the Native Plant Society are working with San Antonio city arborist Debbie Reid, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist Judit Green and other native-plant experts to develop a class to educate master naturalists, builders, realtors, developers, architects, landscapers and the general public in identifying and learning the use of native plants in their landscapes. The course will have four levels.

SPRING VEGETATION SURVEYS AT WILDFLOWER CENTER — Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center will again be performing vegetation surveys. This will be the first opportunity for volunteers to work on spring surveys since 2006. Participants will learn to identify herbaceous and woody plants, and estimate the percentages of different species of plants occuring in the research plots. Every experience level is welcome. New participants will attend one four-hour training class, and commit to work at least two four-hour field sessions. Training is available on any day between Wednesday, April 15, and Saturday, April 18. Surveys begin Tuesday, April 21, and continue Tuesdays through Saturdays until completed, usually about three weeks.

INTERNATIONAL “MONARCH SISTER PROTECTED AREA NETWORK” WORKSHOP — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is inviting state parks and wildlife management areas to join the Monarch Sister Protected Area Network to monitor the Monarch butterfly. The network consists of 13 federal sites. While Balcones Canyonland NWR is the only official Texas site in the network, it is important to monitor monarch populations throughout Texas. Monitoring projects at state parks will strengthen the network. A workshop will be offered at Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne, April 20-22.

POW WOW — 30th Annual Texas Wilderness POW WOW will be April 25, at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area, Davy Crockett National Forest.

TCEQ ENVIRONMENTAL TRADE FAIR AND CONFERENCE — Of special interest to engineers, lawyers, drinking water managers, waste managers, water rights buyers, pollution preventors, air quality managers, radioactive waste "disposers," and geoscientists. Make plans now to attend the TCEQ's Environmental Trade Fair and Conference May 12-14, at the Austin Convention Center.

FIRST SATURDAYS AND SECOND SATURDAYS – San Antonio’s natural-areas parks host an interpretive hike on the first Saturday of each month and a natural-history educational program on the second Saturday of each month.

MITCHELL LAKE EVENTS — Mitchell Lake Audubon Center offers a mix of family nature-education programs, recreation and service opportunities this year. Or visit http://www.tx.audubon.org/Mitchell_Calendar.html at any time of year to find out what’s going on at San Antonio’s southside world-class birding spot. SPECIAL EVENT: Please mark your calendars for MLAC’s fifth annual Fall Wildlife Festival & Plant Sale on Saturday, Oct. 24.

UPCOMING SIEMPRE SUSTAINABLE NETWORK PROGRAMS — Seguin’s *Siempre Sustainable Network* meets the 2nd Monday of each month. See attached for details and upcoming programs.

BIRDWATCH RADIO — Birdwatch Radio is a new audio podcast about birds, birders and conservation. Two full-length programs a month feature some of birding’s top people. Current program has interview with John Riutta about his birding blog, his birding adventures and his time at Leupold optics designing binoculars for children.

SOUTH TEXAS NATIVES RESTORATION MANUAL — Now available is a manual to instruct land owners and land managers in the various methods of restoring native plant communities.

VOLUNTEER/FINANCIAL SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

H-E-B TEAR-PAD CAMPAIGN BENEFITS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS — H-E-B has selected Earth Share of Texas to be the beneficiary of its in-store coupon promotion for April, in recognition of Earth Day. This means that customers can tear off and add check-out coupons worth $1, $3, or $5 to their total bill to make donations to this great organization! Earth Share of Texas distributes funding to many envrionmental groups around the state. The April campaign will be in stores outside San Antonio, through April. In November, H-E-B’s San Antonio region stores will feature Earth Share of Texas, giving SA customers a chance to help the environment at their grocery check-out stands.

HELP GREEN SPACES ALLIANCE AT QUARRY BUSINESSES —Wednesday, April 22, Green Spaces will be the beneficiary of Whole Foods' Eco Fashion Show showcasing environmentally friendly fashion designed by students from the University of the Incarnate Word. (See details in item below.)

ECO FASHION SHOW —- Eco-friendly, wearable art in a fashion show at Whole Foods Market. The designs are created by UIW students and then auctioned off with proceeds benefiting Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas. Eco Fashion Week will be at Whole Foods Market, April 20-24, in the Quarry. Students from the Fashion Management Department of the University of The Incarnate Word will partner with Whole Foods Market and Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas to transform recycled bags and banners into eco-friendly, wearable art! Student designers will showcase their fashions Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day) at noon at Whole Foods Market.

WILDLIFE RESCUE & REHABILITATION THRIFT STORE — Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation is opening a thrift store “The Squirrel's Nest” in Boerne and seeks public donations of merchandise such as clothing, furniture, kitchenwares, books and videos, jewelry, children's toys, knick-knacks, etc.. All proceeds will be used for animal-care needs here at the sanctuary.

CALLING ALL CARPENTERS & OTHER VOLUNTEERS — Green Spaces Alliance invites carpenters and other volunteers to help in community gardens. This is a continuing need, but at this time, two gardens in particular need assistance from volunteer carpenters to build planters or teach the gardeners how to.

VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS -- Volunteer workdays are held in Natural Areas including Crownridge Canyon Natural Area, Friedrich Wilderness Park and Eisenhower Park, third Saturday of each month. Call 210-698-1057 for details, schedule. Reservations are NOT required! Bring work gloves, water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, energy!

CITIZEN SCIENCE & CONSERVATION PROJECTS

2009 COMMUNITY GARDENS GRANTS — Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, Lattner Family Foundation, and Les Dames d'Escoffier have generously funded creation of eight to 12 new community gardens in 2009. Green Spaces Alliance will give these funds to eligible groups who plan to start gardens in their neighborhoods in 2009. Neighborhood associations,non-profit corporations, public institutions, and unincorporated neighbor groups may apply Community Garden Starter Grants offering facilitation, some funding, and advice. Groups must attend one of two informational meetings and submit an application. If you plan to apply or join us for the meeting, contact us.

HELP WRITE A BIRD BOOK — A book entitled The Ultimate Bird Lover: Stories and Tips on Our Feathered Friends, atHome and in the Wild, will be published in November by Health Communications, Inc. The Ultimate Bird Lover will feature true stories from beginning birders to those who consider themselves experienced ornithologists and have loved birds for years, celebrating what’s good, challenging, and downright funny about these angels with wings. Deadline for story submissions is June 15. The attachment contains a link to a website with details on format, etc.

CASH PRIZE FOR BEST VEGETATED ROOF — Bexar Audubon Society offers cash prizes for two best vegetated roofs constructed in its area by June 30, 2009. NOTE: extended deadline date.

“AMERICAN STORIES ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING" — Union of Concerned Scientists is soliciting citizens’ essays for a new online book, Thoreau's Legacy: American Stories about Global Warming. To participate, write a 200- to 500-word first-person account of global warming that relates to your life or the world around you. Best submissions will be included in Thoreau's Legacy, which will be published online in spring 2009 and in a limited-edition hardcover version.

BLUE WATER PROJECT COMMUNITY ACTION GRANT — Royal Bank of Canada has announced the third and final component of its Blue Water Project grants pool for 2008. Community Action Grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each, up to a total of

$200,000 for 2008, are available to support local and community projects in Canada, the U.S., and the Caribbean that are dedicated to watershedprotection.

HAVE FUN TO HELP CONSERVATION

(INCLUDING YOUTH EVENTS)

OTHER LOCAL EARTH DAY EVENTS —April will host a plethora of Earth Day related events. Check link for some.

GRAND OPENING OF RIVER MUSEUM REACH — San Antonio River Authority is planning the San Antonio River Improvements Project-Museum Reach Grand Opening. This is a two day event on May 30-31. The 30th will include a morning ceremony with an afternoon of activities, live music and food. Stakeholders along this segment of the river will have events in their areas. The 31st the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and they will have their Walk and Roll on the River (link to more info) that Sunday. This event is a time for walkers, runners and bicycle riders to help promote healthy alternative modes of transportation. This year’s routes will be along the new section of the River ending at the new Pearl Brewery!

CHILDREN'S VEGETABLE GARDEN — Help kids live a healthier lifestyle by growing their own veggies in the Children's Vegetable Garden program at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. The spring program begins Saturday, Feb. 21, and runs through June 6. Classes meet each Saturday 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Garden plots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Cost is only $10 per child age 8-13. Children can earn their Junior Master Gardener certification by participating in this program.

POW WOW — 30th Annual Texas Wilderness POW WOW will be April 25, at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area, Davy Crockett National Forest.

WILD! WEEKS — Make plans for your child to attend the Wild! Week half day ecology camp at Friedrich Park. Sessions are June 15 - 19 and June 22 - 26 from 9 a.m. to noon each day. Registration materials are on website: www.sanaturalareas.org. Call 210-564-6400 or email peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov for more information.

BOTANICAL GARDEN EVENTS — Garden blooms for winter/spring.