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.)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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)

BOTANICAL GARDEN EVENTS — Garden blooms for winter/spring.