OUR VALUES

Mission

Houston Parks Board creates, improves, protects, and advocates for parks for everyone.

Vision

Thriving parks and communities for
everyone forever.

Strategic Priorities

We are wholeheartedly devoted to creating and enhancing parks, engaging neighborhoods and communities, inspiring people to value parks, and sustaining our operations so we can continue to serve.

Connecting With Neighbors

Community engagement and outreach are strategic priorities and at the heart of everything we do. While gathering in-person was difficult due to the global pandemic, Houstonians have felt a wonderful connection to one another as we collectively turned to our parks and trails during months of social isolation. This has brought us closer in spirit as we simply get outdoors and connect with nature.

At the same time, our outreach and community engagement has not slowed down. Through virtual community meetings, speaking engagements, and online outreach activities, Houston Parks Board was able to reach over 3,000 people where they were – online.

Stay on top of Houston Parks Board events and programming by signing up for our monthly newsletters here.

Healthy Outdoor Communities

In 2019, Houston Parks Board was recognized as a Communities of Care grantee, a grant program of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, which supports the Healthy Outdoor Communities (HOC) initiative. HOC is a collaborative approach to improve mental well-being and combat health disparities in areas of need in Houston. Over the course of five years, Houston Parks Board is working with Nature and Eclectic Outdoors, Texas A&M School of Public Health, local outdoor and health nonprofits, and community members in Acres Homes and Third Ward.

We applaud the project awardees on the first round of funding for community-based, small projects.

Stewardship

When community members turn out to help improve our parks and trails, they make it possible for us to make an even greater impact. Our volunteers are essential to expanding Houston Parks Board’s conservation efforts and growing awareness of the necessity of ecosystem health. We are grateful for the support we receive from local community groups, corporations, academic institutions, public agencies, nature enthusiasts, and user groups.

We would especially like to acknowledge organizations that regularly work with us on our parks and trails: Student Conservation Association, generously funded by Kinder Foundation; Texas Conservation Corps; Houston Audubon; Garden Club of Houston; Houston Parks Department Natural Resources team.

Volunteer Program

Our parks belong to all of us, and with our newly launched online volunteer platform, volunteering with Houston Parks Board has never been easier. When you volunteer, everything you do—small or large—matters. It moves us closer to a Houston where everyone can enjoy access to greenspaces and live healthier, happier lives. Whether you can help every month or just an afternoon, there are so many ways to share your skills and talents.

Together, we can help create thriving parks and communities for everyone.

Conservation & Maintenance

Houston Parks Board is committed to not only creating beautiful greenspaces, but also to making sure our parks and trails preserve and enhance our region’s diverse habitats. That is why more than a third of our annual budget is dedicated to conserving and maintaining greenspace and trails. This includes habitat restoration, planting wildflowers and native grass seeds, regular mowing of greenspace, clearing litter and debris, graffiti abatement, and flood cleanup.

Habitat Conservation

Prairies

Prairies feature native grasses with wildflowers and shrubs, and contain few to no trees.

Prairie restoration: We assessed our 300 prairie plots and developed a strategy for rehabilitation and maintenance.

Wetlands

Wetlands are characterized by the presence of water and water-loving vegetation.

Wetland restoration: We improved wetlands along Greens Bayou with invasive vegetation management and plantings.

Forests

Forests are covered with trees along with various understory species.

Reforestation: We completed an assessment of over 25,000 trees on the Bayou Greenways system.

Maintenance Coverage

2014-2021

2,800

ACRES CURRENTLY MAINTAINED

100+

MILES OF TRAILS

“Some may think of Houston as just a large concrete-filled city with very few walkable areas, but that is simply not the case. We have an abundance of wonderful parks and greenways where Houstonians can go for a run, walk, or bike ride.”

Roxanne Almaraz

Flood Clean Up

2014-2021

$3 MILLION

SPENT TO RESTORE GREENWAYS AFTER MAJOR STORM EVENTS

2,023

DUMP TRUCK LOADS OF SILT AND FLOOD DEBRIS REMOVED

3,000

DUMP TRUCK LOADS OF SILT AND FLOOD DEBRIS REMOVED

CREATING WETLANDS

Taking advantage of the natural sloping land, Houston Parks Board created a wetland at Thomas Bell Foster Park to capture storm water and provide habitat for dragonflies and small wading birds. A small amount of excavation coupled with the removal of sod created the basin into which volunteers planted hundreds of native wetland plants. While the vegetation may be sparse initially, we anticipate the wetland to be fully vegetated by Fall 2022, requiring little to no additional help from our conservation staff.

BAYOU GREENWAYS PARK

At 1.47 acres, Bayou Greenways Park is a jewel within our necklace of Bayou Greenways.

Bayou Greenways Park is an invitation to generations of Houstonians to discover Bayou Greenways and acknowledge those who helped transform Houston as we know it. Thanks to Kinder Foundation’s visionary leadership and transformational gift, as well as the extraordinary generosity of the Hildebrand Foundation, Houston Endowment, The Brown Foundation Inc. and many other Houstonians, Bayou Greenways is being made a reality. The sandblasted map on the plaza, a site-specific poem by Martha Serpas displayed along the panels lining the lawn perimeter and the wall at the main plaza, and a shaded boardwalk and benches are only a few of many wonderful spots and ways to enjoy everything the Bayou Greenways has to offer.

We believe the use and enjoyment of parks are essential to the happiness, health, connectivity, and economy of our city.

“The work of the Houston Parks Board is distinct as we are constructing infrastructural improvements to address our region’s resiliency. Further, our focus is quite broad as exemplified every time we celebrate our bayous, open new trails, expand parks, maintain our trails, and offer wellness opportunities for every corner of Houston.”

Beto Cárdenas

Meet the Team

Board of Directors

Barron F. Wallace, Chairman
Jill Jewett, Vice Chair

Roxanne Almaraz
Dina Alsowayel
Don Aron
Tom Bacon
Chairman Emeritus
Margaret W. Brown
Deborah Cannon
Alberto P. Cárdenas, Jr.
Joseph Dilg
Caton Fenz
David Fitch
Tom Flaherty
Cullen Geiselman
Jim Green

Sis Johnson
David Kinder
Ann Lents
Jacqueline S. Martin
Ruthie Miller
Precious Williams Owodunni
Jamie F. Patterson
Christopher Porter
Andrew Price
Leslie Elkins Sasser
Michael Skelly
Laura Spanjian
Herman L. Stude
Phoebe Tudor
Nina O’Leary Zilkha

EMERITUS
Jane Block
Brady F. Carruth
John T. Cater
Elyse Lanier
Mrs. Meredith J. Long
Jerald D. Mize
Dan T. Neale
Edith Personette
Nancy T. Reynolds
Robert A. Rowland, III
Mike Stude
H. Michael Tsyon
V. H. “Pete” Van Horn
William (Bill) Wheless, III
David S. Wolff

Houston Parks Board Staff

Adrin Biagas
Senior Land Acquisition Manager

 Alexis Overdiek
Conservation Technician 

Amanda Nunley
GIS Supervisor 

Arun Johnson
Accounting Supervisor

 Beth White
President and CEO

 Candace Williams
Director of Individual Giving

 Christopher Montes
Event and Outreach Coordinator

 Dan Howse
Asset Manager

 Danny Zirilli
Construction Manager

 Deborah Rule
Director of Development

 DK Washington
Greenspace Manager

Denise Garcia
CPA, Director of Accounting and Finance

 Ethan Placke
Conservation Technician

 Evelyn White-Spears
Accounts Payable/Payroll Specialist

 Glenn Francis
Greenspace Manager

 Jeri Nordbrock
Chief Financial Officer

 John Brandt
Bayou Greenways Project Manager

 Keith Drayden
Staff Accountant

 Kelly Burnett
Activation and Volunteer Manager

 Linda Zhou
Parks Projects Supervisor and Prolog Administrator

 Lisa Graiff
Beyond the Bayous Program Manager

 Lisa Kasianowitz
Outreach Manager

Lucy Mongogna
Executive Assistant to President and CEO

 Marissa Llosa
Conservation Manager

 Marvin James
Greenspace Manager

 Matt Nielson
Chief Operating Officer

 Nicole Romano
Director of Marketing and Communications

 Patrick Kelleher
Conservation Technician

 Richard McNamara
Senior Program Manager

 Ronny Morgan
Greenspace Manager

 Russ Clements
Senior Greenspace Manager

 Tina M. Clayton
Development Coordinator

 Trent Rondot
Conservation and Maintenance Director

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Courtney Barth
Carol Moffett
Nicholas Tobenkin

Amanda Edwards
LaTrice Monroe
Kelly Whitcomb

Christy Flores
Beth Taylor
Karla Zendejas

Donors

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AS OF JUNE 30, 2021

Total Assets

$80,618,254

Contribution Receivable

$4,634,977

$3,456,324

$1,256,324

$6,543,877

$1,432,567

$3,245,611

Liabilities

Construction Projects & Accounts Payable$2,066,950
Deferred & Held For Others$3,934,852
Total Liabilities$6,001,802

Net Assets

Without Donor Restrictions$12,713,821
With Donor Restrictions$61,902,631
Total Net Assets$74,616,452

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR

AS OF JUNE 30, 2020

Total Assets

$80,618,254

Park Improvements & City Programs

$2,548,949

$15,764,354

$1,345,356

$1,432,567

Striving to do more for you Beyond the Bayous.


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