PUBLISHED: September 2026 by Karastin Katusin

Photos by Scott Julian at Coolgreen Upper Pond

The dog days of summer are slowly coming to an end, and the hope of a cooler autumn awaits us in Houston. Transition seasons are one of my favorites, as I reflect on where I have been and where I am headed. I am looking forward to seeing the swaths of Monarchs migrate south to their winter roosts and seeing the Mexican Free-Tailed bats emerge across the city. Meanwhile, the Conservation team is looking ahead to the hands-on project planting events this fall.

This summer we tried to cool off with a wetland planting and our volunteers showed up ready to beat the heat! In July, we had our Coolgreen Upper Pond planting along Greens Bayou. Over 20 folks joined us along the banks to install 1700 bare root plants in the summer heat. Despite the unexpected rainfall, volunteers shared laughs, enjoyed snow-cones, and helped revitalize this essential habitat.

This planting was funded by National Estuaries Program (NEP) Watersheds Grants in conjunction with Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  

Our Conservation team is excited to engage with our trail users and community members this fall! There will be plenty of stewardship opportunities this season to volunteer with HPB Conservation, including Green Team on Fridays, Family-friendly Saturday events, some special weekday events, and our inaugural Bayou Greenways Conservation Academy!

Our events are across the city and offer a great way to explore the bayous. If you are looking for a new way to volunteer, build community, and give back – join us for a HPB Conservation event this fall!  To give a hand and join in the fun, please visit our events page to RSVP today! 

For corporate and other groups, please visit our webpage for details.

See you on the bayous soon!