Houston Wilderness - It's Our Nature!

TOP 10 FACTS ABOUT...
THE BAYOU WILDERNESS

1) Houston’s moniker, the Bayou City, is well deserved – it is crisscrossed by waterways of all types, including rivers, bayous and creeks.
2) Harris County and Houston are bisected by Buffalo Bayou, which rises in the Katy prairie west of the city and flows east through the Memorial area – right through downtown, it’s course eventually becoming the deepwater Houston Ship Channel.
3) Other important bayous in the Houston area include White Oak Bayou, which flows from northwest Harris County to the Heights; Hunting Bayou, a small waterway entering the Houston Ship Channel near East Loop 610; Greens Bayou, which flows eastward toward Beltway 8 and then turns south; and Brays Bayou, flowing southwest through the Houston Medical Center.
4) When big rain storms hit the area, the bayous and creeks simply rise out of their banks and spread out to cover whatever land is necessary to accommodate the water. These areas are called floodplains.
5) As Houston grew and developed, some structures were built close to the water for trade and aesthetic purposes causing those structures to flood frequently. As a result, many bayous were modified and their biological diversity was nearly eliminated. Few natural bayous remain.
6) The Houston Arboretum is an excellent place to experience the natural bayou via their trail system through the floodplain forest on Buffalo Bayou.
7) The arboretum boasts over 165 species of birds, 31 species of mammals, 13 amphibians and 22 varieties of fish.
8) Development of the floodplains and prairies has caused the city to reevaluate its flood prevention plans and focus on the preservation of our natural bayou systems.
9) Crayfish, butterflies, turtles and ducks are some of the native inhabitants of these ecosystems.
10) In a canoeing trip down Buffalo Bayou it is easy to forget that you are in the fourth-largest city in the US. That is, until you pass under the Shepherd bridge and see skyscrapers mingle with natural vistas, marrying civilization and biodiversity.

ABOUT THE BAYOU WILDERNESS

Wild and winding ribbons of water weave their way across landscapes, through neighborhoods, passing skyscrapers. Black-crowned night herons hunt for crawfish undisturbed as motorists fly past. A mottled duck nests within the confines of a wastewater treatment plant.

Those taking up urban residence within the Houston Wilderness area are not just human. Between the asphalt and concrete, around the shopping malls and medical centers, the bayous, lakes, prairies and forests are host or home to many wild neighbors. These natural jewels within our communities not only provide opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, they are also habitat to many species. Our wild neighbors eat tons of mosquitoes and other noxious insects. They pollinate flowers and crops and help maintain the health of our parks and communities. The habitat they call home helps mitigate damage from floods and recharge underground water supplies. And, it provides humans a respite from the concrete jungle. Enjoy the hiking and canoe trails of Houston Wilderness: they are an excellent way to meet some of your wild neighbors!

To read more about Bayou Wilderness, download our atlas!

KEY LOCATIONS

Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education and Recreation Center

This innovative facility, located on the banks of Goose Creek, is host to thousands of visitors and school children each year. An official site on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, the Wetlands Center boasts a 9,000 square-foot exhibit area, which includes a variety of exhibits. Gator World, with its juvenile alligators and large wetlands mural, is always a favorite with visitors young and old.

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

This 155-acre urban nature sanctuary plays a vital role in protecting native plants and animals in the heart of the city where development threatens their survival.Visitors can walk five mile of trails free of charge. The Nature Center building includes the Discovery Room with interactive exhibits and activities where students can learn about the three major habitats of the Arboretum. Staff use the nature sanctuary as a hands-on laboratory for students in guided field experiences.

Pine and hardwood forest, pond and meadow habitats; muscadine grapes; many birds, including species of woodpeckers, rabbits, opossum, raccoons, squirrels, armadillos, Mexican free-tailed bats.

Russ Pittman Park and Nature Discovery Center

The Hana & Arthur Ginzberg Nature Discovery Center is a 4-acre rural retreat in the midst of Bellaire. Hands-on Discovery Boxes invite youngsters to explore a crystal cave with a magnifying glass, compare animal teeth to their own, explore life in a log, or reconstruct a turtle skeleton. Tree frogs, turtles, a tarantula, a guinea pig, and a freshwater aquarium captivate children. “Nature At Your Doorstep” is an interdisciplinary field study program offered to elementary school groups. Classes investigate nature outdoors using scientific methodology and explore the Discovery Rooms.

Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center

Covering 275 acres, Jones Park is a window into floodplain forest habitat. Explore ancient cypress bogs, natural white sand beaches, wildflower meadows and carnivorous plant habitat. Jones Park preserves the Native American and pioneer lifestyles found along the banks of Cypress and Spring Creeks during the late 1700s and early 1800s. A variety of guided tours and free programming are offered ranging from the lifestyles of local Indian tribes and pioneer settlers to the environmental benefits of this ecosystem. The Nature Center features live snakes, an observation beehive, mounted specimens, and a state-of-the-art audiovisual system.

Cypress swamps, ponds, white sand beaches along Spring Creek, and heavily wooded areas.

Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center

The Lake Unit encompasses 1,200 acres, 800 are permanently inundated and 400 acres are marsh and swampland. Fishing, small boats and canoes, and birdwatching are the main activities. The Environmental Learning Center Unit provides TEKS-aligned educational programming on pond ecology, nature walks focusing on habitats and animal adaptations, catch-and-release fishing (fishing poles provided), renewable energy, native plant gardening, composting, recycling and hunter education.

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