Houston, TX, December 16, 2017 – Student Conservation Association (SCA), Houston Parks and Recreation (HPARD), and Galveston Bay Estuary Program are teaming up to help Houston parks in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. This Saturday, December 16th, SCA will kick off a twelve-week program at White Oak Parkway with a volunteer event engaging over 50 volunteers to help clean up parks affected by the storm.
The event will introduce a program in which one SCA team comprised of seven local youth will help with recovery efforts every weekend from December through March. SCA crew members will reconstruct bridges and boardwalks that were washed out by the flood, remove debris, work on erosion control activities, and support trail restoration efforts. These restoration efforts also include the removal of loads of sand washed ashore damaging our hike and bike trails, as well as clearing fallen trees and branches.
SCA, the national leader in youth service and stewardship, is committed to supporting the Houston Area’s short-term and long-term post-Harvey recovery efforts and to providing hands-on outdoor opportunities for the region’s youth. We are happy to partner with HPARD and the Galveston Bay Estuary Program to reinvigorate the parks and work alongside the Houston community to rebuild local green spaces.
“The Student Conservation Association, the SCA Harvey Recovery Corps and Members, Alumni and Staff, are honored to join with our community to rebuild Houston’s parks and green spaces in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey”, says Marsha Towns, SCA Partnership Director for the Gulf Coast.
“We thank our partners the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and the Student Conservation Association for their commitment and support of the department and its park system,” said Steve Wright, Director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “Their support and hard work in the coming months will help restoring bridges and trails damaged by Harvey and make them usable again for all park visitors.”
About Houston Parks and Recreation Department
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D.) stewards and manages over 37,851 acres of parkland and greenspace for the City of Houston and develops and implements recreational programming for citizens of all abilities. For more information on the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, call (832) 395-7022 or visit www.houstonparks.org.
About Galveston Bay Estuary Program
The Galveston Bay Estuary Program (GBEP) is one of two estuary programs in Texas established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program. As a non-regulatory program administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, GBEP is charged with implementing The Galveston Bay Plan—a comprehensive conservation management plan for Galveston Bay. GBEP’s purpose is to provide comprehensive ecosystem management through collaborative partnerships and to ensure preservation of the bay’s multiple uses for generations to come.
About the Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America’s largest and most effective youth conservation service organization. SCA conserves lands and transforms lives by empowering young people of all backgrounds to plan, act, and lead, while they protect and restore our natural and cultural resources. Founded in 1957, SCA’s mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders, and 70% of its 85,000 alumni are employed or studying in conservation-related fields. For more, visit www.thesca.org.