Save Memorial Park

As established forests around the globe are being removed at a remarkable rate due to demands from increased development, the World Wildlife Fund cautions against relying on tree planting as the sole solution, and emphasizes the necessity of protecting existing forests.

"While the role of forest restoration in supporting climate, biodiversity, and community goals is extremely critical, and increased interest is encouraging, it’s important to remember that protecting existing forests can often achieve much more in terms of delivering these outcomes."

Planting trees is good. Saving existing forests is better. Protecting people and nature is best. Nature-based Solutions and corporate goal-setting for forests and climate.

Is the Memorial Park Conservancy creating new wetlands, prairie, and clearing established woodland forest to be ecologically responsible? Fortunately, there are resources like the Golf Channel to tell us honestly what's going on at Memorial Park.

"What Doak did with this previously flat, flood-prone land was remarkable. He effectively added elevation and improved drainage into the Buffalo Bayou, which runs through the park. (How effective? Tropical Storm Imelda dropped nine inches on Memorial Park last month; the next day, the greens and fairways were being mowed.)

He cleared out trees. He lengthened holes. He shortened holes. He widened fairways. He completely changed the second hole, bringing it over a ravine."

Future is bright for Houston Open with Memorial Park move In recent years, the Houston Open has been thrown one curveball after another – natural disasters, loss of a title sponsor, a costly date change. But the longtime PGA Tour stop seems on the verge of hitting a home run.

According to the US Forest Service, the loblolly pine makes a great reclamation plant and shade tree, is drought tolerant once established (with the exception of less frequent severe droughts), can reach heights up to 150 feet, grows in sandy, clay, loamy, acidic, and occasionally wet soils, and allows grass and other plants to easily grow beneath the canopy. In short, it's a perfect fit for the currently wooded area of Memorial Park that is planned for removal by the Memorial Park Conservancy.

If you haven't already, please make your voice heard to the MPC and to the City of Houston that we need these trees!

These native pine trees are home to much of the wildlife in this area, provide extensive shade and cooler temperatures to park users who hike and bike along the trails, and act as a buffer zone from the noisy and polluted freeways that surround the park.

hort.ufl.edu

Does science back up the Memorial Park Conservancy's argument that the pine forest as we know it today took over the prairie? The consultants they hired claim that it does. The Harris County Flood Control District also conveniently claims that it does according to their own assessment. However, they can't give an answer to which point in history they think this area was a savannah/prairie. Stay tuned for our upcoming posts sharing background on the loblolly pine ecosystem, and why a pine forest is actually the perfect fit as nature intended in this area.

Meet the Alumna Solving Conservation Problems at Houston’s Arboretum In 2017, Hurricane Harvey swept across the Gulf Coast, leaving much of the city underwater, displacing residents, and causing billions of dollars’ worth of damage. Harvey’s rain broke national records as it pounded the Houston area; one area weather station measured more than 51 inches. Pictures...