White Oak Bayou Riparian Restoration: Planting the Seeds for a Greener Houston

On January 11, 2025, volunteers gathered at Little Thicket Park in Houston to restore riparian habitat along White Oak Bayou. Led by Kelli Ondracek, '11 MS, Natural Resources Manager for Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the group planted 2,000 native seedlings as part of the project.

The Environmental Institute of Houston’s project coordinator Debbie Bush joined Kelli and KPRC partners Pamela Campbell, Sabiha Mahmood, '10 MS, '15 MA, Houston Life Producer, and Lenny Juarez, Houston Life Photographer, to document the project. The filming captured the collaborative spirit of the event and the dedication of all involved. On January 30, viewers can watch the segment on “Houston Life” live on the KPRC 2 channel or online at www.click2houston.com/watchlive starting at 1 p.m.

The White Oak Bayou Riparian Restoration initiative highlights the impact of community partnerships and environmental stewardship. Restored greenspaces provide ecosystem services like flood control and water quality improvement. Thanks to funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) Galveston Bay Estuary Program (GBEP), this initiative is paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable future for Houston’s greenspaces.

The Galveston Bay Estuary Program, one of 28 estuary programs in the country, facilitates collaboration between partner organizations and stakeholders doing work in the Lower Galveston Bay Watershed. To learn more, visit gbep.texas.gov. Throughout the year, we will feature other initiatives through our community outreach project. This project is in partnership with GBEP, KPRC, and UHCL, and is made possible through state funds from TCEQ and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.