Riffles & Reeds Newsletter - October 2024

Director's Report

By Dr. Sandra Metoyer, Executive Director

I have now had the privilege of serving as the Executive Director of the Environmental Institute of Houston for 20 short weeks, and it has been a whirlwind! I am constantly inspired by the incredible talent and dedication of the EIH team. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jenny Oakley, former Acting Executive Director, for her invaluable support, advice, and leadership during my transition into this role. EIH has already achieved so much, and I am excited about the good work we have ahead of us.

As I get to know our current partners and collaborators, and as we seek to engage new ones, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight Team Rubicon. They have become a valuable partner with EIH over the past few years. Recently, 21 volunteers from Team Rubicon, known as Greyshirts, came together from across the state—and one from Louisiana—to clear the UHCL nature trail of fallen trees left behind by Hurricane Beryl. The two-day event was coordinated by Wendy Reistle. I was not familiar with Team Rubicon before this, but I quickly learned about their global mission to assist communities with recovery after disasters.

I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from many of the Greyshirts during a potluck dinner after a long, hot day of hard work. Their dedication to helping the Environmental Institute of Houston and the University is truly appreciated. Thank you to Team Rubicon’s Greyshirts for their time and commitment!

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Research Notes

By Bailey Steward, Student Research Assistant

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Education Notes

By Rowena McDermid, Environmental Education Assistant

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Staff Highlight

By Debbie Bush, Web Assistant

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Upcoming EIH Events

Check out our calendar of upcoming events below. For questions about how to sign up or register for these events, visit the link or contact EIH@uhcl.edu.

• Clear Lake Chapter of the Native Plant Society Texas monthly meeting - second Mondays at 6:45pm, in-person at UHCL and online
• Texas Audubon Bird Survey at Exploration Green - second Tuesdays, 7–10am
• Moonlit Moth Mania at Exploration Green - second Saturdays, 7:30–9pm
• October 19 - Galveston Bay Foundation’s Bike Around the Island
• October 19 - Armand Bayou Nature Center's Prairie Pandemonium, 7:30am–12pm
• October 19 & 20 - Galveston Bay Foundation’s Bike Around the Bay
• October 24 & 25 - Coastal Prairie Conservancy's Lands & Legacies Conference
• October 26 - Glow the Green at Exploration Green, 6:30–8:30pm
• November 2 - Native Landscape Certification Program Level 1 Class, online via Zoom, 8:30am–3:30pm
• November 9 - Galveston Bay Foundation’s Native Plant Sale at Walter Hall Park, 10am–2pm
• November 9 & 10 - The ABNC Golden Jubilee Fall Festival, 10am–4pm

If you would like to share an event for our next issue of Riffles and Reeds, you can email us at EIH@uhcl.edu.

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Check out everything we accomplished this summer!

EIH in the News

ABC13 Houston: UHCL team of researchers work to quantify amount of plastic pollution in Galveston Bay

Gulf of Mexico Alliance: Volunteers document dolphin behavior and educate the public on marine debris

Publications and Reports

Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program July 2024 Newsletter

Doyal, S.L., Oakley, J.W., and Guillen, G. 2024. Dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus  zosterae) density, distribution, and habitat use in Texas. Estuaries and Coasts. doi: 10.1007/s12237-024-01423-x

Gordon, M., Mokrech, M., Reistle, W., Oakley, J.W., McDermid, R., Hammerbach, G., and DeChellis, D. 2024. Microplastic distribution and impacts to diamond-backed terrapin, highlighting public education and future effects of sea-level rise. Quarterly Progress Report FY24, Quarter 2. EIH Report 24-001, 6 pp.

Presentations

Bush, D. 2024. Plant of the month: American germander. Native Plant Society of Texas, Clear Lake Chapter Meeting, Houston, TX.

McDaniel, S. 2024. Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program. Monitoring and Research (M&R) Subcommittee, Galveston Bay Council, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Houston, TX.

McDermid, R. 2024. P is for prairie. Bay Area Sierra Club Meeting, Houston, TX.

Mokrech, M. 2024. Unmanned aircraft systems (drones): terms, use, rules. Pasadena Citizens’ Advisory Council, Pasadena, TX.

Events

Hosted three summer camps in June, including the new Budding Naturalist Camp, and co-hosted Girls on the Prairie in partnership with the Native Prairies Association of Texas.

Hosted three community workshops in partnership with the Clear Lake Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas: Native Milkweed 101: Anyone Can Grow Native Milkweed from Seeds on June 18, Seed Cleaning on July 23, and Planning a Public Space Pollinator Garden & Grant Application Walk-Through on August 10.

Co-hosted two Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program volunteer training events: the Field Assistant Volunteer Workshop on June 15, and day one of a two-day training event for volunteers at the Dolphin Research and Outreach Station at Seawolf Park on June 22.

Hosted Team Rubicon's Disaster Response training course on September 21 and 22.

Recent Graduates

Angelica Castillo, May 2024
Luke Hammock, May 2024
Tatum Morgan, August 2024

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What's New?

New Students

Chelsey Hill, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Harmonie Johnson, Student Research Assistant
Tiernan Pytlak, Graduate Student Volunteer
Neirra Reese, Undergraduate Student Volunteer
Alondra Villegas, Student Intern

New Employees

Shae Bejaran, Student Intern
Madison Hoop, Summer Intern
Jamie Mazurski, Summer Intern
Tatum Morgan, Summer Intern
Melanie Rogers, Research Technician
Anthony Sanchez, Student Intern
Quinn Shefman, Summer Intern

New Donors

Thank you to Fin and Fur Films for their generosity and support of our terrapin research efforts. Their contribution not only advances student research, but also helps protect Texas wildlife.

New Projects

Tracking Perkinsus marinus (Dermo) infection in sun-cured oysters: Informing oyster shell recycling programs in Galveston Bay
Funded by: Galveston Bay and Estuary Program
Lead project PI: Mandi Gordon

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Did you miss something?

Our previous newsletters can be found online! Do you have any news or events you'd like to see featured in our future newsletters? Send your recommendations by emailing EIH@uhcl.edu.

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We thank all of our supporters and partners that make our work possible.

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Thank you for your continued support of our programs. To learn more about EIH or to make a contribution in support of our research, education, and student success, please visit our website at: www.eih.uhcl.edu.