Armand Bayou Nature Center’s Earth Day sign is refurbished by Catherine Miller, Director of Development and Marketing (left) and Candy Donahue, Executive Director.

Armand Bayou Nature Center
Celebrates Earth Day April 16

PASADENA (Bay Area Houston) TX – Armand Bayou Nature Center (ABNC) will celebrate Earth Day with an all-day event on Saturday, April 16, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on the Nature Center grounds, 8500 Bay Area Blvd.

Festivities will include guided tours of the hiking trails on the 2,500-acre wildlife preserve, pontoon boat tours of Armand Bayou, canoeing on May’s Pond, mini classes on birding, gardening, and photography, environmental and educational exhibits and activities for children and adults.

Several Harris County agencies will be participating. Fire and Emergency Services will present their Haz Mat Truck and their Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be on hand. The county’s Storm Water Quality Section will recycle batteries, cell phones and ink cartridges as well as hand out latex paint hardener for safe disposal of latex paint. They will also enroll citizens in the SWIM program that identifies storm drains accessing local waterways.

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston will showcase their Earth Day programs with handouts of interest to children. The Houston-Galveston Area Council is costuming characters to engage children in recycling.

Other organizations participating include Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Houston Quality Feed Store with bunnies and chicks, the Pasadena Parks Department exhibiting environmental murals painted by recreation center children, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Nature Conservancy of Texas, Port of Houston Authority, and San Jacinto College.

Also joining in ABNC’s Earth Day are Green Mountain Energy, Gulf Coast Turtle & Tortoise Society, Houston Audubon Society, Lone Star Recreation, and Wildlife Rehab & Education.

Artists exhibiting their work with recyclable materials are Tony Meyer, Peter Gugliano and Mike Case. John Foster will host his Environment Care Radio program that airs on KKHT 100.7 FM live from the center.

Veteran birder Chris Battan will lead the birding class. Pasadena Artist of the Year photographer Cliff Meinhardt will teach the photography class. Gardening classes will be taught by Chris LaChance, master gardener, and will include WaterSmart gardening, and butterfly and heirloom gardens as well as native plants.

The Flute Circle and Sugar Bayou will provide music. Food vendors will include Chick-fil-A and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. ABNC volunteers will sell popcorn, apples and water.

A special ABNC Gift Shop will sell merchandise at reduced prices. Registration for memberships, volunteer programs and EcoCamp will be available.

Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children and seniors. Members are admitted free. For more information contact Catherine Miller at 281-474-2551, ext. 19, or visit the ABNC website, www.abnc.org.