Bayou Land Conservancy

take our family here ( Little Cypress Creek Preserve) to bike and hike all the time. We love it, the trails are not too difficult to children to bike and you can see tonnes of neat things, great learning environment. Also have taken one of daughters troops there and planted trees with one of the preserve staff- awesome experience- especially for city kids who need to get outside more.
Thanks for the opportunity and work you do. We all need to spend more time in places like this!!!

tears are in my eyes, I woke up this morning, and looked at a paper I grabbed yesterday only to see the, that the deerpark bayou was in doubt of being lost, only the paper is over 10 days old. I immediately went to your site to see the outcome and see its saved!! THANKYOU, thanks for fighting for this, YOU DID IT!!!!!

I am currently doing an internship at Bayou Land Conservancy and I have never seen an organization that works diligently to preserve Houston area land and watersheds. Before I started my internship, I only used to worry so much about the consequence of erosion that I would have planted Chinese tallow without knowing the side effect. But now, I am learning a lot from a very knowledgeable staff on how to sensibly preserve green species for the future generation. It’s a blessing to have an organization with high devotion to create environmental awareness.

I started an internship at Bayou Land Conservancy this summer, and the quality of the staff and volunteers' restoration work and dedication to preserving the land and waterways is amazing. The staff is extremely knowledgeable about the land and the local wildlife and spend a lot of time and effort making sure the native species and habitats are well protected. We visited the Little Cypress Creek Preserve a couple of weeks ago and had a great time hiking and learning about the local species of insects, birds, and trees. The dedication and the quality of work at this organization is really impressive.

I found it stimulating & heartwarming finding out how my little neighbors the beavers died. Caught in traps near their homes & the yards they cleared of brush, weeds & soft wood trees. They made it so easy to find the paper & other trash washed down the creek banks. The children of my friends & relatives who often came to enjoy the playful antics of the beaver "pups" will no longer see the bever families or enjoy the walks & listen to the slapping sounds of play in the slowly moving waters in the new "Greenway along Spring Creek".

It makes a lasting impression & lesson, of MAN in his infinate wisdom, playing GOD, on young people & I suppose it is a good history lesson on our youth who will take this all over someday. You can bet that the old timers who used to swim this creek & young men who roamed the creekbanks of Spring Creek appreciate the elemination of this element of the Greenway. Maybe some of the sponsors of Bayou Land Conservancy need to know how the selection process goes regarding park inhabitants.

Seems to me the persons of Spring Trails HOA, should resign in shame before the membership finds out what they have been doing with HOA funds & OUR resources, but I'm sure they are to full of themselves to do that.

Pct.3 Commish. James Noack sure didn't put up much of a fight when he found out how the extermination of our little park residents were murdered. The folks of Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center at least got off their duffs & notified somebody. Maybe some people on the Harris Co. side will care more about our little park residents. I
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I recently visited the Little Cypress Creek area on a class field trip from Waltrip High School and the Bayou Land Conservancy members were very nice and allowed me to gather knowledge on the subject. It was a lot of fun and i learned about a variety of fields such as invasive species, ecology, and ways to determine water quality.

Our school brought 5th graders to the conservancy and it was an awesome experience. Thank you so much for promoting science and the enviornment! The whole trip was also fun and engaging. Thanks:)

The concervancy was awesome! Many of our students had never been in on an outdoor adventure. They loved it! Our Group leaders were very knowledgeable and had un ending patience with the students. I grew up in the country, and still learned new things! Thank you for having us!

Our students had such a wonderful experience on their field trip! The experiences they had were so enriching and will open them up to seeing nature in a whole new way. It's hard to pick the favorite, but the pond experience definitely stood out for all the kids. Thank you so much!

BLC's broad view of conservation allows and spurs the staff to open every door for all ages! From the No child left inside program, Know your Watershed, Zero Waste picnics, advocacy opportunities, plant it, clean it, smell it, look at it, learn it, teach it, and for the sake of civilization, preserve it! The leadership of J. Lorenz leaves nothing to be desired. Her committed staff is a result of that leadership. The growth of BLC is a result of her vision. clapclapclapping for BLC

Our Boy Scout Pack 1100 enjoyed themselves last Saturday. We're thankful that we have an area close by that allows us to learn about conservation as well as being able to give back to the community as well. We'll get the rest of our family out there soon.

The Bayou Land Conservancy or BLC as we refer to it, is committed to the conservation of not just bayous as the name suggests, but our watershed system in the Houston area. With the amount of construction and other earth moving projects that are constantly taking place, it is vital to dedicate space for our delicate eco-system. The BLC serves as the conduit to that end. Providing education to the public and to youth organizations and schools, as well as assisting in the purchase of land to be preserved. I have worked with the board members as well as other key personnel. The passion and dedication is second to none. A great group of people focused on an excellent cause. Thumbs up guys!!

Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and is an amalgamation of cultures, languages, and nationalities. As the 4th largest city we have successfully paved and urbanized most of our natural green spaces in an attempt to accommodate our growing population of 4 million citizens. The Bayou Land Conservancy recognizes this challenge and the need to preserve, restore, and educate people on the importance of this dwindling resource. The BLC provides a concerted effort to maintain at least some remnants of this valuable resource for future generations.

I was expecting the morning to be a constant battle with my 7 year old, but the staff and scenery not only kept him engaged but he actually learned a lot. My son is not the outdoor type but he was truly inspired by the staff and the surroundings. I learned a lot as well, who knew such awesomeness was so close.

Awesome weekend with great advice to native plants and animals. I would love to do it again, and would certainly recommend to others.

When I met Jennifer at another non-profit function and learned what BLC does, it was a "no-brainer"! I had to be involved. Another friend, who was a Board Member at the time, asked if Ii would consider throwing my hat in the ring for a volunteer Board position. I jumped at the chance. Since joining, and from the first Board Orientation meeting, I could feel the excitement and energy of the staff and the other Board Members. I have truly enjoyed the community outreach programs and found myself getting even more excited, as I talked with sheer strangers about the exciting preservation work BLC has done and is continuing to do. I cant say enough about the Cypress Creek Greenway and I love talking (bragging?!) to folks about it. I got first hand experience on Earth Day, with the No Child Left Inside program. And the staff, as well as the other Board Members, are not only incredibly professional and skilled at what they do, they are people I am also proud to call friends. I am a lawyer by training, and a non-profit expert, so it is very gratifying to me that I can contribute some of my professional skills, to help things keep running smoothly. I am proud to be a volunteer supporter and a Board Member and cant wait for the next community campaign or outreach program, to talk to folks about the marvelous work BLC does.

I have been a board member for a couple of years and volunteered several years before that. BLC has consistently worked hard to make the greater Houston area a greener place. Their efforts in the last year helped start the regulatory process for gravel mining along rivers, which had been almost entirely uncontrolled resulting in significant damage to waterways. In addition to our conservation and preservation efforts the conservancy has an active environmental education program that is popular among area schools.

I've been fortunate enough to have been associated with Bayou Land Conservancy almost since their inception and have been on most of their easements. They have a very dedicated staff and Board and their commitment to preserving unique and important ecosystems within the Greater Houston Metro Region is unparalleled. Every time we survey a new easement I leave with a feeling of gratification that this unique property will be protected and with a feeling of gratitude towards BLC for the important work they are doing.

I recently participated in the earth day event Bayou Land Concervancy hosted. It was wonderful to see how young people engaged with nature as well as the grin on some adults faces, who had just used a canoe for the first time in their life. A great organization that anyone would be proud to be asscocaiated with.

Bayou Land Conservancy has a great staff of talented and knowledgable biologists and nature interpreters. They are welcoming and serve a great cause!

BioBlitz was wonderful.. thank you so much for offering such a great event. my kids loved netting the macro-invertebrates and seeing the coral snake. These opportunities really make a difference by helping build and grow our appreciation for nature that we and our future generations need to continue to have.

I became involved in Bayou Land Conservancy when I learned about the wonderful work it does to protect our vital natural resource around or waterways. It is truly a fantastic group that does great work for the public good.

In short, BLC is a fantastic organization. The group not only preserves important watershed land, but then uses that protected land to educate the community. In particularly, BLC brings school children to these preserves and get them outside. It's one thing to protect land and the environment - it's equally as important to educate people why they should care. BLC does them both - and well - and with a superb staff.

I became involved with Bayou Land Conservancy when I learned of their committment to preserving the environment. As a green builder who strives to educate people in being good stewards to the economy becoming part of BLC just made sense. Their track record speaks for itself. The respect they hold in the community is top notch and the organization itself is run by very qualified and talented people. I look forward to a long history with BLC and plan to continue to give of my time and resources to help insure its success.

Through my short two years with Bayou Land Conservancy, I've learned more about Houston's great outdoors and our need for conservation programs than my 35 plus years as a Houstonian. Bayou Land Conservancy's hard work provides benefit to the entire city...that's a population of 4 million strong and growing. I've enjoyed working with Bayou Land Conservancy these past two years and I look forward to many more.

BLC is a wonderful organization with tremendous upside. If you are looking for a way to give back to our community, learn ways to help our earth, and create a better environment for all, consider becoming a member. The group is made up of hard working, dedicated folks with great ideas and a strong commitment to make our community a better place to live.

I am an 8th grade teacher and recently brought about 40 students to the Bayou Land Conservancy. Cynthia Salvaggio, the Environmental Educator, and her volunteers did an outstanding job facilitating outdoor learning for the students. The students learned about invasive species, how to gauge the health of an ecosystem, and the importance of wetland preservation. The experiential learning included a hiking scavenger hunt for native and invasive species and removal of invasive plants. Most memorable for the students was putting on rubber boots, grabbing a net, wading through a pond, and skimming insects and other organisms from the top of the water to explore the type of creatures living in the water. Students learned that various organisms can signal either really clean or toxic water.

In addition to the breadth of experiences provided, I was impressed by Cynthia and her volunteers' professionalism, passion, and dedication to education. I highly recommend visits to other school groups as well as the general public.

I came to Bayou Land Conservancy as an intern for Spring 2011. When I first started, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the organization was responsible for preserving the natural beauty of a beautiful piece of property right in my own neighborhood! It has been truly inspiring to work beside staff that are so passionate about what they do. I have especially enjoyed going out into the field, getting to see for myself the land that will protected by easements for generations to come. As a volunteer, I also had the opportunity to lead at-risk Houston youth on nature walks and in an invasive species removal project. The "No Child Left Inside" education program is a fantastic way to get kids outside and thinking about water conservation and environmental stewardship.

I brought my environmental science class to explore watersheds with the Bayou Land Conservancy. The program called, "No Child Left Inside" was an absolute breath of fresh air quite literally! My students were apprehensive before we left but were ready to go back the very next day in class. They were wading through water and hurrying back to have specimens identified, had a friendly invasive species removal competition, and along the way learned the names of all the trees and shrubs we take for granted.

My class thoroughly enjoyed all activities. They got to actually take time examining what was in front of them without any pressure and thus, truly be able to appreciate it. They learned everything first hand taught in the book about watersheds and invasive species, and they had fun doing it. Even my students that I didn’t expect to respond came out of their shell and surprised me with what they were able to share and contribute, things that I taught them in class, but never heard them express.

I liked the program offered by Bayou Land Conservancy because there was an environmental educator who tailored the day after what we were learning in class and had everything I needed to show my administration this is an educational field trip. They had a pre-test, informative watershed booklet, and post test along with scavenger hunt to show off their knowledge.

The fieldtrip was absolutely wonderful for all involved, students, administration, myself, and the legacy gained some conservation supporters.

If you want to see your children or students shine, I highly recommend taking your students to explore watersheds with Bayou Land Conservancy!

I became a legal intern with BLC in the beginning of 2011. At first, I admit, I was a bit worried about sitting behind a desk all day reviewing contracts with minimal input from the staff.

Thankfully, I was dead wrong. The staff are some of the most fun, knowledgeable, and hardworking people I've ever had the privilege of working with. Instead of a desk job, I found myself out in the field multiple times, actually exploring the land that we were protecting. Of course, soon after, I found myself back reviewing easements, but knowing what the property looked like made it all the more interesting.

After coming in worried that I was going to be stuck protecting myself from paper cuts, I was so pleasantly surprised that I ended up protecting land that I've had physical contact with.

I can't speak highly enough of my time with BLC.

As a long time volunteer and board member I have seen the BLC grow as an effective tool in preserving habitat and act a respected advocate for policy change that improves the environment. The conservancy's No Child Left Inside environmental education effort is a great way to get young people thinking about issues that effect the long term health of our area and it understand our place as stewards of the larger world.

All in all they do an amazing amount of good adn are always looking for ways to expand their efforts.

Bayou Land is a fantastic organization in Texas. They are involved with the important work of managing conservation easements on over 10,000 acres of land for volunteer land owners. They lobby for water quality and wetland preservation throughout the state. And, not in the least, they provide valuable education for the next generation of conscientious consumers and nature enthusiasts.

Bayou Land Conservancy is an amazing and knowledgeable group of people that have a passion for educating young people about the natural resources of the outdoors, and how they can be a resource themselves. The Woods Project brings 30-40 kids on to their lands every fall and spring to do service projects - but these projects are more than service-oriented. BLC provides educational components to connecting the students with the work and activities they are partaking in. We have worked with BLC for many years, and look forward to continue a strong relationship with them.

I had a wonderful experience volunteering with the Bayou Land Conservancy. I helped lead middle school children in an invasive species removal project. The Bayou Land Conservancy is very enthusiastic about getting kids outdoors and learn about the environment and how to conserve it. I had a lot of fun!

The Bayou Land Conservancy (formerly The Legacy Land Trust) is a great organization that has brought together a very diverse set of constituents to preserve and protect land along both sides of Spring Creek.

They bring a passion and creativity to uniting and educating private land owners, local governments, outdoor enthusiast, and school children alike.

One day they may be planting trees and conducting science experiments with high school students, the next they are negotiating conservation easements with private land owners and the next meeting with local officials to protect natural landscapes and open up additional recreational access to the community.

Their passion and dedication has directly resulted in the protection of thousands of acres for generations to come

I came to Bayou Land Conservancy as a legal intern. My main assignment was to compile data that would persuade Texas legislators to implement what the majority of other states had already put into practice--sand and gravel regulation. I did not have prior experience in ecology or biology or their legal aspects as they converged with state and city governments. The organization's executive director and conservation biologist taught me the uniqueness of Houston's ecosystem and the effectiveness of conservation easements for its preservation. I've been fortunate to hear Mayor Annise Parker voice her concern for the natural resources that Bayou Land Conservancy works to protect. I've also been out in the fields during the workday, in the preserves that the organization's easements will protect in perpetuity. Most important, I've met very kind people who are fiercely loyal to their commitment in making Houston better.

Cynthia Salvaggio and her crew at Bayouland Conservancy helped fund my students to their only field trip this year. Bayouland Conservancy taught my students and myself about science topics that brought us into the outdoors. It was wonderful because my students got to experience many things at the conservancy such as view a decomposing deer, digging up nonnative plants, scavenger hunt, and learning about certain types of plants and trees. the experience was awesome and my kids really enjoyed being able to go outside the city limits to see what nature has to offer them!

I started volunteering as an intern at the Bayou Land Conservancy 3 months ago, hoping to learn more about local conservation groups and the work they do in the Houston region. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bayou Land Conservancy is not only actively preserving our diverse ecosystems, but educating students and the general public on the importance of environmental stewardship. During my short time here, I have been able to help with their “No Child Left Inside” outdoor science education program and visit a number of the beautiful tracts that the organization holds. I have had such an awarding experience helping this organization and look forward to supporting their programs in the future, even after my internship has ended.

My Deaf Middle School Science classes had the opportunity to go to the Bayou Land Conservancy fora filed trip recently. We had just begun our unit on Biomes and local habitats. On their return students continued to talk, ask questions, look at their pictures and generally insist I stay on the unit. They were so excited. They felt a part of the environment by helping with the planting. here at school they are now much more engaged in our vegetable garden and ponds. The staff was extremely accomodating to the special needs students we have in our classes. We will be back! Thank you Bayou Land Conservancy.

i took my media academy students to this place (BayouLand Conservancy) and they really enjoyed it. They allowed us to bring our equipment to produce a documentary as well as take photos. They divided us into two teams and students really got into walking into the lake bed taking samples, examining bones and trees. I think the best part was the hiking through the park and exploring the various areas. Great place. it needs more publicity.

I took my students to Little Cypress Creek last November and I was greatly impressed and grateful that we were given opportunity to experience real science for my students.We did pond investigation, animal / plant identification and adaptation as we walked the trail. Each station, there was a volunteer who is like a teacher because of the ways the science lesson was presented. The volunteers engaged the students first by showing the actual specimen, then asking guided questions that made the students excited about learning more .Who would not be excited if you see the real water snake in the pond.I strongly commend Ms. Cynthia Salvaggio for her leadership and expertise to provide a TEKS aligned,high quality, real science life experience for students. Thank you so much and more power to Legacy Land Trust ( now Bayou Land Conservancy)and hope you continue to assist teachers like me provide the best kind of educational experience to our students.

Our environmental not-for-profit has worked with Bayou Land Conservancy in the past and have ad great experiences. We bring high school youth to their preserves/nature areas and they always set us up with great projects. They are always willing to help us set up a project and run some great environmental education as well.

Our experience here Bayou Land Conservancy was very rewarding. Our students were able to complete a lot of hands on activities. I was very express with the pre and post test. Each volunteer were well trained and informed with the knowledge to answer questions that were asked. I liked the idea of breakng into smaller groups. This allowed more one on one as well as peer tutoring. The staff reviewed vocabulary that was used with the unit as well as introduced new ones. I was very expressed how well the ELL students used the vocabulary. Thank you very much for allowing our students to experience this great opprunity.

This is a great organization that is not only doing great things to protect our natural areas, but also to educate the public about these precious habitats.

My experience with the Bayou Land Conservancy (formally known as the Legacy Land Trust) was fantastic. The knowledge staff and hands-on learning experiences helped my students connect science material that we were learning in the classroom, such as food webs and adaptations, to real things in nature. I work in school where 90% of our students are English as Second Language Learners, so this sort of visual and tactile experience was incredibly impactful for them.

The entire trip, from planning to execution, was incredibly well organized and thoughtful. Not only I was impressed, but so were my studetns! Theyreally enjoyed all of the hands on activities, in particular the pond sampling. On the bus ride back to school, students were trying to point out red maple trees that they had seen and learned about during their visit!

I joined Legacy Land Trust three years ago because I am committed to preserving Houston area wetlands so that all of the wildife and vegetation that depend upon them can continue to thrive. Everyone at Legacy Land Trust works diligently to maintain and grow our protected areas so that the we and future generations can enjoy the outdoors free from the blight of urban over-development. The

I worked with other volunteers to provide hiking acess to a Nature Preseve managed by Legacy Land Trust. It was a dedicated group of people promoting the outdoors and a family oriented recreational experience. I also worked the Legacy Land Trust Earth Day education booth, speaking with individuals about conservation and water quality.

I only joined the Legacy Land Trust board a year ago, and I am committed to the organization’s mission of land preservation within the Houston vicinity. Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the U.S.A, and this diversity is echoed in the landscape. Our region’s fauna and flora is influenced by the convergence of costal prairies, wetlands, and piney wood forests that share our space. Recognizing the influence of uncontrolled urban sprawl on our precious resources, LLT provides an opportunity for us to conserve some of these special places for future generations. The “No Child Left Inside” program demonstrates the commitment to environmental education, and provides the tools for future stewards to protect this limited resource. “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul” - John Muir.

This was an eye opener for both the kids and the parents. Most of the parents were not aware that there were land preserves open to the public. For the kids, it learning experience, such as simply walking down a trail and noticing all the plants, trees, insects, etc along the trail. Legacy Land Trust made this possible.

Students learned about water ecology in one of three areas that were emphasised. The other areas were soil and trees.

LLT's primary goals are the preservation of Houston area watersheds and the education of area youth as to why preserving those green spaces is important to the long term health of the larger community. They activity engage in fostering environmental awareness in young people, emphasizing an understanding and respect for the natural world.

I first learned about Legacy Land Trust and became a member in 2005, the same year I become alarmed by the numbers of dead woodland animals on the roads and railroad tracks in my neighborhood, animals killed as they fled heavily wooded tracts being clear-cut for development. It soon became clear-cut to me that the natural lands in my area were disappearing, and I found that Legacy Land Trust's mission of preserving ecologically valuable land by creating conservation easements jelled with my own notions about land use. Currently I serve as secretary on the board of directors. My "Legacy" ensures that over 8,000 acres in the Houston region will remain undeveloped for generations to come. As a natural outgrowth of its mission, Legacy now provides ecological education for children, an invaluable resource for area school districts which are under pressure to increase science education but have been denied the funding to do so. Because I believe in the need and urgency of Legacy Land Trust's missions and am aware that funding is scarce, I gladly donate my time and my money.