Partner Organizations
The Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) and Exploration Green Conservancy (EGC) have numerous instrumental partners that helped this project achieve success. Developing strong partnerships with individuals and organizations of all sizes and locales are essential in making the project work
Advisory Partner Organizations
The Exploration Green Conservancy along with Clear Lake City Water Authority formed an expert team of award-winning partners to create Exploration Green. This team includes the Galveston Bay Foundation, SWA Architecture Group, Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc. These organizations primarily contributed their knowledge and expertise to the creation of a state of the art, multi-use asset for the Clear Lake Area.
Click the partner organization’s logo to go to its website.
The Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) was created in May of 1963, to provide, operate and maintain waterworks systems, sanitary sewer systems, storm sewer systems and drainage facilities to serve the land, home owners and residents of the Clear Lake area.
Role: Part of the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) mission is to:
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Preventing increased rainwater runoff due to new development and;
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Reducing current flooding where possible through effective and proven methods such as detention.
The CLCWA and its engineering consulting firm Lockwood, Andrews, and Newnam, Inc., translated the conceptual SWA Architects master plan for Exploration Green into engineering designs.
The CLCWA acquires the appropriate permits and contracts the excavation of the stormwater detention lakes. The CLCWA constructs the basic infrastructure of Exploration Green, including construction of reuse water mains that the Exploration Green Conservancy will tap into for tree irrigation, and providing the reuse water.
The Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) preserves, protects, and enhances Galveston Bay, one of the world's most productive estuaries since 1987. As a nonprofit organization, they strive to ensure that Galveston Bay and the waters that run into it, remain beautiful and productive for generations to come.
Role: The Galveston Bay Foundation holds the conservation easement for Exploration Green. This document ensures Exploration Green is protected from development forever. The Galveston Bay Foundation conducts periodic audits and inspections to ensure the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) and Exploration Green Conservancy (EGC) conform to the terms and conditions of the easement.
GBF has provided invaluable “start-up” guidance to the Exploration Green Conservancy (EGC). GBF has provided guidance for potential grants and advice of how to apply for grants, has provided volunteers and even basic tools until the EGC could acquire tools and build its own volunteer base. GBF has serve as a “sounding-board” for many other activities and actively participates in many EGC activities as an advisor, exhibitor, or partner.
Trees for Houston's mission is to plant, promote, and protect trees all over the greater Houston area. The organization has worked to plant trees that shade neighborhoods, clean air, beautify streets, and slow runoff.
Role: Trees for Houston has committed to providing 1,000 native trees for each of the five phases of Exploration Green, 5,000 trees total. These replace and increase the number of trees on Exploration Green following stormwater detention lake excavation. Trees for Houston has provided additional supplies. Trees for Houston has also loaned their personnel and mechanical auger to dig holes in advance of tree planting events. As a result, EGC volunteers can stage and plant trees much more quickly than if each hole had to be dug by hand. Most importantly, Trees for Houston has provided expertise on how to care for, “up-pot” trees (move for larger pots in the nursery as they grow), and provided tree planting training to new volunteers at tree planting events. As a result of sharing this expertise, along with EGC volunteers’ commitment to care, Exploration Green trees’ survival rate far exceeds the 90% survival rate Trees for Houston considers good.
SWA Landscape Architecture involves the design of landscapes at a variety of scales - from large, multi-functional sites to small, intimate spaces. Innovative research into materials, lifestyles, and landscape technologies coupled with a deep understanding of how people use outdoor spaces informs their unique design process.
Role: SWA Architectural group developed the conceptual master plan for Exploration Green. The plan laid out the location of the stormwater detention lakes including habitat islands, the approximate location of the hike and bike trails, the “cutaways” showing how the land slopes for to the trail level and then slopes down to the stormwater lakes. The master plan included artists renditions of Exploration Green when completed, since there have been few projects to use for comparison. This master plan provided the CLCWA and the subcommittees a broad sense of the project goal.
Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is a full-service consulting firm offering planning, engineering, and program management services.
Role: Lockwood, Andrews, and Newnam, Inc. (LAN) serves as the CLCWA’s engineering contractor. LAN engineers translate the SWA conceptual master plan to engineering drawings to provide to the CLCWA and excavation contractors working on Exploration Green. The CLCWA has posted these detailed map drawings as PDFs on their website here.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is a unique education agency with a statewide network of professional educators, trained volunteers, and county offices. It reaches into every Texas county to address local priority needs.
Role: Sponsors Community Watershed Partners / Community Watershed Partners - Provides wetland plants and expertise
The Texas Community Watershed Partners (TCWP) provides knowledge and tools to local governments and citizens about the impacts of land use on watershed health and water quality Texas. TCWP is a program of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Role: Texas A&M Community Watershed Partners constructed an on-site wetland plant nursery on Exploration Green Phase 5 under a grant from Texas A&M Sea Grant Extension. Wetland plant volunteers under the direction of Community Watershed Partners staff propagate native wetland plants in the nursery. This provides a steady supply of wetland plants for the Exploration Green stormwater detention lakes excavation. Community Watershed Partners staff coordinate the planting events and have set up water testing on Phase 1 to monitor the effectiveness of the Exploration Green stormwater wetland at removing contaminants as they flow through the lakes.
The Texas Master Naturalist Program’s mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.
Role: The Gulf Coast Chapter and Galveston Bay Area Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists have provided Exploration Green with volunteers, advice, and especially leadership. Several Texas Master Naturalists serve on the Exploration Green Conservancy Advisory Board, and one serves as Exploration Green’s Land Steward. Texas Master Naturalists monitor the Exploration Green habitat, alerting the Board of Directors about issues such as emergence of invasive species. They also serve as team leads both in the tree nursery and at tree planting events.
Texas Parks and Wildlife’s mission is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Role: Major funding; advises on wildlife and plant matters
Texan by Nature (TxN) was founded in 2011 by Former First Lady Laura Bush. Their mission is to unite conservation and business leaders who believe Texas’ prosperity is dependent on the conservation of its natural resources.
Role: Recognized Exploration Green as a 2020 Conservation Wrangler. The Conservation Wrangler program highlights the very best Texan-led conservation projects that demonstrate a positive Return on Conservation for people, prosperity, and natural resources. Texan by Nature supports six select innovative and transformative projects in the field of conservation every year for 12-18 months with tailored aid, resources, and visibility.
Funding Partner Organizations
The Clear Lake City Water Authority could fund excavation of the stormwater detention lakes, since stormwater management is within the scope of its mission. It could not fund hike and bike trails, irrigation systems, or park-like amenities. The Exploration Green Conservancy sought grants provided by the funding partner organizations below. The initial grants are enabling the Exploration Green Conservancy to build its own sustainable fundraising to maintain Exploration Green into the future.
Click the partner organization’s logo to go to its website.
Texas Parks & Wildlife has been the primary provider of grants for Exploration Green hike and bike trails, and tree irrigation systems to ensure young trees survive until they become established.
Texas Parks & Wildlife staff have also provided knowledge and expertise on wildlife and plant matters.
City of Houston, District E has provided significant funding for Exploration Green hike and bike trails.
Houston Parks Department staff have provided knowledge and expertise for park creation.
Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner’s Office has provided significant funding for Exploration Green hike and bike trails.
Harris County Precinct 2 staff have provided knowledge and expertise for park creation.
The Texas Coastal Management Program (CMP), through its partner organizations listed below, has provided significant funding for Exploration Green’s hike and bike trails.
The Texas General Land Office (GLO), through its participation in the Texas Coastal Management Program, has provided funding for Exploration Green’s hike and bike trails.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through its participation in the Texas Coastal Management Program, has provided funding for Exploration Green’s hike and bike trails.
The Galveston Bay Estuary Program, through its participation in the Texas Coastal Management Program, has provided funding for Exploration Green’s hike and bike trails.
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Prioritizing the Planet
We envision healthy lands, waters, native plants and animals supported with vibrant, thriving ecosystems throughout our beautiful state.
We believe great things happen when organizations and funders work together for the highest good.
We are a donor-advised fund comprised of a fund director, advisory committee, and fund administrator. Established in 2017 by G.P. “Buzz” Avery, in partnership with the Austin Community Foundation, we support nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is preserving natural habitats, especially those that are critically threatened.
Environmental Stewardship
Since our founding, the company has had a legacy of supporting land conservation in the U.S. Our environmental stewardship initiatives focus on large-scale wildlife and habitat conservation through partnerships with organizations such as the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. We also focus on enhancing public green spaces, reforestation and environmental education, with such initiatives as our award-winning Apache Corporation Tree Grant Program.
Local Business Sponsors
Exploration Green often turns to local businesses to sponsor events. This can take the form of donating their goods or services, providing goods or services at cost, or making a financial donation to help make the event a success.
The Exploration Green Conservancy asks that is you are in the market for these types of goods or services, you show our local business sponsors some love.
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Please click on the local business name or logo to go to its website or Facebook page.
