Bayou Land Conservancy Past-Present-Future

The conservancy’s goal is to preserve land along streams for flood control, clean water, and wildlife. M.C. “Carson” Stokes, a Texas Master Naturalist and a Bayou Land Conservancy Ambassador, will talk to the group about the founding of the conservancy, the methods used to acquire and/or set aside these important lands, and the outlook for the future. The Conservancy was formed in 1996 and is the Houston region’s leading conservation easement holder, protecting nearly 12,000 acres of land in the surrounding area. The organization is an offshoot of the Bayou Preservation Association and was formed to better protect our area’s bayous and streams, and the quality of water that flows into them. The conservancy’s main method of accomplishing its mission is the use of conservation easements with private and governmental land owners. An example of what they’ve been able to accomplish, with much help from many volunteers and local government, is the completion of the Spring Creek Greenway running through the Woodlands, as well as much of Montgomery and Harris County. Mr. Stokes will also tell us about a new outreach initiative for adults called the Spring Creek Greenway Ambassador Program. M. C. Stokes is a native Texan and a certified Texas Master Naturalist. He is also a member of the Mercer Society volunteering with the Mercer Arboretum Native Plants Group. Those who attend will also enjoy learning about HARC’s energy and water efficient building, which has been awarded the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Green Building Certification. HARC’s is the first building in The Woodlands or Montgomery County to be designated as such.