UHCL Environmental Institute of Houston

🌟 Join our team! 🌊

We're seeking a Field Botanist and Wetland Ecology Field Technician/Intern for the National Wetland Condition Assessment. If you're enthusiastic about working outdoors and ready for a new adventure, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!

Deadline is coming up. To view these seasonal opportunities, visit: bit.ly/eihjobs

Spring is almost here—and so is our plant sale! 🌿

Browse a wide selection of native plants (70 species!) and check out our catalog ahead of time to build your wish list.

Date: March 21, 2026
Time: 8-10 am
Catalog: bit.ly/2026springplantsale

We’ll also have:
• Colorful yard signs
• Handmade soaps
• Pottery by the UHCL Ceramics Society

🌱 Ask an expert while you shop
🎁 Giveaway for the first 50 customers at checkout (giveaway plants are separate from sale plants)

Plants may be purchased with cash or credit card, though some other items may be cash only. Cash helps maximize support for our programs.

Look for the green signs around campus to find the sale!

Location:
Environmental Institute of Houston
University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd. (Parking Lot D4)
Houston, TX 77058

Map & Directions: https://www.uhcl.edu/maps/

Our January trip to Galveston had one BIG goal… and we did it! 🙌 We were hoping to spot sandhill cranes, and we were thrilled to see them—such an unforgettable moment for the group!

Along the way, we also enjoyed amazing birds like the white-tailed kite, an osprey, the northern harrier, and the ever-entertaining brown pelican. In total, we identified 21 birds!

We’re excited to get back out there—join us for our February outing:

📅 Saturday, February 21
📍 Exploration Green, Phase 1
🕘 9–10:30 a.m.
🔗 bit.ly/youthbirdingclub

All skill levels welcome—bring binoculars if you have them and come explore with us!

🐬 Summer Research Assistant Opportunities – Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program

The Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program is seeking two temporary Research Assistants for the upcoming summer field season in Galveston Bay, Texas. Research Assistants will assist with the collection, entry, and analysis of bottlenose dolphin population data through a combination of fieldwork and office-based tasks. Prior marine mammal field research and photo-ID experience are required for both positions. One position, offered through the Environmental Institute of Houston, requires substantial experience in small boat handling and photo-ID surveys. The second position, offered through the Galveston Bay Foundation, requires photo-ID experience, as well as an interest in and skills related to citizen science.

Additional details are available at https://galvestonbaydolphin.org/summer-2026-opportunities/. Applications are due Sunday, March 1, 2026. Applicants must be United States citizens or permanent residents. Learn more about the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program at galvestonbaydolphin.org.

Tonight! Join us in person or online as Beverly Hill Blondell explores native landscaping, sharing her path into sustainable design, lessons learned, and practical guidance for creating landscapes that support wildlife and last!

February 9 | 6:45 pm
UHCL Bayou Building, Forest Room (1430)

Meeting Details: https://www.npsot.org/posts/chapter-meeting-native-landscape-design-in-practice/

Tonight! Join us in person or online for a discussion with Diane Wetherbee as she tackles a question many of us hear frequently: How can we encourage the use of native plants in our community while keeping HOAs happy?

Jamuary 12 | 6:45 pm
UHCL Bayou Building, Forest Room (1430)

Meeting Details: https://www.npsot.org/posts/chapter-meeting-encouraging-native-plantings-in-hoa-landscapes/

Last April, our Roughwings team in the Great Texas Birding Classic was filmed by Texas Parks & Wildlife for their PBS program — and the episode airs this week!

📺 Houston KUHT-TV (Channel 8.1) Showtimes
🗓️ January 11–17

Saturday – 3:00 PM
Monday – 11:00 PM
Wednesday – 4:30 AM

The episode follows the TOS Happy Hawks as they explore everything from Houston’s urban parks to the coastal habitats of Galveston. 🐦

▶️ Watch the full episode: Texas Parks & Wildlife Episode 15, Season 41 (Program 3415)

More info & statewide air times: https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/tv/tvwhere.phtml

Tune in and cheer on these incredible young conservationists! 🌿🦉

https://youtu.be/nT7Odf7VosA?si=QBF_Fv5Yw7ogOLl8

Birding Classic The Happy Hawks, a team of birders ages 7 to 13, compete in the Great Texas Birding Classic along the Texas coast. From Houston’s urban parks to the coastal ...

This spring, EIH partnered with the Houston-Galveston Area Council to deliver a Surface Water Quality Monitoring course that combined classroom learning with hands-on field instruction.

Participants learned TCEQ monitoring protocols, practiced field sampling techniques, and gained a better understanding of how water quality data are collected. The course provided a valuable opportunity to connect theory with real-world application in the field.

In October, EIH partnered once again with the University of Houston–Downtown for our fourth annual terrapin research field day. Students from Dr. Michael Tobin’s Environmental Lab and Field Studies course joined EIH staff and students for a lecture and a day in the field.

Participants gained a firsthand look at what a day in the life of a field researcher can involve, while learning about species conservation and habitat ecology. Students also assisted with data collection for EIH’s long-term monitoring program of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin littoralis).

This spring, EIH hosted several Becoming an Outdoors Girl events on and off campus—creating welcoming spaces for junior high and high school girls to explore the outdoors, build confidence, and learn new skills.

Through hands-on activities, participants learned about wildlife, practiced outdoor skills, and connected with nature through journaling. These opportunities were made possible with funding from a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department CO-OP grant, allowing participants to take part at no cost.

Through conferences and professional gatherings, EIH shared research findings and environmental education programs beyond campus this year. In August, Noah Santee and Kylie Perkins presented their research at the American Fisheries Society meeting in San Antonio. Chelsey Hill attended with support from an EIH Travel Scholarship. In October, at the Texas Association for Environmental Education conference, Wendy Reistle and Rowena McDermid presented and led a mini Envirothon demonstration, with student participation from Keilah Trevino, Brenda Galvan Rodriguez, Jordyn Boutwell, and Andrea Rodriguez.