Buffalo Bend Nature Park Complete
Public grand opening of 10-acre waterfront park
along Buffalo Bayou’s scheduled for Feb. 10

Media Contacts:
Amery Reid, Harris County Precinct 2
amery.reid@pct2.hctx.net, 713-274-2356

Trudi Smith, Buffalo Bayou Partnership
tsmith@buffalobayou.org, 713-752-0314 x 103

WHAT:

Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) and Commissioner Jack Morman of Harris County Precinct Two invite the public to celebrate the completion and opening of Buffalo Bend Nature Park, a scenic 10-acre greenspace parcel of land located on S/Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive in Houston’s East End, near the Port of Houston turning basin.

 Phase II enhancements include hike and bike trails, a bayou overlook shelter, interpretive signage, and amenities such as benches and trash receptacles.  Other park features include three wetland ponds in which 10,000 wetland plants have been planted, rock walls, and a cistern.

With a $500,000 Texas Parks & Wildlife grant and matching funds raised by BBP and Harris County Precinct 2, the non-profit organization and the County were able to proceed with both phases of design and construction.

SWA Group was responsible for landscape architecture, while CORE Design Studio and Interpretive Insights developed the interpretive signage. Trees For Houston donated numerous trees as a beautiful finish to the park.

WHERE:
Buffalo Bend Nature Park
2300 S/Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive
Houston, Texas  77011

WHEN:
Wednesday, February 10^th from 10:30 a.m. – noon

Media/Photo Opportunities include:

• Ribbon Cutting
• 5^th – 8^th Grade student attendance from Ripley House Charter School and Promise Community Schools
• Educational stations include wildflower seed ball making, learning the importance of native plants and chatting with bat experts
• Speakers:
  • Collin Cox, Buffalo Bayou Partnership Board Chair
  • Commissioner Jack Morman, Harris County Precinct Two
  • Dana Lagarde, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
  • Sonny Flores, Buffalo Bayou Partnership Chair Emeritus

PARKING:
Media parking located at Buffalo Bend Nature Park. For media parking reservations, please contact Trudi Smith at tsmith@buffalobayou.org or 713.752.0314 ext. 103.

Brief history of Bayou Bend Nature Park:

In 2004, a coalition of non-profit and governmental agencies (Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Trust for Public Land, Harris County Precinct Two, Harris County Flood Control District and the National Oceanic Administration’s Coastal Estuarine Land Conservation Program) came together to acquire and transform an abandoned industrial property in Houston’s East End into a natural greenspace now known as Buffalo Bend Nature Park. Once the property was acquired, the park was transferred to Harris County Precinct Two.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership completed Phase I park improvements in 2010 which included the addition of three storm water filtration ponds, rock walls, cistern and approximately 10,000 wetland plants and trees. Phase I was made possible with a Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program grant and additional private funding and in-kind services.

About Buffalo Bayou Partnership

Created in 1986, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. For more information, visit www.buffalobayou.org.