Pledge Status
Complete
Pledge Date
Friday, January 22, 2021
Program Year
2021
Achievement
2021
Links and Uploads
View Links and UploadsAction Item Report
Community Spotlight
Lake Houston Wilderness Park Nature Preserve
The City of Houston passed a Nature Preserve Ordinance in 2022, protecting over 7,400 acres of land within 26 parks.
Learn More
City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative
The City of Houston is restoring linear forested habitat in all parks adjacent to waterways, which will result in the enhancement or creation of riparian forest in 70 parks across the city.
Prairie Restoration
Much of Houston was historically coastal prairie habitat. The City of Houston manages over 160 acres of restored prairie habitat within 6 parks.
Prescribed Fire
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the Houston Fire Department work together to manage prairie and forested habitat through prescribed fire.
Native Plant Production
The City of Houston hand collects seed from remnant and restored prairies around Houston and propagates around 10,000 one-gallon pots annually for prairie restoration projects.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
A concrete swale was converted into a 236 ft by 8 ft bioswale in a City of Houston park to improve water quality and support native pollinators.
Action Items Committed for 2021
- Facilitate or support a milkweed seed collection and propagation effort.
- Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent or culturally significant community location.
- Earn or maintain recognition for being a wildlife-friendly city by participating in other wildlife and habitat conservation efforts (i.e., National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program).
- Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.
- Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
- Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.
Past Pledge Archive
| Mayor Name | Program Year | Pledge Date | Achievement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor John Whitmire | 2026 | 4/7/2026 | View Pledge | |
| Mayor John Whitmire | 2025 | 3/24/2025 | Leadership Circle | View Pledge |
| Mayor Sylvester Turner | 2023 | 3/23/2023 | Leadership Circle | View Pledge |
| Mayor Sylvester Turner | 2022 | 2/3/2022 | Leadership Circle | View Pledge |
| Mayor Sylvester Turner | 2021 | 1/22/2021 | Signatories | View Pledge |
