By Kassandra Robles, Art Teacher, Elsik High School This spring, our students from Alief ISD’s Elsik High School had the incredible opportunity to visit Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary with Houston Audubon, a first for us, and hopefully the beginning of something that continues to grow. As an art teacher in one of Houston’s most diverse […]
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By Pete Deichmann, Land Conservation Director, Houston Audubon It was April 9, 2020. COVID-19 had swept across the country, forcing federal, state, and local governments to issue quarantine restrictions. Non-essential businesses shuttered their doors, Houston Audubon staff adopted a “work from home” schedule, and for the first spring since the initial High Island acquisition of […]
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Wyatt Egelhoff, Sanctuary Manager and Victoria Parker-Thacker, Seasonal Coastal Avian Technician, Houston Audubon Shortly before the woods fill with migrating songbirds, Houston Audubon staff spring into action, readying the beaches of the Bolivar Peninsula for the arrival of our beach-nesting birds in mid-March. For over a decade, Houston Audubon has monitored and stewarded several key […]
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Marie Olavere grew up in the Philippines and in Houston. She earned her BA in History from the University of Virginia (wahoowa!) and is pursuing an MBA from Rice University. Marie has worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA, Development Associate, Sponsored Programs Associate, and Director of Development for organizations including the Montrose Center, Rice University, Baylor […]
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Victoria Parker Thacker is Houston Audubon’s newest seasonal Coastal Shorebird Technician, focusing on the beach-nesting birds initiative. Victoria is a recent graduate of Sam Houston State University (Go Bearkats!), where she earned a B.S. in Animal Science and a minor in Wildlife Management. She also holds an associate’s degree from Alvin Community College, which helped […]
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By Caroline Nixson, Houston Audubon Volunteer Coordinator At Houston Audubon, our volunteers are the heart of everything we do — from native plant propagation to bird surveys, from sanctuary maintenance to educational outreach. To our Natives Nursery team: thank you for helping us grow — literally and figuratively. With every seed you sow and every […]
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Christine “Chris” Smith is originally from Napa in Northern California. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Wildlife from Humboldt State University. She is fortunate to have lived and worked in some of the most beautiful and diverse places in the US, most notably: northern Michigan, on the Big Island of Hawai’i, and the […]
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Casey Smith is our Community Liaison for the Bolivar Peninsula Nature Trail. Casey has spent the last several years living in Port Bolivar, but the peninsula has held a special place in her heart for her entire life. She lived most of her life in Beaumont but has always been grateful to have the beach […]
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Carolyn Klein started at Houston Audubon in Spring 2024 as our Natives Nursery Team Lead. She recently retired from 24 years of teaching high school environmental science courses and was excited to join the Houston Audubon flock. Carolyn grew up as a military kid and got to live in many parts of the US as […]
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As we kick off 2025, we’re excited to start the new year under the helm of our new President & CEO, Jed Aplaca. Jed has dedicated his career to the preservation and stewardship of natural resources, driven by a lifelong passion for the environment. Raised in Hawaii, Jed spent his formative years immersed in the […]
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