Houston Arboretum & Nature Center completes prescribed burn at Arboretum
HOUSTON โ According to the Houston Fire Department, they -- in collaboration with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center -- conducted a prescribed burn at the Arboretum on Thursday. A prescribed burn, according to the Houston Arboretum website, is โa carefully planned and executed intentional fire. Although the Arboretum will reopen Friday, some trails will remain closed until further notice. While the Arboretum will reopen tomorrow, some trails may remain closed. pic.twitter.com/eytiydRsnW โ Houston Arboretum (@HoustonArboretu) March 25, 2021For more information on the benefits of a prescribed fire and what you should expect, visit the Houston Arboretumโs website.
What to know about the pollen season
Anyone who hoped that our February freeze would stop the pollen this spring is having a little wishful thinking! Right now, our overall pollen count is Medium (via Pollen.com), but tree pollen counts are heavy from pine, hackberry and ash:Tree is HeavyMedium pollen counts for us, but tree is heavyOf course, the freeze did stop everything in its tracks for a moment, but the pollen season itself continues to start earlier and last longer because usually we donโt have arctic freezes like this year:Longer growing season means more time for pollen! As we go forward, climate change will account for more carbon dioxide which will increase the growing season (and pollen season) even more. In fact, predictions are that pollen will double by 2085:More Pollen Coming! courtesy Climate CentralA thorough study of this has just been completed by the National Academy of Sciences.
Watch over 120 live goats โworkโ at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center this week
The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center has brought in more than 120 goats to assist with โmowingโ slopes with overgrown vegetation around their two Woodway ponds. The goats from, Rent-A-Ruminant Texas, will focus on 1.5 acres of land around the North and South Woodway ponds this week, now through Saturday. The public is welcome to view the goats โat workโ on any day while theyโre here. The Houston Arboretum welcomes visitors from 7 a.m. to dusk every day. Watch as Lauren Kelly chats with Christine Mansfield from the Houston Arboretum, and Kyle Carr, Rent-A-Ruminant Owner.