Houston Parks Riparian Restoration Project
Kelli Ondracek1
1Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Houston, Texas, USA; Kelli.ondracek@houstontx.gov
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s Natural Resources Management Program is targeting all parks adjacent to bayous and tributaries for the restoration of forested riparian buffers. Historically, much of the Houston area was coastal prairie habitat with forested riparian habitat lining the bayous. Many of the riparian buffers have been removed or degraded due to development or stream channelization. This project will help the department reach a broader goal of increasing green infrastructure within parks for the purpose of mitigating flooding, improving water quality, reducing erosion, creating wildlife habitat, and establishing areas for passive recreation. Two ongoing riparian pilot projects within the park system at Milby Park and White Oak Parkway are guiding best management practices for this larger initiative. A total of 70 parks have been identified as having an area adjacent to a bayou or tributary where a riparian buffer could be enhanced or created. This could ultimately result in the restoration of over 1,000 acres of habitat in city parks, with an installation of around 200,000 native trees.