Buffalo Bayou Partnership earns award for revitalization effort

Debby Francis, Garden Club member and BBP Board Member, Johnny Steele, Anne Olson, President of Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Verlinde Doubleday.

The Buffalo Bayou Partnerships (BBP) revitalization and conservation efforts were recently recognized with the Garden Club of America’s Zone IX Civic Improvement Commendation.

BBP is dedicated to creating and maintaining sustainable, native plantings and pro-environmental programs in all of its projects. The organization also has reached out to Houstonians to help them make the bayou part of their civic lives.

“You can’t love something until you know it, and when you love it, you will work to save it,” said Verlinde Doubleday, Garden Club Awards committee chair. “The partnership is well on its way to saving Buffalo Bayou for the City of Houston, not only making it a world class destination, but a treasure in its environment.”

It has been 18 months since The Garden Club of Houston has completed its first phase of the Great Small Trees project, with the planting of over 150 various small native trees of 13 different species. Located along Buffalo Bayou, east of Shepherd along Memorial Drive, this five-year Great Small Trees project is in celebration of The Garden Club of America's Centennial in 2013. Phase 2 has just been completed with the planting of 80 trees including red maple, bald cypress, sweet gum and sycamore.

Great Small Trees is made possible with the support of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Houston Parks and Recreation, Trees for Houston, Johnny Steele, McDugald-Steele and The New Nursery and will continue through 2013.