Maura Denman

NDC Offers Virtual Experiences during COVID Closure

During our COVID-19 closure, NDC Staff have been making Facebook Live videos of animal encounters, feeding times, walks in the park, and Nature Story Time. Teachers, scout leaders, and parents, we realize that sharing Facebook videos with the kiddos in your world isn’t ideal (not everyone has access to Facebook), so we’ve set up some pages on our website with the videos embedded so that you can more easily use and share these resources.

Animal Encounter and Feeding Time Videos: https://naturediscoverycenter.org/feeding-time-videos/

Virtual Story Time Videos: https://naturediscoverycenter.org/virtual-nature-story-time/

Park Walk Videos: https://naturediscoverycenter.org/park-walk-videos/

Nature Journaling Video: https://www.facebook.com/NatureDiscoveryCenter/videos/2683136501812953

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NDC Temporary Closure Extended

Our temporary closure due to COVID-19 has now been extended to April 10. We will continue to monitor the guidelines of the CDC and WHO and the policies and recommendations of Harris County, the City of Bellaire, and the City of Houston. And we will make further modifications to our closure schedule if and when it becomes necessary.

Center Staff will be contacting program participants and those who had events scheduled during the extended closure window about refunds and any attempts to reschedule programs and events to later dates.

As you may have seen during our recent Facebook Live Feeding Time videos, we are continuing to provide quality care for our resident ambassador animals in the Discovery Rooms and in our outdoor Critter Classroom. We are currently working on plans for their future care at our own homes should there be a stay home order from city officials. If this were to happen, we would continue to provide updates on our animals via Facebook and Instagram during their “vacations” away from the Center.

Take care, and please enjoy some time in nature while social distancing (if it is possible) until we see you again!

~ NDC Staff

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NDC Temporarily CLOSED

Hello Friends and Neighbors,

As a public health precaution to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Nature Discovery Center is temporarily closing, effective March 17 until further notice. The health and safety of our staff, volunteers, visitors, and their loved ones is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding as we do our part to keep our community safe.

We will continue to monitor the recommendations of the CDC, WHO, City of Bellaire and the City of Houston. The exact length of our closure will be determined as we learn more from these organizations and government entities in the days and weeks ahead. Please keep an eye on our social media accounts while we’re closed for further updates. Russ Pitman Park remains open, and we encourage you to enjoy time outdoors during this stressful time.

The Nature Discovery Center building is now closed, and all programs and events through March 31 have been cancelled, suspended, or postponed. If you registered for a program, or booked a program with the Center during this closure period, we will reach out to you separately if you haven’t already heard from us. For more information email mail@naturediscoverycenter.org or call 713-667-6550. Note that we will continue to update our cancellations and postponements as this public health crisis continues and the length of our closure is more certain.

During the closure, our animals will remain under the continued care of our Animal Care Coordinator and other trained staff. With our position on the Texas Gulf Coast, we have weathered many emergency closures with animal care contingencies in place, and we are ready to provide our animals with quality care throughout the anticipated closure period. Though this virus is believed to have originated in a non-human animal host, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not received any reports of wildlife or animals in human care becoming sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus.

Please stay healthy, spend some quality time in nature, and we’ll see you again soon!

~ NDC Staff

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NEW Covid 19 Update 3/13

After we released our Covid19 Update for the Nature Discovery Center last night, we became aware that HISD was cancelling their Spring Break Camp programs next week and suspending classes through March 30.

The WHO and CDC have indicated that community-wide measures to increase social distancing will be a key element in the fight against the spread of this pandemic and in the protection of our healthcare systems. Closing schools and cancelling programs and events where people are gathered in close proximity is now a priority.

Out of an abundance of caution, and in keeping with our policy of following HISD closure schedules in times of emergency, we have decided to cancel the Spring Break Camps we had scheduled for March 16 – 20. Center staff will be contacting program participants regarding refunds today.

The Center itself will remain open to the public during our normal operating hours of 12 to 5:30 Monday – Friday and 10 – 5:30 on Saturday and Sunday.

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From our earlier statement:

For visitors’ health and safety, we have increased the frequency with which we disinfect surfaces throughout the building. Please assist us in this endeavor with thorough hand washing. Hand Soap and Hand Sanitizer are readily available.

In addition, we respectfully request that visitors be courteous to other guests and delay their visit to the Center and participation in Center programs if they or their children are experiencing possible illness, or if they have recently traveled overseas.

Thanks to all of you for helping us keep the Center clean and safe for all visitors.

We encourage you to enjoy the great outdoors during this time, as nature is always good for our health!

Be well! And, we look forward to seeing you soon!

~ NDC Staff

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Covid-19 Update from the Center

The Nature Discovery Center staff recognize the importance of our community’s health and safety.

During this time, we are following recommendations by the CDC and WHO. Our Center also follows the schedule and recommendations of HISD and the City of Bellaire. We are currently following the HISD recommendation of cancelling large gatherings only. We are still holding our regularly scheduled programs, and the center is still open to the public at this time. We will update our site and social media with any changes as the local public health strategy evolves.

If you would like to cancel your participation in any of our programs, we are happy to reschedule or offer you a full refund during this time. Please email us at mail@naturediscoverycenter.org to let us know of your cancellation in writing.

For visitors’ health and safety, we have increased the frequency with which we disinfect surfaces throughout the building. Please assist us in this endeavor with thorough hand washing. Hand Soap and Hand Sanitizer are readily available.

In addition, we respectfully request that visitors be courteous to other guests and delay their visit to the Center and participation in Center programs if they or their children are experiencing possible illness, or if they have recently traveled overseas.

Thanks to all of you for helping us keep the Center clean and safe for all visitors.

We encourage you to enjoy the great outdoors during this time, as nature is always good for our health!

Be well! And, we look forward to seeing you soon!

~ NDC Staff

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New NDC Programs Featured in Chon.com Piece

Our new, monthly Mess Makers classes for kids ages 3 to 7 and our monthly Interactive Nature Table program were featured in this morning’s Houston Chonicle. Check out the article by Chron.com Correspondent Allison Bagley here and learn more about these programs by following these links:

Mess Makers – 1st Mondays from 10:30 – 11:45 am

Interactive Nature Table – 2nd Sundays from 1 – 3 pm

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NDC Partners with Discovery Green for Special Programs during Paloma Installation

The Nature Discovery Center is partnering with Discovery Green to offer urban birding opportunities, wildlife encounters, crafts and activities, and a mindfulness experience during Paloma, a temporary art installation of glowing origami birds at Discovery Green. To learn more about the special programming being offered during the art installation, click here.

Urban Bird Walks

Walk with an expert to discover the real wildlife of downtown Houston! These free workshops will begin and end at Discovery Green. Wear your walking shoes and meet at the Lakehouse Café in the park.

Saturday, December 14, 4 – 5 pm

Friday, February 14, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Lovebirds for Valentine’s Day!

Mindfulness in Nature

Saturday, January 11, 11 am – 1 pm

Led by Bethany Foshee of Nature Discovery Center & Heather Sullivan of Mindfulgreen. Join us for a talk about the benefits of mindfulness and nature, followed by three guided meditations on sound, breath, and sensation. Then we’ll lead a mini nature journaling workshop – exploring how art, poetry, and observations help us to find a renewed sense of calm and appreciation for our surroundings. Materials provided or you’re welcome to bring your own journal or sketch book!

For the Birds!

Saturday, February 1, 11 am – 3 pm

Nature Discovery Center and Discovery Green partner to present bird crafts, birding 101 station, hands-on homing pigeon encounter, Wild Birds Unlimited, and an astonishing demonstration by Birds of Prey.

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Pursue your Passion with a Year End Gift



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As you head into the New Year, pursue your passion with us!

Pick one…

Nature Play  •  Mindfulness  •  Gardening  •  Nature Art  •  Science and Nature Classes  •  Birding  •  Camping  •  Nature Hikes •  Volunteer Service


These meaningful pursuits would not be possible without the support of our local community and donors like you! With your generous donation, you will help others pursue a passion for nature that will influence our city for years to come.

Wishing you health, happiness, and nature pursuits in 2020!

Sincerely,

Bethany Foshée
Executive Director

Does your company match donations?  If so, please email us at  mail@naturediscoverycenter.org so we can help facilitate the match.

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Or Pay via PayPal





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Fall Changes to take NDC Discovery Rooms Back to their Roots

Over the next month or so, staff at the Nature Discovery Center will be making mission driven changes to our Discovery Rooms that will take the rooms back to the Center’s roots as a place of exploration and discovery. Visitors will notice a shift in focus from indoor nature play to hands-on learning at activity and observation stations designed to ignite curiosity, understanding, and respect for nature. While we still want to encourage nature based imaginative exploration upstairs, we want to move away from indoor play for play’s sake and hopefully discourage the misuse of specimens and Discovery Room tools that have too often been incorporated into the play-based experience our visitors have had in recent years.

We are excited by these changes, and we can’t wait to see our visitors make new discoveries as they interact with natural objects, explore with kid friendly tools of the trade, “research” areas of interest in resource books, create simple nature crafts, and engage with volunteers and naturalists at themed demo and activity tables. We know there will be a period of adjustment as our visitors acclimate to our new Discovery Room philosophy, but we also know that the changes will be rewarding and worth it! Connecting kids with nature and igniting their curiosity through hands-on discovery is our passion!

What can you expect:

  • removal of the Backyard Habitat house and most of the toys that have been upstairs
  • a focused area for imaginative interactions with a smaller selection of puppets and stuffed animals
  • a general local wildlife theme in the large discovery room with activity and observation stations
  • a more focused bones, skulls, and skeletons theme in the small discovery room
  • an interactive naturalist table staffed by volunteers on weekends at posted times with themed activities and/or hands-on animal encounters
  • more accessible tools of the trade so that kids can explore specimens with hand lenses, rulers, microscopes, and balances, and observe wildlife through the windows with binoculars
  • a “Stars of the Park” exhibit space where kids can bring in and display small curiosities and interesting objects they have discovered while exploring the park
  • increased respect for our specimens and tools by staff and visitors alike
  • an expectation that our visitors will help us keep the rooms clean by helping their children learn to put things back where they belong
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We’re Partnering with Houston Audubon and others for Bird Week

We’re excited to be an official partner with the Houston Audubon in the first-ever Houston Bird Week, in honor of their 50th anniversary. Equal parts fun, education, and celebration, experience firsthand the important role Houston plays in the journey of billions of migratory birds, and the everyday life of our urban-dwelling birds. Led by Houston Audubon’s Young Professionals Advisory Council in collaboration with local conservation partners, we have a flock of fun planned for all.

Don’t miss the kick-off party, where an official Bird Beer will be unveiled! From pop-up birding stations to park clean-ups and bioblitzes, your participation and excitement will help us continue to be a welcoming home for Houston’s birds.

We hope you can join us at our birding activities already planned for September 21 – 28.

Let’s get chirping on social media. Use #HoustonBirdWeek to share your excitement! Check out the jam-packed list of events at www.houstonaudubon.org/birdweek

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