The Bayou Preservation Association presents its 18th Annual Symposium Wednesday, Oct. 6 and Thursday, Oct. 7 as a virtual event with the theme Green, in a Word, Is Good. The Symposium, from 8 a.m. – noon over two days, will focus on green infrastructure as our path to a sustainable and resilient future.

During the Symposium, attendees will hear from local agencies and experts about how implementing nature’s best practices enhances our quality of life and the region’s economic future by giving us better water quality, improved protection from extreme storm events, and enhanced outdoor recreational opportunities.

For this year’s conference, City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Tuner is scheduled to kick off the Symposium on October 6, while Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey will do the honors on October 7. The Bayou Preservation Association has invited presenters from Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP, Ashlar Development, Association of Water Board Directors, BGE, Inc., BioHabitats, City of Ann Arbor, Mich., City of League City, City of Houston, EHRA Engineering, Harris County Engineering, Harris County Flood Control District, Harris-Galveston Area Council, Houston Parks Board, the Kinder Institute of Urban Research, Small Places/Finca Tres Robles, and Waller County.

“As in 2020, our event is virtual, and we are confident it will be a huge success like last year’s,” says Paul Nelson, Board Chair of Bayou Preservation Association. “Resiliency and sustainability are hot topics in Houston and throughout the country as we all try to figure out how to “do” green infrastructure.”

Nelson noted that the Symposium will explore regional growth and the role of green infrastructure in that growth, along with a special presentation from the City of Ann Arbor, Mich. representatives regarding stormwater vulnerability experiences in the Great Lakes region. “We expect for all the presentations to be compelling, with broad appeal to professionals and to community members. We will also introduce our new President and CEO, Brittani Flowers.”

The line-up of topics and speakers for Green, in a Word, Is Good includes:

Wednesday, Oct. 6

Special welcome from the City of Houston’s Mayor’s Office

“Area Growth – How Much and Where” – Pramod Sambidi, Houston-Galveston Area Council

“Demographics of the Growth” – Luis Guijardo, Kinder Institute

“Houston Community Plan” – Auggie Campbell, Executive Director, AWBD and David Lowe, BGE

“Harris County Sustainability & Resiliency Practices” – Nick Russo, III, Director, Environmental & Sustainability Issues, Harris County Engineering Department

“HCFCD Practices & Policies” – Alan Black, Interim Director of Harris County Flood Control District

“City of Houston Practices & Policies” – Carol Haddock, Director of Public Works and Laura Patiño, Interim Chief Resilience Officer City of Houston

“Bayou Greenways Initiative – Benefits Realized” – Tom Bacon, Chairman Emeritus, Houston Parks Board

Thursday, Oct. 7

Special welcome from Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey

“Stormwater Vulnerability Experiences from Great Lakes Cities” – Matt Naud and Jennifer Lawson, City of Ann Arbor, Mich.

“County Guidelines to Encourage Green Infrastructure” – Yancy Scott, County Engineer, Waller County

“The MUDs’ Role in Resiliency and Sustainability” – Jessica Holoubek, Allen Boone Humphries Robinson, LLP

“Turning an Engineering Constraint into an Aesthetic Opportunity” – Mike Miller, VP, Ashlar Development

“Working with Developers on Low Impact Development” –City of League City

“Understanding Agriculture’s Place in the Urban Mind” – Tommy Garcia-Prats, Co-founder and General Manager, Finca Tres Robles and Small Places

“Urban Ecology Frameworks for Urban Planning” – Jennifer Dowdell, Senior Landscape Ecological Planner & Designer/Project Manager of Biohabitats

Wrap up and Path Forward – Bayou Preservation Association

The Symposium has become a sought-after event among key policy makers, planners, scientists and engineers, along with those interested in Houston’s long-term environmental sustainability.

The public is invited to attend the Symposium, with general admission tickets from $10 (young professionals and teacher discount) to $50. The $50 ticket includes eight Continuing Education Units. Sponsorships are available starting at $250 up to $2,500.

Organizing partners this year are: AECOM, City of Houston, EHRA Engineering, Harris County Engineering Department, and Houston-Galveston Area Council.

Sponsors to date include: Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP, Asakura Robinson, Beacon Offshore Energy, BGE, Inc., GSI Environmental, Inc., Hawes Hill and Associates LLP, Houston Public Works, Port Houston, Talley Landscape Architects, Inc., and Walter P Moore.

For registration, tickets and to learn more about becoming an event sponsor, visit the Bayou Preservation Association website at https://bayoupreservation.networkforgood.com/events/32959-18th-annual-symposium-green-in-a-word-is-good. You can also call 713-529-6443 for more details.