hogg bird sanctuary public update meeting

Hogg Bird Sanctuary Public Update

Meeting

May 9, 2016

Hogg Bird Steering Committee Partners

Primary Partners: • Houston Parks Board • Houston Parks and

Recreation Department • Memorial Park

Conservancy • Houston Garden Club

Partners consulted: • Harris County Flood

Control District • Museum of Fine Arts

Houston • Houston Audubon

PREPARED BY

Aspen � Asheville � Austin � Chicago � Denver � Dubai � Houston � Lake Tahoe � Los Angeles � Shanghai

HOGG BIRD SANCTUARY PUBLIC UPDATE MEETING

PREPARED FOR HOUSTON PARKS BOARD MAY 09, 2016

SITE CONTEXT

Memorial Park

River Oaks Country Club

Bayou Bend Gardens River Oaks

Neighborhood

Hogg Bird Sanctuary

Proposed HCFCD Memorial Park Demonstration Project Area

SITE CONTEXT | memorial park master plan

PREPARED BY


HOGG BIRD SANCTUARY SITE ANALYSIS

HISTORY OF THE SITE

1944 1978

2014 2015 Source: Google Earth, 2016 output

HISTORY OF THE SITE | initial development

1 9 5 0 ’ s

The rerouting of the tributary and the construction of the parking lot in the mid-1950s was, and has been, the single largest human impact to the Hogg Bird Sanctuary Park Site

Source: Obtained from City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department

ANALYSIS SUMMARY | ecology PLANT COMMUNITIES

OVERSTORY TYPE

EXOTIC INVASIVES------------2%

NATIVE INVASIVES-------------0%

NATIVE-----------------------------98%

MID-STORY TYPE


NATIVE INVASIVES-------------8%

NATIVE-----------------------------13%

UNDERSTORY TYPE


NATIVE INVASIVES--------------85%

NATIVE-------------------------------4%

2

13

79

8

4

11

85

98

Source: Adapted from Advanced Ecology, Ltd. Forest and Urban Resource Inventory Summary, 2015 Memorial Park Master Plan

River Oaks Country Club

Bayou Bend Gardens

EXISTING IMAGERY | landscape cover

A view in the central portion of the site where a diversified forest structure provides cover and food for several bird species

A view of the canopy consisting of mixed species (native and exotic) and ages

The maintained lawn north of the parking lot provides opportunity for increasing habitat types and overall area

SPECIES OBSERVATIONS | sample list

Source: www.ebird.org/hotspot December 2015

http://www.ebird.org/hotspot

SPECIES OBSERVATIONS Source: www.ebird.org/hotspot 2015

RESIDENT SPECIES STOPOVER SPECIES (sample list)

• American Crow • Blue Jay • Tufted Titmouse • Carolina Wren • Carolina Chickadee • Red Bellied Woodpecker • Downy Woodpecker • Pileated Woodpecker • Red-Shouldered Hawk • White-winged Dove • Mourning Dove • Rock Pigeon • Northern Mockingbird • American Robin • European Starling • Norther Cardinal

• Black-bellied Whistline Duck • Indian Peafowl (domestic) • Great Blue Heron • Great Egret • Snowy Egret • Little Blue Heron • Green Heron • Black-crowned Night-Heron • Yellow-crowned Night-heron • White Ibis • White-faced Ibis • Turkey Vulture • Mississippi Kite • Northern Harrier • Sharp-shinned Hawk • Red-tailed Hawk • Buteo sp. • Spotted Sandpiper • Rock Pigeon • Eastern Screech-Owl • Common Nighthawk • Chimney Swift • Ruby-throated Hummingbird • Belted Kingfisher

• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker • Northern Flicker • Monk Parakeet • Olive-sided Flycatcher • Eastern Wood-Pewee • Eastern Phoebe • Great Crested Flycatcher • Eastern Kingbird • White-eyed Vireo • Warbling Vireo • Red-eyed Vireo • Purple Martin • Barn Swallow • Cliff Swallow • Brown Creeper • Marsh Wren • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher • Golden-crowned Kinglet • Ruby-crowned Kinglet • Swainson’s Thrush • Gray Catbird • American Pipit • Cedar Waxwing • Prothonotary Warbler

http://www.ebird.org/hotspot

SPECIES OBSERVATIONS

• White Ibis • Little Blue Heron • Swainson’s Hawk • Prothonotary Warbler

Source: Audubon Society and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

ENDANGERED OR AUDUBON PRIORITY SPECIES

HISTORY OF THE SITE | hydrologic shifts

1 9 4 4 - 2 0 1 5

Source: Google Earth, 2016 output

ANALYSIS SUMMARY | hydrology

Source: Sherwood Design Engineers, 2015

Existing Hydrology

Source: Obtained from FEMA, 2015

BAYOU INFLUENCES | no intervention | stage 1


ANALYSIS SUMMARY | topography

ANALYSIS SUMMARY | topography | slope analysis

ANALYSIS SUMMARY | analysis and research conducted to date

• Flyway Corridors and Bird Sanctuaries • Bird Species Counts • Photographic Analysis – land and

bayou edge conditions • Land Use • Vegetative Structure • Plant Communities • Erosion and Stability • Historical Site Hydrology • Flooding • Soils • Slopes • Site Access • Parking Trends • Cultural History • Site Hydrologic Trends • Memorial Park Master Plan Inventory

and Analysis documents

Example: Slope Analysis Diagram

ANALYSIS SUMMARY | composite map

Vehicular Access Pedestrian Access

ANALYSIS SUMMARY | existing imagery

The dense understory and moments of open canopy provide

habitat for multiple bird and small mammal species. .

The tributary running through the site is continually shifting in an effort to “correct” its course.

The midstory frames views across Buffalo Bayou and shows a juxtaposition between urban wild and the manicured landscape of a golf course.

The outfall point shows a unique lowland environment and

tributary vantage point.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS | existing conditions imagery

The “tangles” provide cover for bird species and also produce

berries for food..

Regular flood events have carved steep slopes into the Buffalo Bayou bank edges over time.

The open, maintained lawn provides the opportunity to diversify habitat on-site.

Immediately below the outfall calls attention to conventional erosion and bank stabilization methods.

PREPARED BY


HOGG BIRD SANCTUARY PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS

INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS | heart of the park - habitat

INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS | human influences map

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| program plan

1 Habitat / Forest Improvements Meadow Plantings Lawn Garden Club Project Drainage Improvements

2

3

1

1

2

2

2

3

2

2

4 4

4

4

5

5

4

4

1

1

1

1

5 1

5

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| human activity

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| park program consistency

The Memorial Park Master Plan identified trails, parking improvements, habitat and forest restoration, and gardens as key elements of Hogg Bird Sanctuary Park. The recommendations identified in this program plan remain consistent with these master plan elements.

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| park program consistency

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| forest management plan: pathways to forest health

Brush Cutting Herbicide Treatment Seedling Planting Mulching

YEAR 1

Selective Cutting

YEAR 2

YEARS 3-5

Mowing

Brush Cutting Herbicide Treatment

Mowing Selective Treatment

BROAD MAINTENANCE

ESTABLISHMENT MAINTENANCE

TREATMENT

Seedling Planting

Management Cycles:

Native Species

Native Invasive Species

Exotic Invasive Species

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| forest composition

UNDERSTORY

MIDSTORY

OVERSTORY

UNDERSTORY

MIDSTORY

OVERSTORY

Existing Recommended

Chickasaw plum Eastern redbud Red maple Persimmon Swamp privet Red mulberry American hornbeam Texas hawthorn

Coralberry Roughleaf dogwood American beautyberry Coral honeysuckle Spicebush Witchhazel Arrowwood viburnum Strawberry bush Sugarcane plumegrass Virginia sweetspire

Native Species

Exotic Non-invasive Species

Loblolly Pine Southern Red Oak Shumard Red Oak Baldcypress Tupelo Southern Magnolia Swamp Chestnut Oak Pecan Black Walnut

PREPARED BY


HOGG BIRD SANCTUARY IMPLEMENTATION

INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS | project zones

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS| opinion of probable cost

Zone 1: Southern Loop Trail total : $468,975

total : $481,805

$120,760

Site Furnishings • Benches • Educational signage

• Signage lighting

$25,200

Planting and Establishment • 3” caliper shade trees • 2” caliper shade trees to supplement

forest growth (approximately 100/acre) • Meadow seed mix • Irrigation

$210,015

$68,000

Stormwater Infrastructure • Eastern side of parking drainage

improvements

Demolition

Trails and Surfaces • Mulch trails and viewing areas • ADA Accessible trail • Pedestrian boardwalks

$45,000

Forest Management • Year one management • Second year management • Third – Fifth year management


Zone 2: Basin total : $495,280

Planting and Establishment • 2” caliper trees to supplement forest

growth (approximately 100/acre) • Meadow Seed Mix • Irrigation

$223,560

$96,420

Trails, and Surfaces • Grass pave at westernmost park bay

Site Furnishings

Stormwater Infrastructure

$166,800


Demolition • Westernmost parking bay

$8,500

*Cost does not include art component


Zone 3: Northern Ridge Trail total : $943,450

Trails, and Surfaces • Mulch View Areas • ADA Accessible Trails • Pedestrian Boardwalks

$158,400

Site Furnishings • Entry Gate • 6’ Fencing at northern edge • Trash bin • Benches • Park entry signage and educational signage • Signage lighting

$380,040

Planting and Establishment • Fine Grading • 3” caliper trees • 2” caliper trees • Irrigation • Meadow seed mix

$219,110

Stormwater Infrastructure • Drainage at northern property line

$130,800


$55,100

Demolition

INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS | project zones

Comments and questions?

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

hogg bird sanctuary public update meeting

Documents