State Farm grant helps rid bayou’s South Reach of invasive plants

Invasive plants are choking the South Reach and threatening the landscape that makes this section of Greens Bayou a magnet for birders and canoe enthusiasts. But help is on the way.

The Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition (GBCC) has been awarded $38,000 by the State Farm Youth Advisory Board to create a program that will help eradicate invasive plants and restore the bayou’s delicate ecosystem.

The program teams Galena Park high school students with the GBCC, Houston Parks Board, the Bayou Preservation Association, and the W.D. Ley Family YMCA to reclaim the sections of the

reach strangled by invasive plants. Working both in the classroom and in the field, students will learn the history of invasive species introduction, research native and invasive plants and develop a plan of action to restore balance to the area.

“The State Farm Youth Advisory grant is important because it provides funding to restore the

property to its natural state,” said Regina Lindsey, executive director of the Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition. “And it also gives students the opportunity to serve their community while exploring the

impacts various species have on the environment.”

The project will eventually open 14-acres of public space along the bayou’s South Reach and provide the community with a place to learn about the environment. The South Reach of Greens Bayou extends from U.S. 90 to the Houston Ship Channel. Within the Port of Houston, the bayou is marked by heavy industry. But the upstream portions of the South Reach are the most natural stretches of the bayou.

Canoe enthusiasts already flock to the South Reach, and a plan to build a canoe launch park will make the bayou even more accessible. By returning it to a more natural environment, the ecosystem that canoers love will be better protected.

“Building a canoe park and water trail system is a top priority for the South Reach,” said Lindsey. “We are thrilled that this program will help educate students and get us closer to our goals.”

Removing invasive plants may also help with flood mitigation. Non-native species can clog the natural drainage in the region and cause high water in nearby neighborhoods.

Students who participate in the program will share their knowledge with the community by creating panels that educate the public about invasive plants in the region. Many invasive plants start out harmlessly in home gardens and quickly strangle nearby habitats.

The GBCC grant was among 83 awarded nationwide from nearly 1200 proposals submitted to the State Farm Youth Advisory Board. The board is comprised of 30 students, ages 17 to 20, from across the United States and Canada. Each year, they are charged with helping State Farm distribute $5 million to people and organizations that address issues important to State Farm and communities across the United States and Canada.