Houston Native Prairie Association Monthly Meeting
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# Ancient Prairies, Modern Resilience by Jaime González
In this talk, Jaime González, Executive Director of the new University of Houston Institute for Ecological Resilience, explores how the ancient coastal prairie ecosystems of Greater Houston are being re-activated as powerful tools for modern urban resilience. Drawing on real-world examples from parks, school campuses, hospital grounds, and other civic landscapes, Jaime will highlight how prairie restoration increases biodiversity in historically nature-deficient neighborhoods, mitigates urban heat island impacts, reduces flooding risk, and restores cultural and ecological connections to place. The presentation will conclude by looking ahead at where this work is heading next—and what it means for the future of resilient, nature-rich communities in the Houston region.
Jaime González is the Founding Executive Director of the University of Houston’s Institute for Ecological Resilience (IER), where he leads a team to activate strategies, partnerships, and fundraising efforts to advance research and community engagement around nature-based solutions. Through IER, he and his team work to bridge academia, policy, and practice to foster ecological resilience, public health, and environmental justice across the Greater Houston region and beyond.
With over 27 years of experience in conservation, One Health Action, and urban greening, Jaime is nationally recognized for building multi-sector coalitions that deliver tangible environmental and social benefits and as a keynote speaker. He also served as Board Chair of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), as a Climate Adaptation and Justice Advisor to the City of Houston and Harris County, and as a Community Fellow with the Rice University Center for Environmental Studies. Previously, he held leadership and programmatic roles with The Nature Conservancy, The Student Conservation Association, the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center.
Jaime holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction–Science Education and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Houston, along with professional certificates from Cornell, Duke, Yale, and the University of Alaska–Fairbanks.
Registration is required for this in-person meeting so that we can arrange for a room that will accommodate everyone.
REGISTER HERE:
**https://hnpatfebruary25inpersonme.rsvpify.com**
You can come as early as 6:30 PM to socialize and connect. There will be refreshments. And you are welcome to bring something.
You are welcome to wear a mask if that makes sense for you.
If you want to attend online, please register with this link:
**https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUod-6rpzgjE9Sb-jzV199DpYC4uXlZHxFu**
Please note that the Zoom session will be up after 6:30 PM for you to join whenever you want to and socialize with others. The meeting itself will not start until 7:00 PM.