NONPROFIT
BY GEORGE WIEBE
The slough amberwing, a dragon y rare to the Houston area, perches itself above the Cypress Pond at the Bellaire center.
The native red-eared slider (left) and the nonnative Florida yellowbelly slider (right) are two of the center’s reptilian additions.
Blossom the Opossum, the only marsupial found in North America, is one of the center’s newest members.
Hana and Arthur Ginzbarg Nature Discovery Center 7112 Newcastle Drive, Bellaire 713-667-6550 www.naturediscoverycenter.org Hours: Tue.-Fri. noon-5:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., closed Mon. NATURE CAMPAIGN The nature center launched a fundraising goal this year to raise $1 million to add an Enchanted Wood play area for children. Patrons can donate via the center's website. Features of the new area will include: • Rolling Hills Run: land creating a natural slide to play • Lily Pad Pond: shallow pool of water to play in • Garden Stroll Backyard Encounters: path lled with plants to discover • “The Old Hollow Stump” Stepper Yard: a hollowed tree stump little kids can climb through • The Open Lawn: open space to host small events or parties • Nature Workshop: an area to pile twigs, mud or sand to build with natural materials
DeAndra Ramsey, executive director of the Hana and Arthur Ginzbarg Nature Discovery Center, said the center aims to preserve local ora and wildlife.
PHOTOS BY GEORGE WIEBE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Hana and Arthur Ginzbarg Nature Discovery Center Bellaire nonpro t seeks to preserve wildlife within urban jungle W ork began in 1986 on converting an old and dilapidated house along Newcastle Drive into what is now the Hana and Arthur Ginzbarg Nature Discovery Center. Director DeAndra Ramsey said. The center holds more than 15 animal species that can be found naturally in East Texas, and the park
get more individualized with our programs. ... It’s more focused on the audience and the participants,” said Elizabeth Fries, an education specialist at the center. This year, the center launched a $1 million fundraising campaign for a new addition: the Enchanted Woods, a children’s play area where “kids can make their own fun.” “You work in this eld because you care about nature and conser- vation and the environment, … so it’s very nice to come to work every day and have your co-workers share your same interests and passions,” Ramsey said.
has four miniature habitat zones displaying what the region looked like presettlement. “We think that a connection to nature is vital for all ages, whether you are a 2-year-old or 102-year- old,’’ Ramsey said. The center hosts parties, eld trips and a summer science camp, and it partners with local schools to present students with specialized content from the park. “We have a better opportunity to
The center, completed in 1989, serves multiple functions: pre- serving local ora and wildlife; educating the public on Bellaire’s natural environment; and hosting programs, camps and events. “We maintain our grounds with Texas native ora and fauna. What that means is we want our little 4 acres to be a haven for Texas native plants and animals,” Executive
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • AUGUST 2022
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