BY KEVIN VU
Programs and classes offered
How we got here
Meet the animals The Nature Discovery Center offers weekend sessions to meet different animals, such as reptiles and rabbits. Bird watching A guided birding road trip is held during spring migration with the hopes of seeing as many as 100 species of birds. Nature story time Each week, the nature center reads books on different nature topics, featuring live animals and specimens. Summer science camps Different science-themed camps are held each week with hands-on activities, games and art projects. Mess maker classes Kids can explore natural and man-made objects such as mud, flowers and shaving cream through messy play.
“We knew the community was hungry for our nature education, but we were out of space to be able to accommodate more campers in our existing Henshaw House,” Johnston said. The Henshaw House, which turned 100 years old in April, currently serves as the center’s headquar- ters and indoor program space. Symonds said the new expansion and addition of the treehouse will allow the nature center’s staff the flexibility to expand program offerings, school group visits, summer camps and homeschool classes beyond the Henshaw House’s capacity. Ryan Smith, Bellaire’s parks, recreation and facilities director, said he believes the nature center serves as an important community hub for kids to engage with nature, and Symonds said the city helps support the nonprofit. “A park like this builds a stronger sense of com- munity, encourages healthy lifestyles and fosters environmental stewardship,” Smith said.
Symonds said the project’s focal point will be the R.L. Cook Family Treehouse, used as a pro- gramming space. She said the programs allow kids and families to learn and connect with nature. The Nature Discovery Center served more than 15,600 people through programming in 2024. “Children need, as part of their development, a connection to nature and a grounding space to have these sensory experiences,” Symonds said. “We’re just trying to evolve to meet the evolving world of education and nature education.” Due to limited space, the treehouse will have more “unconditioned space” that can be used as both a classroom and an open space for kids to play in when there’s no programming, Symonds said. The nonprofit’s President Jayne Johnston said one of the biggest problems the organization faces is running programming that’s always at full capacity, as well as sold-out camps, resulting in long wait lists.
SOURCE: NATURE DISCOVERY CENTER/COMMUNITY IMPACT
What’s next?
beautiful, natural aspect to Houston. “To have [the Enchanted Woods] in the heart of Bellaire, inside the loop, [the] center of Houston, is pretty special,” Fishel said. “We have people who invest in these projects because they really do care about the city. The Nature Discovery Center is just a little part of Houston, but it holds a big part in people’s hearts.”
parks, education and public service in Houston. Symonds said if the center doesn’t meet its fundraising goal before construction starts, the nonprofit will either extend fundraising or adjust their budget to meet the goal. Cathleen Fishel, a mother of three, said she donated to the campaign because she believes the project will not only connect her kids and other families to nature but also bring a
Symonds said construction is expected to begin this fall after the Nature Discovery Center wraps up summer camps and bird migration season, with the goal of finishing construction before summer camps start in 2026. As of April 15, the $2 million campaign project, which launched in early 2023, has raised $1.2 million, primarily from community donations and organizations that support
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