BY MELISSA ENAJE
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The urban heat island effect Officials with the Greener Gulfton plan said to combat impacts from the urban heat island effect, more innovative strategies are needed for trees and vegetation to develop.
Community leaders, Gulfton residents, government agencies and nonprofits are collaborating to support a future Gulfton that will combat the high temperatures and improve the neighborhood with the Greener Gulfton plan. Gulfton Super Neighborhood President San- dra Rodriguez said the goal is to incorporate trees as a priority. Elements of the plan will be carried out by different entities along different timelines based on when and how officials are able to secure funding.
In 2023, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones secured $6 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to combat the negative health and environmental effects of urban heat islands in three neighborhoods in southwest Houston—Alief, Gulfton and Sharpstown. Rodriguez said each neighborhood was allocated $2 million. Burnett Bayland Park is one of Gulfton’s only green spaces. Precinct 4 officials are working on completing the final design this spring for the Burnett Bayland Park Master Plan that includes doubling the park’s footprint by 2027. As of press time Feb. 27, Harris County was also slated to accept $238,750 in EPA grant funding as part of the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Climate Action Plan. The county will use the funding to study climate pollution reduction efforts, including emissions reductions.
17 degrees is how much hotter Gulfton is on average than the coolest part of the Harris County, based on data from an August 2020 heat mapping campaign. 86 acres of park space are needed to be added in Gulfton to meet a Houston Parks Master Plan recommendation. 4% is the total amount of tree shade space in Gulfton, less than other parts of Houston 20-45 degrees is how much experts say surface temperatures can potentially be lowered by planting more vegetation in an area.
“The goal is to plant over 800 trees. Tree planting will help advance climate resiliency and
nature equity for Gulfton.” SANDRA RODRIGUEZ, GULFTON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT
SOURCES: THE CAPA HEAT WATCH PROGRAM, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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