Join GreenUp Fall Sweep and Make a Difference  

Did you know in 2020, Keep America Beautiful estimated that there were 152 pieces of litter for each U.S. resident each year? Gather up your family and friends and help Keep The Woodlands Beautiful! GreenUp Fall Sweep is a self-guided litter clean-up week  from October 29th to November 4th.  No registration needed, just choose a day to clean up along a pathway, waterway, or natural area near you.  

How GreenUp Fall Sweep Works 

Get a group together and enjoy the fall weather while keeping our community clean and green. You can borrow litter grabbers and vests from the Environmental Services Office at 8203 Millennium Forest Drive. We can also provide gloves and bags; please call 281-210-2058 to schedule a pickup so we can have your supplies ready.  

Next, choose a place in the community that could use some sprucing up. Parks, pathways and green spaces by shopping centers, businesses, churches, schools, and waterways always need cleaning.  Look closely at tree lines to spot litter that may be hiding under leaves and brush. 

If you encounter any large or hazardous items, use the Township 311 App or call 281-210-3800 during normal business hours to report it. Once you’ve finished your litter cleanup, dispose of full bags at home or in a park trash can. Don’t overstuff park trash receptacles as this can lead to more litter. Make sure you tie your trash bags tightly to protect sanitation workers.  Share your success by posting a photo on social media using the hashtag #KeepTheWoodlandsBeautiful 

Safety 

We recommend wearing long pants, closed-toe shoes, hats, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and bringing a reusable water bottle to keep your crew protected and hydrated.  Use gloves when picking up trash and wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer when you are done.  

Be aware of wildlife you may come across, including snakes. Observe from a distance and disturb tall grass or bushes with a stick before entering to scare off wildlife. Know what poisonous plants are and try to avoid them. Poison ivy is common along pathways and inside tree lines. Touching leaves and roots can cause a painful rash. Remember the rule, leaves of three, leave it be! 

Why is litter a problem?

All litter, big and small, is not only unsightly, it has serious environmental consequences that can be prevented. This is particularly true when litter ends up in our waterways, where it can leach chemicals and clog storm drains. Please dispose of waste properly, educate or report those seen littering and start the habit of picking it up when you see it.  

For questions, comments or to reserve contact enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or call 281-210-3800. 

Everybody wants to save the world. What’s your plan?  

So many projects, so little time. But let’s tackle one of the big ones together, starting with a world-saving action that’s also a great way to be Community Scientists right here in our hometown.  

The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department is the local Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) Affiliate. In partnership with KTB, we help gather data to target messaging about how litter pollutes and contaminates our environment, especially our waterways!  

How do we do it? 

After collecting escaped trash from around the Township, it’s audited! Literally sorting and counting all the items collected. The resulting data is reported into KTB’s TxLitter Database. 

More and more neighborhood, civic, social, and employee groups are joining scout troops, school environmental clubs, and nonprofit organizations in this important effort to reduce the amount of litter in our parks and green spaces. You and your own family group of Community Scientists can help. 

Join the effort! 

Come be a part of saving the world by collecting valuable data while Keeping The Woodlands Beautiful! On Saturday, October 21, meet your neighbors at the Grogan’s Mill Shopping Center to remove and audit litter and trash! We’ll start at 8am with about 30 minutes of collecting, and then sort and tally items for reporting – likely wrapping up around 9:30 a.m. 

The Environmental Services Department will provide trash grabbers, collecting bags, vinyl gloves, and scales to weigh what we find. Staff will explain the sorting and counting procedures and assist with accurate tallies. The report will be submitted to the TxLitter Database. It will expand the statistics to target messaging about the health issues for our ecosystems, and all of us who live in them, that result from trash on the landscape and in our waterways.

Registration is required to participate. Use this link to find full details and sign up:

For questions, contact enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or call 281-210-3800. 

Join Us for a Backyard Composting Class!

Composting at home is easy! It can be done in a small space (approximately four cubic feet), in sun or shade, and in any season of the year.  Did you know that most food waste ends up in the landfill?  By composting yard trimmings and kitchen scraps at home, you can help turn these materials into a rich soil amendment instead.

Using compost has many advantages including improved soil texture, improved drainage, and nutrient availability in clay soil, and preventing water loss in sandy soil.  When compost is added to soil, it also reduces the need for fertilizer by providing nutrients. The organic matter in compost holds moisture, which saves water and money.

Success in backyard composting involves combining waste from plants into proper ratios to accelerate their natural breakdown or decomposition.  Learn about ratios of greens to browns and more beginning on Saturday, November 4, from Montgomery County Master Gardeners at The Woodlands Township’s Parks Department Campus located at 8203 Millennium Forest Drive.  Classes are held from 10:00 am to 11:30 am and include hands-on opportunities to try your hand at turning a pile, experiment with various composting tools and learn about vermicomposting – composting with worms!

The classes repeat on a Saturday morning each month in November, December, January, February, and March.  Check out the class schedule and join us to demystify backyard composting! Classes are free and no registration is required.

High quality C.E. Shepherd compost bins are available for sale at each of our monthly composting classes for only $65.  Residents may also purchase a compost bin from the Environmental Services Department at 8203 Millennium Forest Drive during regular business hours.

For more information on backyard composting, check out this helpful overview from the University of Florida.

Contact Environmental Services at 281-210-3800 or enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov with any questions.

Pollinators on the Patio for the Small Space Gardener  

Christian Anderson said, “Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower”

Living in an apartment or a home with little to no outdoor space can be challenging, especially for those with a green thumb. Large suburban yards allow homeowners to create lush greenspace that invites birds, pollinators, and wildlife to visit them daily. However, abundant space is not required to grow native plants or welcome our pollinator friends. Whether you are an urban apartment dweller, are renting your home, or are limited on space, you can still plant natives in containers and enjoy all the benefits they provide.  

Follow these container gardening tips to create a pollinator habitat by adding greenery to your small spaces.  

Eco Friendly Containers  

When choosing your perfect pot, it is important to think about sustainable options that can be used for years to come or can be recycled for future use. A container must be the right size and have adequate drainage for the plant to flourish. If the plant is too crowded by a small pot or doesn’t have drainage, it will be hard to keep it alive. Cork containers are a fantastic option for native flowering plants because the material is natural and has built-in aeration and drainage capabilities. Other sustainable materials for plant containers include recycled plastic, clay, wood, bamboo, or tough fibers like Jute.  

Also, don’t forget to recycle the clean plastic planter pot once you have transferred it into its new eco-friendly container. These can be put in your recycling cart, or you can recycle them at Home Depot and Lowes.    

Texas Native Plants  

Native Texas plants thrive in our humid climate, storm-prone summers, and chilly winters making them the perfect candidate for container gardening. Local Texas plants require less maintenance than their non-native counterparts, which can save you time and money, allowing you to enjoy your garden.  

By including natives in your small space, you welcome native pollinators, like the monarch butterfly and mason bee to your oasis. Planting a variety of native grasses and flowers together will add texture and color to your pot, making it beneficial for pollinators and beautiful to look at. Think “thriller”, “filler”, “spiller”: tall plants in the back or center, lush texter in the middle, and trailing plants to soften the edge.  

Determine how much sun your small space receives, and choose from the following: 

Shade Container Plants  

Inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)  

Chilie Pequin (Capsicum annuum)   

Rose Pavonia (Pavonia lasiopetala) 

Texas Spiderwort (Tradescantia humilis) 

Part- Shade Container Plants

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)  

Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)  

Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii) 

Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)  

Sun Container Plants  

Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis)  

Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides)  

Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)  

Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea)  

Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) 

Woolly Stemodia (Stemodia lantana) 

Event Spotlight

Don’t miss the Woodlands Landscaping Solutions on September 30th from 9 am – noon at The Recreation Center at Rob Fleming.

This event will help you turn any space into a garden oasis. Stop by the small space gardening booth to get expert advice and design ideas. There will be native plant vendors, landscape designers, and many more standing by to assist you on your gardening journey. This is an event you won’t want to miss! 

Got Questions? Contact The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department at 281-210-3800 or enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov  

Drip Irrigation is the new ethic in water use – and you CAN do it yourself! 

The movement within the most progressive landscape companies is to find ways to help their customers save water; they may be promoting upgrading some zones with drip lines already. And let’s face it: drip irrigation is a much better way to water flowerbeds and garden areas of your landscape! Your plants get water right where they want and need it – at the roots – with less lost to wind, evaporation, or runoff into the street. The advantages of drip irrigation are many, and installation is easier than you may think if you are a DIY type who likes to save money rather than paying a contractor.  

Come learn why drip is the latest ethic in water use for landscapes of all sizes. You will also get the “nuts and bolts” of installing – whether it’s converting existing spray heads or setting up a drip zone from your hose bib. With information about parts and tools needed, you can decide whether to self-install. Even if you choose to hire a contractor, you can feel more in control knowing the basic needs and processes. The workshop is FREE. REGISTRATION is required.  

For further information email to: enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or call 281-210-3800.