Intern Spotlight: Meet Zachary Thibodeaux

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Zachary Thibodeaux is currently a senior in the Academy of Science and Technology at The Woodlands College Park High School. He is also a dedicated environmentalist who wanted to pursue an internship where he could make a difference in the community. This summer he did just that, lending his talents and passion to The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department’s education programs.  

One large role Zachary played was taking the Wrap Recycling Action Program (WRAP) on the road to local grocery stores. There he engaged with residents, providing information about recycling plastic bags and film at the store and helping to reduce single-use plastics by handing out over 234 reusable produce bags. Using a data sheet he created, Zachary collected information on how many residents knew that plastic film was accepted at the store, and other metrics that will help improve WRAP education and outreach. 

He stated, “The most valuable thing I learned is that community involvement is vital to achieving environmental goals.” He believes the Environmental Services internship inspired him to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. For example, working on the WRAP Program has helped him to remember to bring reusable bags to the grocery store to reduce plastic waste. The WRAP Program also motivated him to check all plastic film to see if it can be recycled before he throws it away. He feels this internship helped him prepare for studying environmental engineering in college because it helped expand his knowledge of several environmental issues, including litter/pollution, recycling, and native vs. invasive species, all of which environmental engineers might focus on. He also acquired more experience working with data, such as determining what data to collect, analyzing it, and reporting his results, which is especially important for fields related to science or engineering.  

Zachary assisted the Environmental Services Department with several other projects including the Bioblitz BioBooth, where he shared information about the importance of native plants alongside a prospective Eagle Scout working on Invasive Species Removal. A Texas Waters Specialist, Zachary also attended litter audits as part of the department’s Watershed Project. He participated in the Waterway Cleanups and analyzed data from past litter audits to determine what types of litter were of the greatest concern in The Woodlands, and compare the debris found at various locations within The Woodlands to inform future messaging.   

From day one, Zachary had a positive attitude and came in with an open mind and motivation to learn. Seeing Zachary grow professionally and academically this summer was inspiring, and a reminder that the next generation of professionals will surely make a positive impact on society. We’re grateful for all the work Zachary has put into his internship with Environmental Services and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors! We have no doubt he has a bright future ahead. 

Optimizing your rain barrel’s benefits… it’s easier than you think! 

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Rain may feel like a distant memory right now – but that’s a potent reminder to make the most of every drop when it does fall again. If you already have a rain barrel or two and use the captured water for your garden, your plants will thank you! But there may be more you can do with that water, and we’re here to help with that. Even if you have just been thinking about a rain barrel but aren’t sure how helpful it might be, we’ve got a 2-minute video for you to see why its worth “catching the rain”.

Learn from the best 

One of the most knowledgeable rainwater harvesting gurus in the region is demonstrating everything you need to know to optimize the use of rainwater and take your rain barrel to the next level! Basics will also be discussed in case you need the nuts n’ bolts knowledge before you dive into purchasing one. 

Bob Dailey will present Rain Barrel Optimization, a workshop on getting the most benefit from captured rainwater and moving it efficiently from the barrel to your plants. Tools, parts, tips, tricks and hands-on demonstrations will set you up for success. Join us Saturday, September 16, 2023, from 8:30 to 11:30 am and sign up now to reserve your seat! 

Success with rain barrels 

If you can’t make it, catch this first video in a three-part series from a past online class covering rain barrel basics and beyond.

Buy a barrel, get a rebate 

If you get your water bill from Woodlands Water Agency, check out their rebate program. When you buy a rain barrel and turn in your receipt you are eligible to receive 50% of the cost back as credit on your water bill. You can find details for all water-saving items that qualify for rebates on the WWA Website. Ready to buy a rain barrel now? Purchase one at a discount through our nonprofit partner, The Woodlands GREEN. 

Join us for hands-on optimization 

Rain Barrel Optimization Saturday, September 16, 2023 8:30 to 11:30 am Multipurpose Room of the Aquatics Building at 8203 Millennium Forest Drive (next to The Woodlands High School)

This workshop is FREE, but space is limited. Registration is required, so sign up now to reserve your seat.  

This workshop is sponsored by Woodlands Water Agency, Alspaugh’s Ace Hardware of The Woodlands, The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N., Chevron Phillips Chemical, H.E.B., and Howard Hughes Corporation. 

Discover more!  

Want to learn more about rain barrels? The Woodlands Township Environmental Services YouTube Playlist has 3 videos to help you optimize rainwater at home: 

Success with Rain Barrels – 6 Things to Know

Creating a Self-Watering Garden for Birds and Butterflies 

Beyond the Barrel – Easy Ways to Work with Rain 

Check out the whole playlist here! 

A Better Way to Keep Mosquitoes at Bay

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Getting rid of mosquitoes doesn’t have to involve deadly chemicals or the latest expensive gimmick. Effective control is a combination of vigilance, personal repellent and using the right products to target specific areas.

Garlic barrier, commonly sold as Mosquito Barrier, has been used for years in agriculture to repel insects from crops and even keep birds from eating tree fruits. It works by overwhelming the mosquito’s sensory system which is 10,000 times more finely tuned than ours. Once the product is dry, you can’t smell it, but they sure can – and they can’t stand it! As it is not a contact pesticide like other backyard sprays, it is safe for beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.

Easy to apply

Sold as a liquid concentrate, garlic barrier is 95-99% garlic with a natural sulfur compound that repels mosquitoes and other pests. There are three easy steps to mix and apply:

  • Dilute the concentrate with water according to the label in a clean pump sprayer that has not held herbicides or “weed and feed.”
  • Pressurize the container by pumping, and apply to shrubs, trees, fences and other structures around the perimeter of your yard. Spray as high as you can reach and avoid coating flowers.
  • Reapply after it rains or after 30 days, whichever comes first.

This can be a great tool to use ahead of a pool party, family barbeque, or to simply enjoy your yard free from pesky bloodsuckers.

As this creates a barrier at the edge of your yard, make sure you don’t have any sneaky water sources within the perimeter that are breeding mosquitoes. Keep in mind, many common culprits are out of of sight. Do you have any of the following?

  • French drains
  • Gutters with leaf debris
  • A water meter box that gets flooded by rain or irrigation
  • Plant saucers
  • Toys, tarps or bags of potting soil that collect water

Address these first so you aren’t trapping mosquitoes within your property.

For other easy ways to mosquito-proof your patio – check out this two-part series.

For more information on keeping mosquitoes out of your backyard, check out thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/mosquitoinfo. To report a mosquito problem, contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.

Protect Our Forests From Invasive Species: Learn How You Can Help

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Dear Resident,

You may have noticed volunteers working in green spaces and along pathways near your home. They are helping with a serious problem that is damaging our forest community – the spread of invasive plants.  

Many times, plants that are not native to our region are introduced to our pathways from residential landscapes. When an aggressively growing non-native plant, such as Air Potato Vine, escapes from yards and overgrows our native trees and shrubs, we lose valuable habitat for butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects. Over time the trees and shrubs can die from lack of sunlight and losing nutrients these invasives remove from the soil.

You can help with this problem by reducing or eliminating non-native invasive plants in your landscape, or by carefully controlling their growth to keep them within the yard. Not sure which plants you see are bad guys? Check out the “most unwanted” plants or learn more with this helpful guide 

Warning: Japanese honeysuckle, nandina, Asian jasmine, and other invasive species are available for purchase at many plant nurseries; shop in the native plant section to avoid them. If invasive plants are already in your landscape, consider replacing them with a native one. Not only will you prevent further invasion, but get to enjoy the butterflies and birds that native plants invite into your yard. 

Join the fight to save our forests! You are invited to help remove these culprits from our pathways and green spaces. Attend the next training on August 19 to learn more about our worst non-natives, then register to join The Woodlands’ Invasives Task Force to receive notices about workdays and classes. 

Sign Up To Attend the Workshop
Register To Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in helping the Township maintain the forested reserve that benefits our native trees, plants, and wildlife! For questions, contact Environmental Services: enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov  

Elegant and ephemeral, Texas rain lilies are a delight in the garden 

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NATIVE PLANT FOCUS| Texas Rain Lilies |Cooperia drummondii and Cooperia pedunculata  

Emerging suddenly after a rain, the fragrant Texas rain lily is a delicate, graceful native wildflower. Dark green, grassy foliage is almost invisible in the landscape, providing an element of surprise when the star-shaped flowers quickly appear.  Five to nine-inch-tall flowers begin to unfurl in the late evening and will be fully open by the next morning.  Blooms may be white or tinged with pink, with the rose tint increasing as the flowers age. Enjoy waves of blooms following substantial rains from May to September.  

Two species are native to Texas: giant rain lily (Cooperia pedunculata) and the smaller evening rain lily (Cooperia drummondii).  Rain lilies are perennial plants whose blooms generate numerous black seeds which grow into tiny bulbs.  As the bulbs mature more flowers are produced, spreading the plants over a larger area.  When left undisturbed, rain lilies will produce a carpet of flowers and are easily divided and moved to new locations. These diminutive plants can even be grown in pots. 

Rain lilies are an attractive border accent, used alone or combined with other small perennials.  The plants are drought tolerant and thrive in full sun to part shade in almost any soil – whether clay, sandy loam, or sand.  While they look delicate, rain lilies tolerate the extremes of Texas weather including our summer heat and unexpected winter freezes.    

Sources of rain lilies include local garden suppliers specializing in native plants as well as on-line nurseries.  Local Master Gardener or Native Plant Society plant sales frequently offer rain lily bulbs or plants for sale.  Once started in a home garden, rain lilies will multiply quickly.  This fascinating plant is worth searching for and adding and element of surprise to flower bed borders and containers.    

For more information, read this interesting article from Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine.

https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2021/apr/scout6_flora/index.phtml

Find other beautiful Texas plants to add to the landscape with more Native Plant Resources.