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Armand Bayou
Nature Center
Volunteer Newsletter
Bayou foliage F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 3 4 , I S S U E 2
FEBRUARY
1 Sundays In Nature
6 Prairie Friday
7 Stewardship Saturday
Who pooped here class
8 Taste of Birds class
12 Volunteer Board meet
Volunteer meeting
13 Prairie Friday
14 Volunteer Orientation
15 Sundays in Nature
19 Bayou Foliage deadline
20 Prairie Friday
21 Stewardship Saturday
27 Prairie Friday
28 Volunteer Orientation
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2014
When you are finished
with this publication
please recycle it.
Thanks!
Our Volunteer Chair Person for the past 3 years, Liz
Van Orstrand was chosen by the staff to be singled out
for the prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award. No
one can deny this was a great decision, and she well
deserves it.
This reporter visited several of the staff to find out
what qualities they have noticed …
Heather Milar’s favorite impression of Liz is how she
finds teachable moments as the visitors walk along on
a hike. “Liz is always up for anything.”
Kathy Gardner enjoys Liz’s contagious attitude; friend-
ly, outgoing and approachable.
Barbara Baxter, speaking for the front desk crew, calls Liz a sweetheart, and just
“can’t say enough nice things”; she does whatever is needed and then some.
Mark Kramer spoke of Liz contributing to so many facets of the nature center,
particularly as a deck hand on the Bayou Ranger besides all the other qualities
mentioned so far. What stands out in his mind is her enthusiastic learning on the
fly.
Our Executive Director, Tom Kartrude summed it up during the meeting as he
lead up to the announcement: “I am confident you will not find another nonprofit
organization in this region with the scale of activity and responsibility that operates
without a professional volunteer coordinator on staff. Here at ABNC that is only
possible because of the leadership team within the ranks of the volunteer organi-
zation itself. And that leadership team is the product of the exceptional level of
effort and commitment of one especially dedicated and capable crew member. She
leads a great hike, she runs a great meeting, she chairs a great fall festival, and she
inspires us all.”
As a volunteer board member, I wish to add my applause with the staff, the past
two years have been a joy to work with Liz and the rest under her direction. I
look forward to an even greater 2015.
From the Chair
Tom Kartrude Ext 11
Barbara Baxter Ext 18
Susan Millsap Ext 10
Mike Maglitto Ext 10
Janice Schrager Ext 12
Kathy Gardner Ext 13
Heather Millar Ext 14
Dave Kovach Ext 16
Mark Kramer Ext 15
Jessica Collier Ext 17
Zach Roper Ext 20
P A G E 2
Armand Bayou
Nature Center
Volunteer
Board
2015
Chair Liz VanOrstrand 281-480-8296 [email protected]
Vice-chair Joe Bryan 409-933-4087 [email protected]
Secretary Tom Scarsella 281-532-2107 [email protected]
Treasurer Eleanor Stanley 713-455-1502 no email
Administrative Gaye Batiz 713-518-5759 [email protected]
Facilities Jim Frantz 281-470-0946 [email protected]
Greeters/Interpreters Polly Swerdlin 281-814-4606 [email protected]
Outreach Susan Millsap 281-538-6695 [email protected]
Stewardship Ed Craven 917-921-8290 [email protected]
Weekday Education Madeleine Barnes 281-474-9406 [email protected]
Weekend Demos Polly Swerdlin 281-814-4606 [email protected]
Weekend Trails Karen Sutera 281-474-5087 [email protected]
Webmaster Shawn Gano 832-314-1608 [email protected]
Bayou Foliage Editor Polly Swerdlin(temp) 281-814-4606 [email protected]
Staff
Roster
B A Y O U F O L I A G E
Staff Email addresses
are ‘firstname’@abnc.org.
Example: [email protected]
(except Susan is:
[email protected] for the
front desk)
This year has started on a very high note for me and I
have all of you to thank for that. I am very honored to
have been awarded Armand Bayou Volunteer of the
Year. The level of experience and education that so
many of our volunteers shared with ABNC is inspira-
tion to me. I am truly humbled by all that I have
learned from so many of our ABNC volunteers. I am
very pleased to know that even though my back-
ground is as an administrator, I have been able to
help with the mission here at ABNC to “Reconnecting
People to Nature”. So, thank you all for all your help
and inspiration this year.
When I started volunteering in 2006, it was because
nature has always been a very important part of my
spiritual journey. The Buddha taught, “Just as a can-
dle cannot burn without fire, humans cannot live
without a spiritual life”. In my journey, I have learned
that when I see something that needs to be done and
I do it with an open heart, I will find happiness. Ed
Adams was a perfect example of a person who lived
life to his full potential. He was the type of volunteer I
hope to become.
I share this with you now because there are so many
different reasons why people come to visit ABNC and
even more reasons why people stay and volunteer
here. We all come from different background and life
experiences. In February, we will be having our New
Volunteer Orientation classes. We have about 40
people who have completed applications who are
eligible for this class. We are asking them to become
one of us, but what can they expect from us?
Once the orientation class is complete, we have
planned continuing education classes every month
through May. All our new volunteers are encouraged
to attend the March volunteer meeting, so that we
can all meet. I am asking our entire seasoned volun-
teers to consider becoming a mentor to one of our
newer volunteers. This mentorship is very important
on so many levels. The connections we make now will
help them to become comfortable volunteering and
will help bond us as a volunteer organization to each
other.
Please consider being a mentor, it is time to pay it
forward.
Liz VanOrstrand
Volunteer Chairperson
Liz VanOrstrand
Volunteer Chair
2015
Volunteer Meeting Minutes January 8, 2015
P A G E 3 V O L U M E 3 4 , I S S U E 2
Treasurer’s Report December 2014
Beginning Balance $3660.10
Expenditures: 0
Total Expenditures 0
Income: 0
Total Income 0
Current Balance $3660.10
The Staff of ABNC hosted the volunteers and guests
to a wonderful Cajun dinner in recognition of the ser-
vice that is contributed by the volunteers. The theme
was in keeping with the Olde French Settlement on
Middle Bayou, now referred to as Armand Bayou.
Around 80 volunteers, guests and staff were present.
Director Kartrude recognized volunteers for their
hours of service which totaled over12,000 hours.
Mark Kramer recognized Mary Alice Trumble for
eight years as editor of the Bayou Foliage, and Stan
Krauhs for his many years of volunteering at all levels
including president of the nature center board.
Chair, Liz VanOrstrand made announcements. Any-
one who has an item for the 2015 “Wish List” should
contact her and items for the Bayou Foliage should
be sent to Polly Swerdlin, acting editor of the news-
letter. She also announced that the position of Vol-
unteer Board Secretary is still unfilled. Anyone inter-
ested in the position should contact Liz.
Liz VanOrstrand, Volunteer Chairperson, was named
Volunteer of the Year for her outstanding service to
the Nature Center.
The next volunteer meeting will be February12, 2015
and the program will be “Frogs” presented by Marga-
ret Frick. The program will count for Continuing Edu-
cation.
Sam Dinsmore, retiring Secretary
Meeting Snacks & Drinks The social portions of our meetings are enhanced with finger food
snacks and beverages, please sign up for one month, either one:
SNACKS DRINKS
FEBRUARY x x
MARCH x Polly Swerdlin
APRIL x x
MAY (pot lunch picnic)
AUGUST Eleanor Stanley x
SEPTEMBER x x
OCTOBER x x
NOVEMBER x x
DECEMBER (pot lunch dinner) Signup is on a clipboard in the Volunteer Office
Frogs of ABNC
To Be Presented February 12 By Margaret Frick
You hear them calling at night, you might even see a few, but wouldn't you like to know just which hopping, bug-eating, big-eyed amphibians live at the nature center? There are only thirteen species that are at home at ABNC and Margaret Frick will introduce us to them and their calls.
Margaret Frick is an award-winning environmental educator and a long time volunteer at ABNC. She has spent more hours than she cares to admit trying to identify these little denizens of the night until she finally got organized and put together a presentation of photos and recordings for the enlightenment of us all.
Training Dates to Remember
P A G E 4
B A Y O U F O L I A G E
Presenting our Spring Program for training.
Sign up sheets can be found in the Volunteer Office located in the Admissions Building.
For pre-registration classes (*) call 281-454-2551 x 10.
February 7: Who Pooped Here & Other Trail Signs (for outreach programs and trail guides) 10am-12 noon
February 8: * A Taste of Birds - it’s about Rookery not Cookery! 1pm - 3pm
February 14 or 28 * Volunteer Orientation (same program each day) - 9am-12 noon
TBA: Birding classes
Sunday February 8th
“A Taste of Birds – it’s about Rookery not Cookery!” Time: 1pm – 3pm
Location: ABNC Auditorium – located in the interpretive building
Leader: Gaye Batiz – [email protected]
Cost: $10 for non members, $8 for members – pre registration is required
This presentation is for all, the intention being to raise awareness of the special qualities of birds
and their place in the environment. Birds are unique in the animal kingdom but face many
threats. Come along to learn what makes birds unique and what you can do to help them sur-
vive and prosper.
The presentation will last approximately 1.5 hrs and will be followed by a short walk to see what
birds we can spot. A limited number of binoculars will be provided.
Are you on
Facebook? If so, join other cur-
rent and past volun-
teers and staff to
share comments and
news about happen-
ings at ABNC.
Click to join.
First and Third Sundays In Nature
Zach Martin in Education is the POC for the projects
Sponsored by Dow Chemical of Deer Park
February – Wetlands
(World Wetlands Day: Feb 2)
March – Frogs and Toads
April – Earth Day
May – Birds
June – Turtles
July – Snakes
August – Insects
September – Outdoor Safety
October – Bats
November – Spiders
December – Mammals
ARMAND YRAMATEGUI AND
THE FOUNDING OF ARMAND BAYOU NATURE CENTER Excerpt from the Volunteer Manual 2013-2014
Armand Bayou Nature Center had its beginnings in 1965 when the City of Pasadena annexed a 100-
foot strip of land along Middle Bayou. During the next few years several citizens began to realize
the unique quality of Middle Bayou, the only remaining bayou in the greater Houston area still in its
natural state. One of these citizens, Armand Yramategui, Curator of the Burke-Baker Planetari-
um, convinced others of the importance of this waterway and surrounding land as a refuge for
wildlife and as a place that needed to be forever protected.
In January 1970, on the night before he was to present his plea to the Houston City Council for
acquisition of park land, and two days before he was to urge the Harris County Commissioners to
create a Parks and Recreation Department, Mr. Yramategui was tragically murdered. His friends
and fellow citizens rallied to the cause and made the presentation on his behalf. In addition to
asking that the area be preserved, they asked that Middle Bayou be renamed Armand Bayou in his
honor.
For his "unselfish dedication and inspiring leadership to preserve wild lands and wildlife and im-
prove man's environment," Armand Yramategui was posthumously awarded the U.S. Department of
Interior's Conservation Award, bestowed by Interior Secretary Walter J. Hickel, October 17,
1970.
A few months after Armand's death, a campaign was underway by citizen's groups and school chil-
dren to obtain funds from corporations and from private donations to buy land to create Armand
Bayou Park. Because of the high price, the land had to be bought in parcels. Recycling drives, rum-
mage sales and raffles were held. School children baked cookies and gave the profits to "save Ar-
mand Bayou". The campaign gained momentum when it was learned that Friendswood Development
Company, an Exxon subsidiary, planned to develop the land all along the bayou.
One of the leading supporters of the push to acquire land was Hana Ginzbarg. She wrote hundreds
of letters, made equally numerous phone calls, begged, pleaded or whatever it took to get corpora-
tions, groups, and individual citizens to contribute to the preservation of Armand Bayou.
At the same time Hana was working tirelessly to solicit contributions, she was also arranging tours
of the area for prominent people to show them firsthand the land was worth saving. One of her co
-workers was Nancy Wood, who helped organize the first group of volunteers to lead people
through the woods along Armand Bayou. Nancy, along with Mary Lou Morrow, was also instrumental
in creating the first volunteer guide book. At that time the volunteers were known as B.I.G.s -
Bayou Interpretive Guides.
Page 21
P A G E 5 V O L U M E 3 4 , I S S U E 2
By 1972 Pasadena had been able to purchase 955 acres with the help of a matching Housing and
Urban Development grant. Harris County purchased 991 acres with a matching grant from the
U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, as well as assisted in the purchase of 225 acres purchased
with contributions to the Armand Bayou Fund. Later, Pasadena sold several of its tracts to
Harris County so that all land south of Bay Area Boulevard would be under one governing body.
Funds were exhausted before the remaining 1000+ acres could be acquired. That land today is
Friendswood Development Company's Brookwood subdivision.
After the acquisition of over 2100 acres of land (414 acres of which is Bay Area Park owned by
the City of Pasadena), Armand Bayou Nature Center, Inc. was formed. This corporation, head-
ed by a Board of Trustees, entered into a lease for the land and agreed to provide educational
programs for the general public and to develop a wide range of maintenance and stewardship
programs to return portions of the land to health. In addition, the corporation agreed to con-
struct educational facilities for use by the public.
In 1976 the Interpretive Building was dedicated. In 1982 the Hansen farmhouse, formerly lo-
cated in Kemah, was donated and moved to its present site on the nature center grounds to
help demonstrate life on a turn-of-the-century Gulf Coast farm. The farm, named in honor of
Jimmy Martyn, whose love for the land kept it from being sold to developers, was expanded
with the "barn-raising" done by volunteers and staff at the Martyn Farm Fall Festival in 1982.
Volunteers contributed again in 1984 when they helped to build the greenhouse at the nature
center. Originally intended as a retail business, the greenhouse has served as a site for clas-
ses, and now used by Prairie Stewardship Volunteers.
Armand Bayou Nature Center receives monetary support from many sources. Members pay
dues, entitling them to various benefits; corporations and foundations donate funds; Harris
County, the Institute of Museum Services, the Pasadena Arts Council and Target Stores have
provided grants; and fees are charged for classes and excursions as well as admission for non-
members.
As a non-profit organization the nature center also relies heavily on volunteers to help fulfill
its mission of environmental education and stewardship. Today volunteers serve as interpretive
guides, provide demonstrations, help with special events, instruct children's classes, assist with
stewardship programs, and provide additional services to help support the operation of the cen-
ter and its programs.
In 1994, Friendswood Development Company donated 600 acres northeast of the intersection
of Red Bluff and Kirby, bringing the total acreage to 2,500.
Page 22
P A G E 6
B A Y O U F O L I A G E
P A G E 7
ABNC Volunteer Duty Roster—February Weekends
DATE
10:00 Trails
Karen Sutera
281-474-5087
2:00 Trails
Karen Sutera
281-474-5087
Greeters
Polly Swerdlin
281-814-4606
Natural History
Demos
Polly Swerdlin
281-814-4606
Farm House
Interpreters
Polly Swerdlin
281-814-4606
Farm Life
Demos
Polly Swerdlin
281-814-4606
2/01 First
Sundays in Nature
Laura Vincent Ken Russell
Eleanor Stanley
Reptiles Polly Swerdlin OPEN
2/07 Polly Swerdlin OPEN Julia Knutson
Polly Swerdlin
Adaptations Jane Bingel
Susan Hesley
Yarn Dolls
2/08 OPEN Tina Bass
Julia Knutson
Frogs Sam Dinsmore
Jill Macomber
Stereoscope
2/14 Leda Parker Karen Sutera Polly Swerdlin
Julia Knutson
Bison Dottie Evans
Jane Bingel
Stereoscope
2/15 Third Sundays in Nature
Liz
Van Orstrand Stan Krauhs Odie Asscherick
Bats Kathie Stocker
Laura Vincent
Toys & Farm
Life
2/21 David Bolon OPEN Julia Knutson OPEN Jane Bingel
Ray Parker
Rope Making
2/22 Karen Sutera Joe Bryan
Margaret Frick
Snakes Eleanor Stanley
Nancy Saint
Yarn Dolls
2/28 Leda Parker OPEN OPEN
Jane Bingel
Birds Julia Knutson
Polly Swerdlin
Butter Making
Bayou Foliage deadline: 3rd Thursday of each month.
If you have to cancel, please do your best to find your own replacement. If
you cannot, please notify your coordinator AND the front desk. If you can
cover for any open slots, please call the coordinator for that event. When
you arrive at ABNC for your duty, please check in at the front desk.
V O L U M E 3 4 , I S S U E 2
P.O. Box 58828
8500 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, TX 77258
Phone: 281-474-2551
Web: www.abnc.org
We’re on the Web!
www.abncvols.org
Scenes from the Volunteer
Appreciation Dinner January 8, 2015 Photo by Lyman Brown Photo by Lyman Brown
All the rest
taken with
Heather
Milar’s
camera
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