It is my warmest wish that you all had a happy holiday season. I know the past year has been trying, but we must forge ahead into 2021 with hope and purpose. That is our goal at Jones Park.

Although the number of programs and attendance has declined, I genuinely feel that every visitor to our park is a blessing. Despite the numbers, we have focused on offering more virtual programs, honing our in-person curriculum, and completing projects to improve the park. It is my pleasure to report our progress. 

We still require reservations for most in-person programs and plan to continue offering virtual options for specific events. Our Virtual 12 Days of Christmas event in December reached more than 12,000 people, with 250 reactions on social media. To accomplish this, we brought volunteers to the park to film parts of An Old-Fashioned Christmas for the public. Reenactors also had the opportunity to do what they love best in a safe environment. 

Our in-person Arbor Day Celebration and tree planting party was another successful event, with 83 volunteers planting 280 trees. We gave away 200 trees throughout the weekend. Matt Abernathy and David Jamar did a fantastic job coordinating the event, despite the bad weather on Saturday. In the future, we are optimistic about NatureFest and Spring Breakout, as we strive to bring the highest-quality programs and events to our visitors. 

As far as projects are concerned, busy is the word of the season. I'm proud to announce that the Redbud Hill Homestead cabin is now complete. I want to thank Katrina Yordy and all the Precinct 4 staff and volunteers who made this project possible. Our next homestead venture will be to fix the wagon and repair the roofs of our existing structures. A big shoutout to Mark Powers and the Precinct 4 Trades team for replacing the roof on our corner restroom!

I'm also proud to announce that Jones Park now features public Wi-Fi in front of the Nature Center greenspace and the front parking lots, thanks to the Harris County IT department's hard work and funding from the CARES Act. And last but not least, we are in the final stages of fully furnishing the new JJPV office with furniture, a new conference table, and internet access. Once functional, all JJPV meetings and business will have a permanent home.  

Before I conclude this report, I would like to welcome Alicia Mein-Johnson as our new outreach coordinator.

She has already hit the ground running, and I am confident in her abilities to promote the park and recruit new visitors. We have a great team here at Jones Park, but none of this would be possible without the hard work and determination of volunteers. Just as we are proud of our accomplishments in these difficult times, you should be as well. Thank you for your time, stay safe, and see you in the park!

– Jason Naivar

Park Superintendent and Director

“A river cuts through rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” – James N. Watkins

If you found yourself lost in the forest, would you know how to survive? After seeking water and shelter, most would probably hunt for nuts, blackberries, and fruit. A lucky few may find acorns and beautyberries, but the majority would go to bed hungry.

Unfortunately, the fruits and vegetables sold in stores don’t grow naturally in southeast Texas. Instead of going hungry, professional forager Mark Merriwether Vorderbruggen recommends embracing the smorgasbord of edible plants and flowers around you.

“Foraging was a way of life for my family growing up,” said Vorderbruggen. “My parents would take us on walks in the woods every day. And while out there, they would talk about how their parents and grandparents used to harvest this plant for medicinal use and that one for food. For a long time, I actually thought everyone learned this sort of thing from their parents.”

Vorderbruggen has spent decades studying and sampling Texas’ natural bounty, even training under celebrated Texas foragers Carmine Stahl and T.R. Zimmermann.

“When I was in grad school, my knowledge of the different free foods and medicines around me was a huge benefit since I was broke all the time,” he said. “The lessons of my parents served me well. But I quickly realized they had only scratched the surface, and so I ended up trying to learn to identify and use every plant around me.”

As the new year continues, I pause for a moment to reflect on what we’ve endured and accomplished in 2020. We’ve all dealt with a variety of hardships and even some personal losses. I extend my condolences to those who have suffered the loss of family members and friends.

The past year presented staff and volunteers with numerous obstacles to overcome. We met these challenges with a tremendous spirit of flexibility and adaptability. Although significant events were either scaled back to accommodate social distancing or offered virtually, the park remained open and continued to offer programs, providing the public a rare oasis from the reality of the pandemic.

We learned this past year that digital media offers us the means and tools to address social distancing and opens an entirely new world of opportunities beyond virtual festivals, programs, and Zoom meetings. In that regard, the JJPV Board of Directors recently adopted an IT implementation plan that includes a new JJPV webpage, Facebook page, and even a YouTube channel.

In addition to our current Zoom capability, these new tools will enable us to reach more people and further enhance our programs. Monthly JJPV meetings will continue to offer virtual participation even after we return to in-person meetings, providing the ability to bring in guest speakers from across the state and provide members with an alternative when they’re unable to attend in person. Presentations and programs can also be recorded to share with larger audiences on Facebook and YouTube.

There are exciting things to come in the new year. However, although vaccinations are now being distributed and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, please don’t let your guard down. To paraphrase others more eloquent than I: “No one wants to be (or cause) the last casualty in a war!” Please continue to be diligent and practice safe social distancing.

Hope to see you all in the park again soon!

– Gary Chapman

JJPV President

Thank you, donors and volunteers, for the many ways you support Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center! Because of you, Jones Park remains one of Harris County’s top recreational facilities. This 312-acre park along Spring Creek continues to be a place where individuals and families can picnic, hike and bike along paved trails, paddle along the creek, fish, and participate in free programs and festivals. With your continued support and generosity, Jones Park will remain a favorite destination for discovering nature and wildlife.

Click here to see a list of donors.

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