Harris County plants native prairie seeds in Gulfton to curb flooding

Harris County Precinct 4 and the University of Houston are planting native prairie seeds in Gulfton, turning Burnett Bayland Park into a neighborhood flood test in Houston’s densest community. Precinct 4 says the work is meant to reduce flooding, restore historic habitat and improve the look of a park that sits in a part of the city where nearly 50,000 people live.

The seeding builds on an $11.3 million U.S. Department of the Interior grant announced Sept. 26, 2024, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program. Precinct 4 says the money will help renovate the existing park, develop 40 acres of unused park land and add trees and native plants to fight the urban heat island effect. The county says Gulfton’s limited tree canopy leaves the area 17 degrees hotter than other parts of Houston.

University of Houston’s Coastal Center says coastal prairies and wetlands are vital because they support wildlife, filter water and help prevent floods. UH says the Texas Institute for Coastal Prairie Research and Education was designated by the Texas Legislature in 2017, giving the university a formal role in coastal prairie restoration work. In fall 2023, the Coastal Center also took part in a seed-sharing arrangement with the Texas Nature Conservancy that harvested more than 1,500 pounds of seed from the Aumann Prairie.

Flood risk is not abstract in Harris County. The Harris County Flood Control District says it was created by the Texas Legislature in 1937 and that a major flood occurs somewhere in the county about every two years. The district says partnerships with federal and state agencies, local communities and private interests are essential to moving flood projects forward, which is exactly the model Precinct 4 is using in Gulfton.

The Burnett Bayland Master Plan was shaped by more than 1,000 community members, 850 survey participants and 30 civic and stakeholder groups, then unveiled in July 2024 before groundbreaking later that month. The plan calls for safer pedestrian crossings, wide well-lit trails, multiple entry points, a community garden, a boardwalk, pickleball courts, a community center, food truck areas and a permanent farmers market space. Precinct 4 says the park is also near a planned METRO bus rapid transit station, which should make the site easier to reach once the improvements are finished.

Commissioner Lesley Briones, elected in 2022 after defeating Jack Cagle, has made Gulfton a centerpiece of Precinct 4’s public work. Anne Sung, the county’s chief policy and innovation officer, said the county is serving Gulfton alongside long-time community groups, while Sandra Rodriguez of Gulfton Super Neighborhood #27 said the park improvements reflect the park’s beauty, resiliency and potential. Maria Hernandez of Madres del Parque called the work a physical manifestation of investing in Gulfton.