REMINDER: Volunteers needed THURSDAY, 7/10, at Houston Arboretum for Houston Monarch Story Project

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Lan Shen

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Jul 8, 2025, 12:24:50 PM7/8/25

to Gulf Coast Master Naturalist members

Hi,

If you plan to come, please let me know by replying to this email.

Volunteer work morning at the Houston Arboretum on Thursday, July 10 with the Gulf Coast Chapter of TMN - see Nicole's email below on how to count your hours.
Purpose: to maintain the Monarch Butterfly Garden
Arrive at 8:45 AM and gather at the Conservation Center (near the nature center) and then walk together to the work site. (See attached map and driving instructions below.) Work will end at about 11 AM.
Bring: Water bottle ( Ice water will be available for refilling.), work gloves if you have them (Leather is better for handling the dewberries.), hat, long sleeves (light weight shirt) or sunscreen, closed toes shoes you don’t mind getting muddy
Attached liability waiver

Lan

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Nicola Killen <nicola...@txgcmn.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Subject: Fwd: Volunteers needed Th, 7/10, at Houston Arboretum for Houston Monarch Story Project
To: Gulf Coast Members <mem...@txgcmn.org>

All, Please see the volunteer opportunity below. Please code your time as GCMN - Trails and Wildscapes and include location, sponsoring entity and any other pertinent information.

Thanks,

Nicola

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Lan Shen <lan....@txgcmn.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Subject: Volunteers needed Th, 7/10, at Houston Arboretum for Houston Monarch Story Project
To: Nicola Killen <nicola...@txgcmn.org>, Sanjana Srinivasan <sanjana.s...@txgcmn.org>

Please forward the request below (scroll down) from Evelyn Merz to GCMNs:

An explanation of the project: The Houston Monarch Story is an interactive art and pollinator prairie installation to provide an essential habitat for Monarch butterflies as they journey through Texas. It is animated by Monarch sculptures designed by Michelle Matthews. Read more here ( https://uhcc.uh.edu/outreach/monarch-story/making-of) and here (https://uhcc.uh.edu/outreach/monarch-story )

The project was first installed at Buffalo Bayou and in March moved to the Houston Arboretum. It was a joint project of UH Coastal Center and the Galveston Bay TMN.

Need: Now that the installation is at the Houston Arboretum, they need help in weeding and maintaining the monarch garden. There will be a workday on Thursday, July 10, 8:45 am - 11 am. See Evelyn's email below.

If you know ahead of time, please let me know that you are coming. My cell phone number is 713-614-7033.

Lan

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Merz, Evelyn L <elm...@central.uh.edu>
Date: Sun, Jun 15, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Subject: E Merz - Information for July 10 Gulf Coast Chapter TMN volunteer event at Houston Arboretum

HI, Lan

A butterfly on a stick

AI-generated content may be incorrect. This will have information for the volunteer work morning at the Houston Arboretum on Thursday, July 10 with the Gulf Coast Chapter of TMN. The plan is for people to arrive at 8:45 AM and gather at the Conservation Center and then walk over to the work site. (See attached map and driving instructions below.) Work will end at about 11 AM.

Volunteers will work mostly on weeding the ten elevated mounds planted with native prairie plants, including native milkweed, and the areas around the mounds that are part of the Houston Monarch Story temporary art exhibit. I’ve included a picture of one of the fourteen monarch butterfly sculptures that are staked around the mounds. The artist, Michelle Matthews, will also be there. Volunteers can learn more about the project and its educational aspects at https://uhcc.uh.edu/outreach/monarch-story and https://uhcc.uh.edu/outreach/monarch-story/making-of .

I have attached the waiver form for people to (preferably) complete before they arrive. I will have blank copies if needed.

The attached trail map is also marked with ENTER HERE showing the entrance to take off of the West loop 610 service road. Take the Memorial/Woodway exit if you are going north on the West Loop and immediately get in the right land of the service road.

Please make sure that people have either my cell phone or yours to call if they have trouble finding the meeting place.

Notes for volunteers to bring or wear:

Water bottle ( Ice water will be available for refilling.

Work gloves if they have them (Leather is better for handling the dewberries.)

Hat

Long sleeves or sunscreen

Shoes they don’t mind getting muddy – They may want to bring an extra pair.

Thanks so much for helping out with maintaining the plant part of the art installation. Call me if you need any more information.

Thanks, Evelyn

Evelyn L. Merz, B.S. (Biological Science), M.B.A.

Program Director

UH Coastal Center