What do these years have in common?

1853
1914
1925
2004

Established 1853 Established 1914 Established 1925 Established 2004

New York City Central Park Houston's Memorial Park Houston's Hermann Park Spring Creek Greenway

843 acres 1,431 acres 445 acres 12,000 acres proposed!

What is the Spring Creek Greenway? How the project got its start The Spring Creek Greenway will connect and protect up to 12,000 acres of forest, on both sides of the creek, in order to preserve, protect, restore, and educate the public about an ecological gem - a biologically diverse ecosystem that provides important habitat for many wildlife species, and aims to create an ecotourism mecca and a peaceful respite from busy urban lives for those from Houston or even nationwide. The Spring Creek Greenway got its start many years ago, when Senator Jon Lindsay, then the Harris County Judge, bought several creekside parcels in the early 1980s, including 150 acres that became Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, as well as the land that is now Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens and Cypresswood Golf Course. Many years later, Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole realized it would be fairly easy to connect Jesse Jones Park with other creekside parcels. His idea was to create a contiguous, forested corridor linking preserves along the creek. Canoeing down Spring Creek, Commissioner Eversole joked, "You can only look at one side of the creek for so long!" The creek forms the boundary between Harris and Montgomery County, so if only Harris County preserved forest on the creek's southern edge, but the northern side got developed, everyone would lose out. Destroying the pristine natural setting would take away the amazing opportunity that still remains to create a thriving ecotourism and outdoor recreation mecca in a completely natural setting. So Eversole approached Montgomery County's Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance and said, "we really should work together on this." Commissioner Chance stepped up to the plate, and in 2004 the partnership began. The collaboration has grown from there. A Green Ribbon "Can you imagine flying into Intercontinental Airport, getting on the back of a horse and going from Kingwood to The Woodlands Center," says Dennis Johnston, Precinct 4 Park Administrator. "Or putting a kayak in The Woodlands and paddling downstream to Lake Houston Park, and pulling out and camping. The potential is just incredible for this project." Johnston has been involved in preserving the Greenway since its inception several years ago, through his many years as Director of Jones Park. "I’ve been paddling down the creek and seen osprey trying to pluck the tail feathers out of a bald eagle," said Johnston. "Where else can you see that? When you’re out here, you don’t feel like you’re in the city." Both Montgomery and Harris County plan to preserve – through donations, purchases or conservation easements – 33 linear miles of forest along Spring Creek. Larger forested preserves, known as gateway parks, will eventually be connected by a forested "trunkline trail." In the not-so-distant future, visitors to the region will be able to explore by foot, bicycle, or horseback between the larger gateway preserves, such as the Montgomery County Preserve, Peckinpaugh Preserve, Pundt Park or Jones Park. Canoe and kayak launches will provide a spot where you can leave your vehicle and paddle down the creek. Already visitors can paddle down Spring Creek, fish, or hike and birdwatch on trails in several parks, including Montgomery County Preserve and Peckinpaugh Preserve on the Montgomery County side, and Jones Park and Pundt Park on the Harris County side. Recreation, Education, Restoration, Preservation "The Spring Creek Greenway represents a very important opportunity to protect this area," explains Robert W. Collins, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Special Counsel, whose primary job entails overseeing Montgomery County's role in the Spring Creek Greenway. "It’s very unusual to have 12 to 15,000 acres in its natural state. And we’re going to keep it in its natural state." The four principles guiding the progress of the Spring Creek Greenway are Preservation, Restoration, Education, and Recreation. Everyone's Help is Needed "Although we’ve accomplished a lot in a short period of time, there is still a lot to be done," says Collins. "There are still 100 property owners we need to share the story with. Time is of the essence." Montgomery County continues to work with private landowners along the creek to discuss donating, selling, or putting streamside land parcels into conservation easements, working closely with the nonprofit organization Legacy Land Trust. A conservation easement allows the landowner to retain ownership of the land, while preserving the land in a natural state in perpetuity. The landowner retains certain rights on the land, which are discussed and negotiated with the organization that manages the conservation easement, in this case Legacy Land Trust. Conservation easements provide tax benefits for the landowner, and ecological benefits for the creek! An Award-Winning Project Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance and Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole shared a 2004 North Houston Association (NHA) Award for their conservation efforts by working together to create the Spring Creek Greenway at the boundary between these two counties.

"Most creeks in Harris County have been channelized. This is the way it looked 200 years ago and this is the way it looks today." Dennis Johnston Harris County Precinct 4         "This is such a pristine natural area. You feel like you’re stepping back in time..." Robert W. Collins Montgomery County Precinct 3         Commissioner Chance (left) and Commissioner Eversole (right) receive the 2004 Environmental Impact Award from North Houston Association's Joe Adams (center)