CONSERVATION
Park natural areas provide people with space to take part in passive recreation, which has become increasingly important during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
COVID-19 Is Prompting Changes to Conservation By Kelli Ondracek
T
he coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the operations of parks and recreation departments throughout the country, often resulting in canceled or scaled-back sports programming and community center closures. Since the issuing of the stay-home-work-safe order in April 2020, the city of Houston, Texas, has seen markedly more use of its nature spaces. In particular, there has been a significant increase in the use of park-trail systems in the city, as people have sought activities in which they can get out of the house while still keeping themselves safe through physical distancing. Within the past several years, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) began devoting more resources to the preservation of natural areas. This shift in emphasis is due in part to the multiple catastrophic flooding events that have
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impacted the region, including Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which inflicted more than $1.25 billion in damage. Park natural areas provide a host of benefits for the Houston area: the trees store carbon, the vegetation captures sediment and filters pollutants, the
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roots of trees and grasses prevent erosion along waterways, the soil and plants absorb floodwaters, and the diverse mix of flora support native wildlife. Under current COVID-19 restrictions, park officials also are beginning to recognize the importance of these areas for the passive recreation opportunities they provide.
Nature Preserve Ordinance Although it doesn’t appear this way today, Houston was once full of vast open spaces covered in coastal prairie habitat with thick forests lining its numerous bayou systems. It remains one of the most biodi-
