Speaker will be Sam Kieschnick, nature education specialist for Mansfield Parks and Recreation. Kieschnick is an enthusiastic and dynamic speaker who loves his work and will be presenting a program entitled "Does nature matter? The importance of parks for nature education."

Kieschnick will discuss the new nature education programs being offered in Mansfield, the role of the new Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park (similar, but on a smaller scale to River Legacy) and how Mansfield is using the new nature park as an outdoor classroom and venue for citizen science projects. He will also present some ideas on how cities like Arlington and Mansfield could possibly work together to make their park systems a win-win for residents, the parks, and the critters which live in the parks.

Donations can be made 6 a.m. to midnight to more than 1,600 certified nonprofits listed on www.NorthTexasGivingDay.org, including 56 local environmental advocacy groups. Donations of $25 and above will be amplified by $2 million in bonus funds and prizes.

See link for list of green North Texas nonprofits that are participating:

 https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/#npo-category/environment

Speaker is Lemuel Randolph, director of Arlington Parks & Recreation Department.

Using the experience that he's gained as a director of three other parks agencies, including most recently as the director of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces in McKinney, Randolph has developed a list of goals for the next year.

Free.

Citizen's Climate Lobby (CCL) is a non-profit nonpartisan organization working on creating the political will for a livable world. CCL's mission is to empower normal citizens, who care about their world, to engage in conversations with their elected officials.

On June 24, five members of the DFW chapter went to Capital Hill in DC and met with Texan congressmen. http://greensourcedfw.org/articles/dfw-citizens-climate-lobby-activists-dc-lobby-congress-carbon-tax. If you care about the environment and want to get involved in getting an effective climate change policy created, come meet us. 

This month, we are meeting to listen to the monthly national call. This month the speaker is Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.), former NATO Supreme Allied Commander. The call starts at noon. 

Info: Shawn Reeder at dallas@citizensclimatelobby.org

The Texas Water Development Board created by Prop 6 will hold a public meeting to take comments on proposed rules to spend the State Water Fund. Those unable to attend can see the plan and submit comments before Sept. 14 at http://www.twdb.texas.gov/swift/involved/index.asp

Monthly gathering of DFW environmental groups and activists. Items to be discussed.

1)  Denton and the Fracking ban – Learn the blow by blow of Denton City Council that night.  Find out what other cities in Texas are thinking about the same thing.

2)  ALEC – what happened around this Koch-funded group coming to town

3)  Dallas Green Alliance – update

4)  Earth, Wind & Fire Summit – New speakers, the excitement builds. The EarthWindFireSummit.org site is up and running. Register via PAYPAL now!!

5) Your announcements

We are hoping folks from Clean Water Action may also join us to tell us what they are working on.

Info: Rita Beving, Dallas Sierra Club, 214-557-2271 or antiquerita@aol.com.

Citizen's Climate Lobby is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization working on creating the political will for a livable world. CCL's mission is to empower normal citizens, who care about their world, to engage in conversations with their elected officials.

On June 24, five of us from the DFW chapter went to Capitol Hill and met with Texas congress members. 

If you care about the environment and want to get involved in getting an effective climate change policy created, come meet us.

This month, we are meeting to listen to the monthly national call. This month the speaker is Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a well-known climate scientist who was featured in the TV series "Years of Living Dangerously." The call starts at noon. 

Info: Shawn Reeder at badaggie@badaggie.com

or Swetha Kannan at swetha.kannan@gmail.com

"Vision North Texas 2050: How Local Communities and Businesses Can Position North Texas for a Fiscally and Environmentally Sustainable Future."
 
Presentor Kevin Shepherd is a principal and co-founder of Verdunity, Inc., a Dallas-Fort Worth-based consulting firm specializing in planning and design of sustainable communities and infrastructure.  

Shepherd will present he results and findings of the multi-year planning and visioning effort that culminated in the release of the award-winning Vision North Texas 2050 Plan. He will also discuss current global and national trends, highlight a few projects from North Texas that are incorporating new approaches and offer some suggestions on how cities can position themselves to stay competitive in recruiting and retaining businesses and residents.

This is a monthly gathering of environmentalists in DFW, formerly known as the Clean Air Meetup.

Smitty from Public Citizen will be coming from Austin for the meeting.

Here are some of the agenda items to be covered:

• Fracking/Earthquakes
- Hear about the town hall meeting that happened in Reno/Azle with KERA
• Proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir
- What's new with the Texas Water Dev. Board's recommendation
• Air/Upcoming Air Plan
- What happened at the last NTCOG meeting and going forward
• Event Reports
- The Monsanto March report and Exxon Mobil Shareholders' meeting
• Announcements
- Park City Democrat Club to host former EPA head Dr. Al Armendariz July 5
- Upcoming Climate Rally
• Pipelines
- 65-year old Pegasus pipeline to restart?
• FABULOUS Energy Conference
- More details/sign up

Dr. Armendariz is a former SMU professor and EPA administrator and currently with the Sierra Club, as senior campaign representative for the Beyond Coal Campaign. Info: MortonIsis@aol.com.