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Forest Nurseries

Activity

How Logs Support New Growth

Explore Picnic Loop and look for a nurse log! A nurse log is a fallen tree that supports new plant growth. As you walk, search for logs that are decaying and covered in moss, ferns, or seedlings. How do these logs contribute to the forest ecosystem? How many different kinds of living things are growing on the nurse log?

Science Seed

In Memorial Park, nurse logs play a crucial role in the biocycle, recycling dead or diseased trees into mulch and soil. As a fallen tree decays, it releases nutrients that enrich the soil, creating a fertile environment for new plants, moss, fungi, and ferns to grow. This process also provides shelter for small animals and insects, contributing to the park’s biodiversity. By breaking down the tree, nurse logs support the next generation of plant life and help maintain a healthy, balanced forest ecosystem.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore the Memorial Park Conservancy

The mission of Memorial Park Conservancy is to preserve, restore, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by