Houston Arboretum

The mission of the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is to provide education about the natural environment to people of all ages and to protect and enhance the Arboretum as a haven and as a sanctuary for native plants and animals.  The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (HANC), one of the first nature education facilities for children in the state of Texas, provides services to nearly 200,000 visitors annually. The Arboretum also provides nature education for more than 10,000 children annually.
The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is a 155-acre non-profit urban nature sanctuary located on the western edge of Memorial Park. It is managed by the HANC Board of Directors and staff under an agreement with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department.  Visitors can enjoy over 5 miles of nature trails, including forest, pond, wetland and meadow habitats. The grounds are open daily 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. The Discovery Room, inside the building, offers hands-on interactive exhibits, microscopes, touch screens and more for learning about the habitats and plant and wildlife found at the Center. The Discovery Room is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Nature shop offers a wide variety of educational games and toys, books, and nature-themed merchandise. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

Location:  4501 Woodway Drive Houston, TX 77024-7708; about 12 miles from UH main campus.

Opportunities Specifics:  Interns will be working at the Houston Arboretum and all opportunities are science related.  The completion of a volunteer form, a background check and a few hours of training is required.  There are specific days for training hosted by the arboretum staff, but other arrangements can be made.  Interns will be supervised by staff educators and are required to log their hours on a facility computer.  Each of the following activities is a 3-4 hour commitment.  Interns must schedule his or her opportunities in advance.  The main building is closed on Mondays.

• Guided Field Experience: Interns will be trained to lead small groups through the Arboretum.  There are after school and weekend opportunities.
• School Tour Guide: Similar to the Guided field Experience, Interns will lead groups of students through the Arboretum as well as assist school teachers with lessons.  Interns may be able to lead lessons after they have become familiar with the material.  Weekend opportunities available.
• Discovery Room: An activity room located in the main building of the Arboretum.  Interns will assist the teachers in the discovery room with different lessons, and may be able to lead some of the lessons themselves.  Weekend opportunities available.
• Summer Camp:  Children come for the majority of the day and participate in lessons, tours and various activities.