Sheldon Lake

Sheldon Lake SP&ELC https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/sheldon-lake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Lake_State_Park_and_Environmental_Learning_Center Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center is an outdoor education and recreation facility in northeast Harris County, Texas. The site is located along Sheldon Lake reservoir. The park features recreational opportunities including group camping, picnic areas, hiking trails, wildlife viewing, fishing, and an environmental learning center.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page. For information on #TexasStateParks, visit texasstateparks.org Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email /TexasStateParks @TPWDparks @TexasStateParks Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co. 

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE School groups gather for interpretive programs. Sheldon Lake provides fine habitat for the American Alligator. SHELDON LAKE STATE PARK AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER IS A 2,800-ACRE HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE SURROUNDED BY THE HIGHWAYS, RAILROADS, AND INDUSTRY OF HOUSTON. ITS PONDS, WETLANDS, AND PRAIRIE TEEM WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE. SHELDON LAKE PROVIDES DIVERSE WILDLIFE HABITAT WITH EXCELLENT BIRDWATCHING, KAYAKING, AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES. A FORMER FISH HATCHERY NOW RECLAIMED BY NATURE FORMS THE CORE OF THE PARK FEATURING ACCESSIBLE TRAILS, BOARDWALKS, DECKS, AND AN OBSERVATION TOWER. THESE AMENITIES ENABLE SCHOOLS, YOUTH SHELDON LAKE You are visiting a nature preserve. Help us protect the plants and animals that live here and ensure your own safety by respecting park rules: • Stay on designated trails and boardwalks. • Keep back from the water; no swimming or wading. • Alligators are present in this park; stay at least 30 feet away from the alligators. Call park headquarters to schedule your school, scout, or youth group for our exciting hands-on field study activities including wildlife discovery, pond ecology, fishing, and alternative energy. Join us as a volunteer to share your love of nature with others! The park is open to the public daily 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., free of charge. The lake is open from sunrise to sunset. Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center 14140 Garrett Road, Houston, Texas 77044 (281) 456-2800 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/sheldonlake GROUPS, AND URBAN TEXANS TO ENJOY AN OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE CLOSE TO HOME. © 2022 TPWD. PWD BR P4504-0138M (7/22) TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/park-pubs SHELDON LAKE STATE PARK AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER S H E L D O N L A K E S T A T E P A R K A N D E N V I R O N M E N T A L L E A R N I N G C E N T E R ALTERNATIVE ENERGY & GREEN BUILDING A LAND TRANSFORMED Before the arrival of European and American settlers, a lush tapestry of tall grasses and prairie flowers interwoven with shallow wetlands and marshes covered the land. Thousands of animal and plant species thrived in this diverse habitat. After Texas independence in 1836, farms and ranch land replaced much of this native ecosystem. A century later, the U.S. government built Sheldon Reservoir to provide water for the defense industry during World War II. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased the land in the 1950s and developed it into a refuge for migratory waterfowl, a public fishing lake, and a fish hatchery. When the hatchery closed in 1975, the land began to revert naturally to forest, ponds, and marshes. Over the last few decades, extensive work restored the park’s land back to its native prairie ecosystem. HABITAT RESTORATION Land that was farmed for 150 years is being restored to coastal prairie and wetlands. Staff and volunteers plant native grasses and flowers to reestablish the native ecosystem. A combination of seeding and transplanting appropriate plants, invasive species removal, mowing, and controlled burns help restore these habitats over time. Species adapted to life in a pond or prairie form an interdependent food web of plants and animals. When people introduce invasive plant or animal species to these habitats, the invasives disrupt the food web as they displace native plants and animals. At Sheldon Lake, staff and volunteers work to control invasive species such as Chinese Tallow trees, Deep-rooted Sedge, Giant Salvinia, and Water Hyacinth. S WETLANDS ARE IMPORTANT The protection of Sheldon Lake’s wetlands is vital to both the park’s habitat restoration efforts and its educational mission. Both Sheldon Lake and the hatchery ponds rely on rain and runoff to maintain their water levels. They, along with the prairie wetlands, provide natural storage for floodwaters as well as habitat for native aquatic plants. In turn, these plants act as a natural filter, removing pollutants from the water while providing homes for aquatic invertebrates, fish, birds, and reptiles. Park staff and volunteers work to restore and protect these wetlands so that Sheldon Lake’s watershed can remain healthy. Park staff and volunteers restore wetland habitat at Sheldon Lake. heldon Lake State Park’s infrastructure demonstrates several different ways that people can save e

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF SHELDON LAKE STATE PARK AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER A FIELD CHECKLIST 2017 Cover: Illustration of Great Blue Heron by Rob Fleming. S INTRODUCTION heldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center (SLSP) is about 20 miles northeast of downtown Houston, one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. During a workweek, trucks and trains sail past SLSP going to or from industry nearby the park. Daily commuter traffic flows past the 2,800 acres of habitat placed just off the road. Corporate jets and airplanes fly overhead arriving and departing from Bush Intercontinental Airport with travelers from all around the world. Needless to say, this piece of habitat is a natural island in a sea of city and industry. The history of SLSP dates back to the early 1940s. A Works Progress Administration project created Sheldon Reservoir in 1943 as a water supply for industries along the Houston Ship Channel in support of the war. At the conclusion of WWII, the reservoir was transferred to the City of Houston and used as a surface water supply. With the completion of Lake Houston in the early fifties, the city sold the reservoir and adjacent land to the Texas Fish, Game and Oyster Commission, which later became Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The area was managed by the TPWD Wildlife Division as Sheldon Wildlife Management Area (WMA). A few years later, the Sheldon State Fish Hatchery was added in the southeast corner. By the late 1960s, with the encroachment of the City of Houston, Sheldon WMA was designated surplus and daily management operations were shut down. In 1984, management of the property was transferred to the State Parks Division of TPWD and the area was designated as Sheldon Lake State Park. Today the park is 2,800 acres with approximately 1,200 acres as the reservoir. Over the last 30+ years, many phases of development have been completed, including several new structures and trails throughout the former hatchery site and the restoration of 400 acres of former farmland into historic native tallgrass prairie. In 2011, the John Jacob Observation Tower was opened to the public and in 2014 the entrance to the park was moved to the north side allowing visitors to enjoy a scenic tour of the park. The SLSP you visit today offers an incredibly diverse ecosystem comprised of a variety of habitat types. Sheldon Lake is a mix of open water with emerging Bald Cypress trees. The lake has also been used as a highly productive waterbird rookery, supporting hundreds of nesting pairs of ibis, herons, egrets, Anhingas, and Roseate Spoonbills since the 1980s. The main water source for the lake is Carpenters Bayou, which includes hundreds of acres of emergent wetlands, Bald 1 Cypress swamp, and mixed bottomland forest. The park’s entrance road meanders through 2 miles of restored tallgrass prairie and wetlands where unique species such as Le Conte’s Sparrow, Northern Harrier, American Bittern, and various species of secretive rails can be found. Many of the hiking trails transect what once was an active fish hatchery. The hatchery ponds are no longer used as a working fish hatchery and are managed for wildlife habitat. While walking the trails, Wood Duck, Gray Catbird, Common Gallinule, and a mixture of vibrant warblers are expected during the right time of year. Like most wildlife, birds select where they spend their time based on certain environmental factors. These factors are what attract or deter a bird to use and stay in an area and include things such as vegetation composition, food sources, human disturbance, and many others. The greater variety of quality habitat a site can offer, the greater diversity of bird species can be expected to frequent a site. With the abundance of habitat in close proximity to one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, it is natural to find a diversity of wildlife at SLSP. Each habitat type holds a variety of species that changes throughout the seasons with different plants, insects, and other prey populations blossoming through the year. In the winter it is easy to find Cedar Waxwings gently whistling in the treetops and in the summer you cannot miss seeing a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. While birding at the park, please observe basic safety tips and park rules and regulations which are in place for the safety of park visitors and the wildlife. Only park in designated parking areas and not along the roadway to bird. Secure your vehicle and belongings. Keep in mind that alligators and venomous snakes, such as eastern cottonmouths, can be found in the park. This checklist and information was collected through the efforts of thousands of citizen scientists and birders that submit their bird sightings to eBird. This valuable resource compiles data and allows everyone access to sighting information. This, and other citizen science-based resources, allow you to contribute and take part in helping us understand where bi

PWD BK P4504-139N SheldonGuide 1/24/07 7:38 AM Page 1 A Guide to Alternative Energy and Green Building at To help conserve resources, please take only one guidebook per group. PWD BK P4504-139N SheldonGuide 1/24/07 7:38 AM Page 2 W elcome to the Sheldon Lake Environmental Learning Center (SLELC). The Learning Center is the 40-acre site of a former state fish hatchery and is part of the 2,800-acre Sheldon Lake State Park. Use this guide and the descriptive signage at the Pond Center, restrooms and other facilities to learn about alternative energy and green building. History Sheldon Reservoir was established in 1941 by the federal government by damming Carpenter’s Bayou to impound its water for war-critical industries on Buffalo Bayou. At that time, the spot where you are now standing was under six feet of water! After World War II, the state of Texas purchased the land. It became one of Texas’ first wildlife management areas to provide public fishing and serve as a research facility and wintering site for ducks and geese. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department drained this half of the original lake and opened a fish hatchery on this site in 1954. Catfish, bass and sunfish were raised in the 28 one-acre ponds along what is now the Pond Loop Trail, and the fingerlings were then released in lakes, streams and ponds throughout East Texas. The Sheldon hatchery was closed around 1975 when it was no longer needed. Today, after more than 30 years of natural succession, SLELC’s grounds and ponds have gradually changed into a mix of trees, shrubs, vines and water plants that are rich with wildlife. The center’s ponds, except for the fishing ponds, are filled only with the rainwater that falls on them. As you walk the trail, try to notice the variations in the trees, shrubs, aquatic vegetation and water levels of the many ponds. PWD BK P4504-139N SheldonGuide 1/24/07 7:38 AM Page 3 Alternative Energy and Green Building A major renovation of the SLELC’s facilities was completed in 2005 to enhance the site’s value and accessibility as an environmental learning center. As part of that renovation, “green building” and “alternative energy” were emphasized in the design. “Alternative energy” (or “renewable energy”) refers to the use of wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal energy and other technologies to produce electricity or perform work which otherwise would be done by burning coal, oil or natural gas. “Green building” refers to design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants and that address: ■ Sustainable site planning, including “life cycle assessment” ■ Safeguarding water and water efficiency ■ Energy efficiency ■ Conservation of materials and resources ■ Indoor environmental quality* Green building fulfills these principles by: ■ using building siting and design as well as vegetation to maximize natural sunlight, shading and breezes. ■ minimizing heating and cooling with thermally efficient windows and insulated walls, ceilings or roofs. ■ including alternative energy systems in building design if feasible. ■ utilizing local and recycled materials when possible to lower transportation and environmental impacts. ■ using water efficiently through low-flow toilets, rainharvesting, and use of water-thrifty native plants. Look for this green building icon as you walk the site. *Source: LEED Training Workshop, USGBC, April 2004 PWD BK P4504-139N SheldonGuide 1/24/07 7:38 AM Page 4 The Pond Center This pavilion is a renovation of a 1950s-era masonry building that was used as the office, lab and garage for the old Sheldon fish hatchery. Rather than being torn down, this dilapidated building was updated into a large, open-entry pavilion for the SLELC with the addition of the canopy roof, concrete floor and restrooms. Several of the green building features of the Pond Center are: ■ Use of fly ash (a waste product from coal-burning power plants) in the concrete mix for the floors and roof columns. ■ Use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood in the ceiling, which certifies the trees were sustainably harvested. ■ Use of low-volatility paints and stains, which reduce air pollution emissions as compared to other paints. ■ Use of energy-efficient florescent and compact florescent lighting. ■ Incorporating surplus oilfield pipe into structural support members of the center and maintenance shed whenever possible. ■ Capturing rainwater from the roof in two 2,500-gallon steel tanks and one 5,000-gallon concrete tank for use in irrigating Pond Center and Plaza flower beds (a 1-inch rainfall will yield approximately 2,000 gallons of water). ■ Well-insulated walls and ceilings; windows open to allow cross-ventilation in fair weather. ■ Use of lower-maintenance native plants in flower beds. PWD BK P4504-139N SheldonGuide 1/24/07 7:38 AM Page 5 Geothermal Heating and Cooling Although “geothermal heat” may make u

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app T O Y O T A T U N D R A The Toyota Tundra is built to explore the great outdoors. No matter what the weekend throws at you, your Tundra takes it on with ease. | toyota.com/tundra Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation CONTENTS 4 100 Years of Texas Parks 6 Parks Near You 8 90 Checklist DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 68 David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman Lake Jackson Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman Wimberley James E. Abell Kilgore Oliver J. Bell Cleveland Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Jeffery D. Hildebrand Houston Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth 52 Panhandle Plains 48 State Parks Map Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover illustration: Brad Woodard, bravethewoods.com Texas State Parks Official Guide, Nineteenth Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (3/23) TPWD receives funds from DHS and USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, visit tpwd.texas. gov/nondiscrimination or call (512) 389-4800 for information on filing a complaint. To obtain information in an alternative format, contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915, by Relay Texas at 7-1-1, (800) 735-2989, or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you speak a language other than English and need assistance, email lep@tpwd.texas.gov. You can also contact Department of the Interior Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, and/or U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), Mail Stop #0190 2707, Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20528. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. WELCOME from Rodney Franklin, State Parks Director This year is very special for Texas State Parks: We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2023. More and more Texans are discovering the beauty of State Parks and exploring the outdoors in new and adventurous ways. Our teams across the state are incredibly excited to welcome outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who have yet to discover what our parks have to offer. The variety of Texas’ lands is unmatched; from the mountains of west Texas to the Gulf shores, the Texas State Park system celebrates and preserves the natural and cultural treasures that make Texas such a special place. The 640,000-plus acres that make up the state park system are nearly as diverse as the people of Texas. Since 1923, our mission has been to help connect our visitors with the outdoors. As we honor those who have come before us, I invite a new generation to be a part of the story of the lands that connect us all. There is more to enjoy in our parks than you know, so please join us in our celebrations and activities. Every day we look for new and better ways to ensure your state parks are welcoming to every Texan, regardless of their background or experience being outside. I hope you’ll visit soon and often, while bringing your friends and family along. YOU are a natural and we’re looking forward to celebrating the 100-year anniversary of state parks with you! WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Galveston Island State Park reopened the beachside of the park with a new headquarters, campsites, restrooms, and more. Bastrop State Park unveiled an extensive new group of trails, the “Tree Army Trails,” many of which are ADA-accessible. Improvements and major repairs are planned for Indian Lodge, Tyler, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, South Llano River, Eisenhower and several other state parks All-terrain “GRIT” wheelchairs are now available at 10 parks with more adaptive equipment on the way to help people of all abilities experience Texas State Parks. Learn more about our accessibility efforts, page 14. More information: TexasStateParks.org/whatsnew 100 Years of Texas Parks The crown jewels of Texas road trips started as an unfunded wish list before the Depression. Back in 1923, Governor Pat Neff realized rising numbers of new car travelers needed places to camp overnight on multi-day trips. Neff convinced the state legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board, half men, half women. Isabella, the Governor’s mother, and her family donated acreage on the Leon

Guía de Parques INSTALACIONES Descarga la Aplicacíon Móvil MAPAS ACTIVIDADES texasstateparks.org/app ¡Los niños entran gratis! La entrada es gratis para los niños de 12 años y menores. Encuentra un parque: parquesdetexas.org Contenido Estero Llano Grande SP 2 Actividades y Programas 4 Parques Cercanos 6 Lugares para Quedarse 8 Tarifas y Pases 9 Directorio 10 Mapa de Parques 18 Instalaciones y Actividades BIENVENIDO Rodney Franklin, Director de Parques Texas tiene algunas de las tierras públicas más diversas del país, con una gran riqueza natural y cultural. La vida silvestre está por todas partes, los paisajes florecen con belleza, y la historia es abundante. Sus parques estatales son parte del legado que nos enorgullece. La gente de Texas ayuda a asegurar ese legado para las generaciones futuras al visitar y ser voluntarios. ¡Gracias! Estos más de 630,000 acres exhiben algunos de los grandes tesoros del estado. Los parques nos ayudan a crear recuerdos con la familia y a encontrar consuelo en la naturaleza. Los parques fortalecen las economías locales y unen a las comunidades. Sobre todo, los parques nos permiten pasar tiempo al aire libre para recargar energías, estar saludables y relajarnos a nuestra manera. Les invito a disfrutar de sus parques estatales, explorando lo mejor de Texas con amigos y familia. Los parques están aquí para todos. Nos pertenecen a todos. ¡Visítelos, diviértase y ayude a protegerlos para siempre! Foto de portada: Estero Llano State Park, Chase Fountain © 2021 TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (5/21) TPWD recibe fondos del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU. (USFWS por sus siglas en ingles). TPWD prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color, religión, nacionalidad de origen, discapacidad, edad y género, conforme la ley estatal y federal. Para solicitar un acomodo especial u obtener información en un formato alternativo, por favor contacte a TPWD en un Teléfono de Texto (TTY) al (512) 3898915 ó por medio de “Relay Texas” al 7-1-1 ó (800) 735-2989 ó por email a accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. Si usted cree que TPWD ha discriminado en su contra, favor de comunicarse con TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, o con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU., Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. De acuerdo con la Ley de Depósito del Estado de Texas, esta publicación está disponible en el centro de Distribución de Publicaciones del Estado de Texas y/o las Bibliotecas de Depósito de Texas. ACTIVIDADES Y PROGRAMAS ¿Qué puedo hacer en los parques estatales? ¡Disfruta de un día de campo, visita un sitio histórico o elige entre muchas otras opciones! Bicicletas Pedalea a lo largo de los parques a cualquier velocidad, en cualquier estilo, con cualquier grupo. Elige las rutas, el tipo de terreno y las distancias que cumplan con tu zona de confort. Caminatas Empieza con un circuito más corto, avanza a terrenos más difíciles o únete a una caminata guiada. Pescar Puedes pescar sin licencia en tantos como 70 parques estatales. Muchos parques ofrecen equipo para pescar a manera de préstamo y eventos especiales para aprender a pescar. Barcos Renta canoas y kayacs y explora uno de los senderos acuáticos en Texas. Nadar Animales Silvestres Acampar Descubre aves, mamíferos y plantas que tienen su hogar en Texas. Muchos parques tienen señalamientos y listados que te ayudan a aprender más. Encuentra un lugar que cumpla con lo que quieres. Prueba nuevas recetas, comparte historias favoritas y disfruta de las estrellas. 2 Más información y reservaciones: parquesdetexas.org Escape del calor en arroyos, ríos, lagos, manantiales, piletas y playas del mar. Tu seguridad en el agua es muy importante. Lleva el chaleco salvavidas. Aprende a nadar. Guarda a los niños. (512) 389-8900 ¡Pregunta en tu parque cuáles están disponibles! Los niños de 12 años y menores entran GRATIS Cielos Estrellados Escapa de las luces de la ciudad y goza de maravillosas vistas del cielo que no encontrarás en ninguna otra parte. Ven a una fiesta de estrellas o toma una excursión de constelaciones auto-guiada. Familias en la Naturaleza Elige un taller o diseña tu propia aventura. ¡Monta una tienda de campaña, cocina al exterior, prende una fogata y juega al exterior! Nosotros te Toma una publicación gratuita de actividades o pregunta por los paquetes gratuitos con los parques proporcionamos todo el equipo. No es necesario tener experiencia. participantes. Usa los binoculares, lupas, libros de bosquejos y libros de guías para explorar el parque. Mochilas para Exploradores Soldados Búfalo de Texas Descubre la historia con cuentos, vestuarios y herramientas. Sigue la pista de un animal, pesca con caña, cocina sobre una fogata, visita los fuertes y más. Adéntrate en las historias de vida de aquellos que sirvieron valientemente en los primeros regimientos Áfrico-Americanos de las Fuerzas Armadas. ! Seguridad en el Parque Ten cuidado con el agua Pre