As climate threats escalate, cities face the challenge of protecting their residents from the devastating impacts of intensifying storms and flooding. For Houston, a city all too familiar with the destructive power of hurricanes, Exploration Green enhances community resilience by converting a 178-acre defunct golf course into a multifunctional green space.

The site integrates flood mitigation, water quality enhancement, habitat restoration, and recreational amenities to the benefit of residents and nature alike. Ongoing volunteer programs, educational workshops, and on-site community events instill a sense of stewardship and pride among residents. Native vegetation, cultivated in the on-site nursery, creates an impressive range of habitats that invite wildlife to flourish, while miles of trails provide opportunities for leisurely strolls, invigorating bike rides, and moments of quiet contemplation. Between these pathways lie detention ponds capable of storing up to 500 million gallons of stormwater, alleviating flood risks for over 3,000 neighboring homes. Wetland buffers capture and filter stormwater runoff, reducing pollutants and sedimentation.

Exploration Green’s achievements have garnered recognition as a case study for effective floodplain management by FEMA, setting a powerful precedent for communities worldwide.