Resilient Communities - Alief

Access to Nature

Over 400 trees and two pocket prairies are restoring green space across Alief.

Houston, USA.

Residents and volunteers are transforming local schools and community sites into cooler, greener spaces. These plantings capture rainwater, add shade, and create safer, more welcoming places for families to gather and connect.

Two new pocket prairies planted on school grounds are creating cooler, greener spaces that capture rainfall and attract pollinators.

Two community build days brought together local organizations, students, and volunteers to restore native plants and trees.

Shade structures and planting beds are being co-designed with students and residents to improve comfort and encourage community use of outdoor spaces.

To build a picture of each community, the Resilience for Communities (R4C) program used risk mapping, open-data sources, expert interviews, community surveys and focus groups. This assessment used the Climate Resilience Measurement for Communities (CRMC) tool to assess community resilience to extreme heat and flooding - helping to identify priorities and design solutions.

Sources of resilience — Restoring native greenery strengthens Alief’s natural, social, and human capital.

Natural

Human

Social

Restoring native trees and prairies increases local biodiversity and improves soil health. Deeper roots absorb rainwater and reduce surface heat, helping streets, schools, and homes stay cooler and drier.

Volunteer programs and youth engagement create opportunities for residents to gain hands-on skills in planting, maintenance, and design. Spending time outdoors improves physical and mental well-being, while building practical knowledge that supports long-term resilience.

Impact multipliers — Resilience solutions have a different mix of impact multipliers and impact multiple systems, businesses and societies. Together, multipliers produce anamplified impact.

Enhance biodiversity

Planting native species in Alief will help address the neighborhood’s biggest vulnerability: heat.

Reduced pollution

Improving the quantity and quality of green spaces in cities significantly improves air quality.

Enhanced drainage systems

Prairie grasses and native plants absorb more water and can reduce flood risks after extreme rainfall.

How does this solution make a difference? – Addressing prioritized shocks and stresses

Extreme heat

Flash floods

Poor air quality

Increasing tree canopy

With only 11% tree canopy—far below Houston’s 33% average—Alief experiences temperatures up to 10 degrees higher than well-shaded areas. Planting and caring for trees and native species provides cool shade and reduces the urban heat island effect.

Catching excess rainwater

Mature trees and native plants soak up excess rainwater and reduce flood risks.

Improving air quality

Planting trees and native species helps to improve air quality, community members’ health and well-being.

Alief experiences higher than average temperatures compared to the rest of Houston.

Hot links

About the Alief Pocket Prairie

Alief Community Action Plan