TERRY HERSHEY, 1922-2017 
The stretch of Buffalo Bayou running between the Addicks and Barker reservoirs and Shepherd Dr. looks the way it does today in large part because Terry Hershey and some friends spotted the unannounced work to pave and reroute the bayou — and raised some hell about it with the county, the Corps of Engineers, and others. The early actions of Hershey and her associates stopped the pave-over, led to the founding of what became the Bayou Preservation Association, aided the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act (which requires public involvement in projects that could impact the environment), and helped to catalyze Houston’s environmental movement. Hershey’s legacy includes founding, laying groundwork for, and participating in many other organizations to protect green space and environmental quality in Houston and throughout the state, many of which are still active today; the 6-mile park along Buffalo Bayou between Hwy. 6 and Beltway 8 is named for her. Hershey passed away today at age 94. [Houston History, Houston Chronicle] Photo of Terry Hershey Park: Save Buffalo Bayou
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We moved to the west side of town to have access to Terry Hershey park. It’s one of the best parts about Houston. Thank you, Ms. Hershey. RIP.
Ouch, Swamplot, if Hershey died today, then the year of her death is 2017, not 2016.
Quite a lady! But she left us in 2017, not 2016.
Yikes! Thanks, Al and Houstonreader — clearly we forgot to flip over to the new page in our calendar. Fixed now!
One of the best recreation spots in Houston are the pathways along that park. Now lets get busy doing the same along Buffalo Bayou from 610 to Shepard.
Great work! The kids and I have biked many miles through Hershey and George Bush Parks. Very great fun and RIP.
I used to live in Piney Point Village and cycled along the Bike path many times. Such as tranquil place in the bustling city. Thank Goodness for Mrs. Hershey and all of the others who preserved this slice of greenery. Many she RIP..
Due to the efforts of Terry Hershey I am so lucky to be able to enjoy the riparian open green space next to Buffalo Bayou with my family.
WR: “One of the best recreation spots in Houston are the pathways along that park. Now lets get busy doing the same along Buffalo Bayou from 610 to Shepard.”
And rip up everything that Terry Hershey worked so hard to save on Buffalo Bayou? Terry Hershey Park had already been razed and channelized by the Army Corps of Engineers decades before it became a county park. Terry Hershey fought to prevent that from happening elsewhere on Buffalo Bayou.
We can have trails on Buffalo Bayou – indeed there are trails on Buffalo Bayou in Memorial Park and the Arboretum — without razing the forest and bulldozing the banks.
There is an inherent conflict between saving a natural area and creating a recreation area.
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Population pressure creates the “need” to allow people safely & comfortably to “use” a place.
Nature requires that the area be left alone to do what it needs as time goes by.