As 2020 proved to many, parks and trails are an essential part of our communities and provide a multitude of benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing. For Houston Parks Board, the pandemic brought the meaning of our work into focus in a whole new way. Despite a year of unexpected challenges, we are grateful that we could move forward with our Bayou Greenways 2020 work as well as continue our conservation and maintenance efforts.
We are now beginning the last stages of our Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative which is transforming 3,000 acres of underutilized land along nine major waterways and creating a 150-mile network of connected parks and trails along Houston’s major waterways. As part of the initiative, we have acquired 767 acres of new green space along the bayous which will be preserved as permanent parkland. When complete, this network of trails will reach almost every corner of our city, connecting neighborhoods to employment hubs, schools, major institutions, and more.
Bayou Greenways 2020 is made possible through public-private partnership with the City of Houston and Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and implemented in close collaboration with Harris County Flood Control District. Thanks to a transformational $50 million gift from Kinder Foundation and to the extraordinary generosity of many others, we have surpassed our goal of assembling more than $225 million to invest in Bayou Greenways. Our fundraising journey began in 2012 when Houston voters resoundingly approved a bond to provide $100 million in funds to the Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative.
To ensure that our green spaces connect us to each other and revitalize our lives, we are committed to keeping our linear parks and trails beautiful, accessible, safe, and functional for all. Only a high standard of care driven by a strong conservation ethic will sustain our quality green spaces. We take care of our green spaces and trails by regularly mowing, cleaning up litter, clearing paths, removing debris, clearing off graffiti, restoring amenities, and cleaning after floods. Our Conservation and Maintenance team currently oversees more than 90 miles of trails and stewards nearly 2,400 acres of green space, which includes planting hundreds of trees and native grasses.
As we enter this new year, we continue to encourage Houstonians to safely go out and explore the parks and trails that make our communities so special.