The Coastal Prairie Conservancy permanently protected 60 acres of native prairie and seasonal wetlands in northwest Harris County, the nonprofit announced on July 29.
The property sits in the Upper Cypress Creek watershed and adds to the nearly 20,000-acre Katy Prairie Preserve system west of Houston. The conservancy's long-term goal is to protect at least 30,000 acres of the historic Katy Prairie, which spans portions of Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties.
"Conservation happens one project at a time," Mary Anne Piacentini, president and CEO of the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, said in the announcement. "Each property we protect adds to the resilience of the Katy Prairie Preserve … this project helps us with our goal of protecting at least 30,000 acres."
The land was protected through a voluntary conservation easement, a legal agreement that permanently limits future development while allowing continued agricultural use and wildlife management. The easement stays with the property regardless of ownership changes.
Flood-storage role
The 60 acres include seasonal wetlands and ponds that naturally store and slow floodwaters, complementing engineered drainage and flood-control projects in the Cypress Creek watershed. Native prairie plants develop deep root systems that help soil absorb and retain water, according to My Neighborhood News.
The land was once a rice farm. It later transitioned to cattle grazing.
Wildlife on the property
Species documented on or associated with the parcel include the state-threatened white-tailed hawk, the federally protected bald eagle, and the western chicken turtle, a Texas Species of Greatest Conservation Need identified through ongoing Texas A&M University research. The land also supports migratory birds, monarch butterflies and Northern Bobwhite quail.
Funding and what's ahead
Four sources funded the easement: the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's Agricultural Land Easements Program; the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program; the Galveston Bay Estuary Program Conservation Assistance Program; and Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Outdoor Fund.
Across Southeast Texas, the conservancy has permanently protected more than 36,000 total acres, according to the organization. Only about 1% of the original coastal prairie ecosystem remains, making it one of North America's most endangered landscapes.
The conservancy opened its Katy Prairie Welcome Center at the Indiangrass Preserve in Waller on April 10. The preserve offers extended public access on the first weekend of each month: first Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and first Sundays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a naturalist on hand. The Indiangrass Preserve is at 31975 Hebert Road, Waller.
