Katy Prairie Conservancy Gains More Land; Offers Families Nature Experiences

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

January 13, 2022

By Natalie Cook Clark

The Katy Prairie Conservancy is growing by 965 acres increasing lands conserved to 30,127 acres. KPC offers local families the chance to learn about nature through hands on activities and popular events like nature tours, astronomy nights, bird watching and more.

The long-billed curlew can be found on the Katy Prairie Preserve, including newly acquired acreage encompassing wetlands and grasslands. Photo by Greg Lavaty.

The Katy Prairie Increases Land

The Katy Prairie Conservancy (KPC) now has a land trust of 30,127 acres conserved. Part of that land is right here in Katy and a favorite Katy spot.

Tiger Prairie is a Katy Nature Spot

Katy High School’s Tiger Prairie covers one acre of land located at the corner of Highway 90 and FM 1463. The nature-inspired area is used as an outdoor classroom for biology, environmental science, art, and nature photography.

The location is also available, when the school is not using it, for community use and is a popular photography location.

“The Tiger Prairie is not just for Katy High School, it’s for the entire Katy community,” says Dr. Rhonda Burrough of the Katy High School’s Science Department. “We want residents to wander in, sit for a while and enjoy the beauty of a native Texas prairie.”

Nature Opportunities for Students, Families

KPC offers students and families hands on activities to learn about nature through their many Unplugged Adventures opportunities. A popular program is the Astronomy Nights when KPC partners with the Fort Bend Astronomy Club. The program gives families the opportunity to explore the skies and telescopes are provided.

Families can also enjoy kite flying, nighttime predator prowl, camp out to watch meteor showers, and more. Click here to learn more and to schedule Unplugged Adventures.

Lands owned and conserved by KPC is protected from commercial development.

According to KPC, the eventual goal of the combined projects on the Katy Prairie, including the new acquisition, is to add nearly 5,000 contiguous acres to the southwestern portion of the preserve. This will include managed areas with special habitat for wildlife of concern; properties protected with flood plain easements to aid with regional flood control and agricultural lands that ensure local farming, grazing, and food production.

“There is an urgent need to conserve land in the Greater Houston area, as growth is consuming the coastal prairie, and the loss of these lands threatens the well-being of people and wildlife,” says Mary Anne Piacentini, President and CEO of Katy Prairie Conservancy.

Learn more about the Katy Prairie Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust dedicated to preserving coastal prairie, wetlands, farms, and ranches in Texas.

“Protected lands, such as the newly protected properties on the Katy Prairie Preserve and in Matagorda County, serve our community by keeping land in agriculture, linking current generations to natural heritage, and connecting people to nature,” says Piacentini.

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