On April 20th, The Katy Prairie Conservancy graciously hosted WHA’s Rising Leaders for breakfast at the Indiangrass Preserve field office in Waller County.
Over breakfast, Mary Anne Piacentini, the Executive Director of KPC, along with co-workers Wesley Newman and Ryan Middleton told the group about the historic background of the land, and all the things the Katy prairie still has to offer today. The presentation was followed by a tour of the restored prairie/wetlands complex and the Native Seed Nursery which helps KPC replant around 10,000 native plants per year.
“Its is important that the Katy Prairie Conservancy and the West Houston Association work together to ensure a better future for the west Houston region,” says Augustus Campbell, WHA President, “KPC is going to be very influential to development in West Houston.”
The Indiangrass Preserve has 55 acres of restored prairie and a mile and a half of trail. It is open to the public most days of the week and is even a destination for avid birdwatchers from all over the country. The Native Seed Nursery has a Great Grow Out program that allows those who would like to volunteer a chance to grow plants wherever they may live and then return them to the KPC for restoration.
“Now were getting corporate supporters so Snooze, the little restaurant where they have breakfast, they’re doing a Katy campus and their volunteers are going to come out every month and they’ve given them the financial means to actually buy plant material and were giving them advice and, you know, setting it up.” said Mary Ann, when talking to the Rising Leaders about the program.
As the tour wound down, Wesley Newman, the Conservation Director, filled our Rising Leaders in on many of the educational programs KPC offers for kids and community members to learn about conservancy, hunting, bird watching and more. WHA’s Rising Leaders look forward to working with KPC over the coming years to help make West Houston a great place to live, work & play.