Conserving Land
Permanently Safeguarding the Iconic Texas landscape
Land conservation is at the core of the Coastal Prairie Conservancy’s work. As the Houston region grows, thousands of acres of coastal prairie, wetlands, and working lands are being lost to land use change and development—threatening the wellbeing of both people and wildlife. The Coastal Prairie region, which stretches from South-central Texas to Southwest Louisiana, is the most endangered ecosystem in North America, with only 1% of its original 20 million acres remaining. These lands are rare and becoming rarer; proactive action needs to be taken now in order to permanently preserve these wide-open spaces for current and future generations. To date, the Coastal Prairie Conservancy has conserved over 33,600 acres of land across Southeast Texas.
The Conservancy is uniquely positioned to accelerate conservation in the region, particularly as the lead partner through two new regional conservation initiatives, the Texas Grasslands and Savannas Initiative, and the Texas Coastal Prairie Initiative. As Houston’s urban footprint expands, we focus on key areas where we can make the greatest impact, using tools like Conservation Agreements, Land Sales, & Land Donations.
These lands provide critical benefits to both people and wildlife. Prairies act like sponges and help absorb floodwaters and sequester carbon, while wetlands protect water quality and supply. Open, connected spaces provide essential habitat for wildlife like Bobwhite quail and Sandhill cranes. By maintaining parts of our preserves as working lands, we help support the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers. Ranching also plays a crucial role in the health of the prairie, as cattle act as natural stewards of the land, grazing in a way that mimics the ecological disturbance once created by bison hundreds of years ago. Many of our conserved lands offer opportunities for public access, boost nature tourism, and increase property values in surrounding areas.
On the Katy Prairie, across Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller counties, the Coastal Prairie Conservancy owns more than 13,400 acres and has conserved over 5,800 acres through agreements with private landowners. We are also working to conserve coastal prairie in other Texas counties—specifically Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Matagorda, Jackson, and Wharton. Our Regional Initiatives map below shows the full scope of these efforts.
