Katy Prairie Conservancy acquires 956 acres of land for preservation

The Katy Prairie Conservancy announced the preservation of an additional 956 acres of land, adding onto 30,127 acres of land the organization has already conserved.

The nonprofit land trust made the announcement in a Jan. 10 press release, stating that these acres of land will be protected from future commercial development.

The new 956-acre preservation is split into two different areas. There are 159.82 acres located in Waller County containing 90 acres of agricultural wetlands. This specific area is also adjacent to other protected lands.

The remaining 805.4 acres of land are located in Matagorda County and are a donated conservation easement. These acres will be used as a working farm and ranch meant to benefit the natural wildlife.

The newly acquired acres will also eventually serve as a place for educational programming, research and recreation, according to the release.

“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,” said Mary Anne Piacentini, president and CEO of KPC, in the press release. “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.”