Blackland Chapter of the Native Prairie Association of Texas: Tools for Prairie Preservation - Dallas

RJ Taylor and Pat Merkord will bring us a discussion about what you can do to help preserve threatened prairie sites in North Texas.  RJ Taylor will present an overview of several prairie sites in the Blackland Prairie region that are currently under the threat of habitat loss. 

We will hear the stories about three undeveloped prairie properties that are being planned for conversion from agricultural lands to developed in Dallas-Fort Worth. Wallace Prairie in Rockwall has recently been purchased from the ranching family and is currently being planned for a residential development. The Becks Creek Prairie site in Richardson/Plano is owned by a corporation and is being evaluated for homesites. Indian Hills Prairie site is located in the outskirts of Farmersville, a portion of which the landowner is willing to protect if funds were available.

This is not the end of the story; opportunities exist for citizens to help preserve the native prairie landscapes on these properties. Pat Merkord will give us an overview of conservation tools that have been effectively used in Texas to protect important natural lands.

Working with both the original landowners and the entities purchasing those lands, options are available to raise funds to purchase the prairie lands for permanent protection or to work with landowners on placing conservation easements on those lands. Merkord will use as an example initiatives in the Houston area for the Lawther-Deer Park Prairie site.