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Events on the Prairie
Open TrailsFridays in August from 9 AM - 12 PM KPC wants to get you out on the prairie as much as possible. That's why we've created Open Trails, a program that lets you walk KPC preserves at your own pace. We even provide a full-color guide. Every Friday, you can visit KPC's Indiangrass Preserve (formerly our Field Office Preserve) to see what we've been up to. Come check out our Native Seed Nursery, learn about plants in our interpretive garden, or walk the trail to the reservoir to spot wild ducks. View flitting sparrows and other wildlife and look out for wildflowers springing up everywhere!
Date: Fridays from 9 AM - 12 PM at the Indiangrass PreserveRegistration not required. Please email info@katyprairie.org for more details. Free!
Where in World is the Katy Prairie?Wednesday, September 8 from 6:30 - 8:30 PMWe get phone calls all the time from people asking us where exactly is the prairie. KPC and Keep Katy Beautiful are hosting a joint event to answer that question and lots more about what you can see and do on the Katy Prairie. Date: Wednesday, September 8 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM Location: Katy Heritage Museum @ Katy Heritage Park 5990 George Bush Drive, Katy, Texas Registration required. Space limited. This event is open to the public. Call 713.523.6135 or email info@katyprairie.org for more details. Free.
Prairie Discovery Tour
Saturday, September 11 from 5 - 7 PM
We're moving back outside. Come join our Prairie Discovery Tour. nad visit KPC's Nelson Farms Preserve, a working rice farm. You can also find shade beneath a leafy ring of oaks before taking a leisurely stroll down to the Crawfish Pond with the help of expert guides. September is a wonderful time for butterflies and the golden hues of the late summer prairie.
Date: Saturday, September 11 from 5 - 7 PM at the Nelson Farms Preserve
Registration limited and required. Email info@katyprairie.org for more details.
What to wear for trips to the prairie? All participants should wear appropriate outdoor clothing, including closed-toe shoes and long pants. A long-sleeve shirt is also recommended. Be sure to dress in layers as sometimes the prairie heats up and you will want to be able to shed that jacket. Hats are great if you want to be shielded from the sun. Please bring your own water and insect repellent.
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KPC Covey Takes Flight
 KPC is growing! On Tuesday, August 3, 2010, KPC debuted its Katy Prairie Conservancy Covey, a new group for young professionals who want to get more involved with the Conservancy. We hosted a happy hour at St. Arnold's Brewery. More than 75 people attended the inaugural event, which was sponsored by both Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Rice Epicurean Markets, to enjoy two hours of unlimited St. Arnold's beer and lite bites generously donated by Rice Epicurean Markets, and rub elbows with other Houston young professionals. KPC Advisory Board  member Richard Cron and his wife, Catarina, spear-headed the group and served as co-chairmen of the host committee. The Host Committee included: Dana Blume, Aron Branam, Elizabeth Charpiot, Catarina and Richard Cron, Tony Essalih, David Flores, Lisa Gentry, Adam McConnell, Lauren Nolasco, Carlos Obando, Corbett Parker, James Phelan, Corrie Rae, Miya Shay, Sonia Soto, Cody Sutton, Kari Sutton, Eliot Turner, and Brittany Zucker.
Covey membership offers exclusive benefits, including regular happy hours, special events, discounted tickets to the Katy Prairie Bash, and more. If you're interested, check out the Covey page on KPC's website for more details and information on how to join.
Photos: Catarina and Richard Cron with Jay Guerrero; Lauren Gil, Amber Aielli, Tom Bailey, and Lisa Hunter.
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Sundae Social Melts Hearts
 KPC brought the prairie in town and indoors this month! Visitors packed our home office for a presentation by Houston Chronicle photographer and columnist team, Gary and Kathy Adams Clark, who presented their favorite memories of the Katy Prairie in photos and thoughts. To keep everyone cool in the heat of August, KPC provided ice cream and sundae toppings. Mr. Clark discussed some of the wonderful wildlife found on the prairie, including the painted bunting, a brightly colored specimen that inspired him to become a birder, along with other exciting and poignant moments on the Prairie.
Mrs. Adams Clark showed off some
of her favorite photographs of the prairie - vivid sunsets and mockingbirds nestled in bushes. She echoed a sentiment that we often espouse about visiting the prairie - if you just take time to look around, you'll find the hidden gems of the prairie. There is always something wonderful to see on the prairie, be it the many birds, the stately grasses appearing to blow right up against the setting sun, or just enjoying the huge skies so many of us take for granted.
Photos: Sampling Hank's ice cream; Gary and Kathy Adams Clark with KPC Community Education Manager Jaime Gonzalez.
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 2nd Annual Summer Science Nights Soars
Our second annual Summer Science Nights camp was a major success this year! We had many budding scientists make the trip out to the prairie to learn more about summer serpents, the prehistoric prairie, and how to stay cool while exploring the outdoors. Thank you so much to all the parents and students who participated and supported a program that we hope to expand each year. We also owe a great deal of gratitude to all of the KPC Rangers and National Charity League, Katy Chapter volunteers who helped to make the event a success.
Everyone had great fun at Summer Science Nights. But if you missed us this summer, KPC will be hosting a winter camp in December called Survivor - Katy Prairie. More details coming soon.
Photo: Kids digging for fossils at Prehistoric Prairie.
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Helping Hands - Volunteer News
by Terri Ficker, Volunteer Coordinator
Our volunteers are Flat Out Wonderful
Despite the summer heat and a spate of thunderstorms, KPC volunteers continue to step forward, show up, and do as much as they can to help KPC protect and enhance the Katy Prairie.
Volunteer Events
Rambling Rangers: Volunteers are encouraged to attend the Keep Katy Beautiful event at the Katy Heritage Museum (see Events section). KPC will host a Volunteer Orientation on Saturday, October 2nd. Watch the KPC website for details on all these and special volunteer events.
Beat the Heat. Now through August 19th, volunteers can join Conservation Technician Linda Langlitz for nursery work on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. There is still plenty of repotting to do as well as getting more mature plants ready to go into the soil for fall planting around the new Matt Cook Wildlife Viewing Platform currently under construction at Warren Lake.
PrairieWorks - A Fun Way to End the Week!
Want to get your hands dirty? Every Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 AM, KPC hosts PrairieWorks at our Indiangrass Preserve. Volunteers can come and work in the Coastal Prairie Native Seed Nursery - watering, weeding, and potting seedlings. After or before your volunteer efforts, you can take a stroll on the IndiangrassPreserve as part of our weekly Open Trails program. Email info@katyprairie.org for more details.
Spotlight
Thanks to our Volunteers!
KPC would like to thank all the following volunteers who generously gave their time in July:
PrairieWorks
Brad Alexander Shanna Everett Lauren Henderson Toni Huff Joe Langlitz
Linda Langlitz Grace Liggitt Sheryl Marquez
Prairie Discovery Tour
Al Shultz Kathie Shultz Mission Possible Challenge Toni Huff Diane Kerr Joe Langlitz Sheryl Marquez Don Mayhall
Alan Richardson Open Trails Sunday Jim & Chris Dyess Summer Science Nights Dana Barker Rebecca Barker Kate Bechtold Chris Dyess Jim Dyess Anne Patton Leslie Patton Jessie Sides Kristen Sides Rhonda Sides Great Grow Out Team Eleanor Evans Shelly Fletcher General Assistance Bob Honig NCL Star Chapter Members Shine Thanks to the members of the National Charity League's Star Chapter in Katy for their help in the nursery during the month of June and their assistance with Summer Science Nights during June and July. A special thanks to their Philanthropy Liaison, Jennifer Newton, for coordinating with us to direct her chapter's members to our volunteer opportunities. Oops! Did you volunteer with us in July and don't see your name? If we missed listing your volunteer contribution for the month of July, please email info@katyprairie.org, and we'll be sure you make it into the next newsletter.
Photo: KPC volunteer and Texas Master Naturalist Shanna Everett working in the Native Seed Nursery.
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Support KPC
Regular support is critical to our success. Preserving the Flat Out Wonderful Katy Prairiedepends on the support of people like you.
Give to the Katy Prairie today and help protect this
special place for all Texans. Please click the JustGive button to donate now or you can visit our website at www.katyprairie.org
to find out how you can support our land conservation efforts,
educational programming, permanent protection of the Warren Ranch, and preserve enhancement activities.
Do you like to shop? Do you buy your groceries at Kroger or Randalls? If you do, you can link your Kroger and Randalls cards to the Katy Prairie Conservancy. Every time you shop, a portion of the amount you spend will go to help provide educational programming on the Katy Prairie. To donate through Kroger, please click on the link Buy Groceries Now to download the form you need. Bring the form to Kroger's Customer Service booth and link your card to KPC! To link your Randalls card to KPC, simply visit the customer service desk at your nearest Randalls store and ask
the clerk to link your card to our code: 6658. This is a one-time
request so that Randalls can donate to KPC each time you use your Randalls Remarkable Card.
 Earth Share of Texas represents the Katy Prairie Conservancy in
workplace payroll contribution plans throughout Texas. You can help support the Katy Prairie Conservancy with a workplace giving pledge through EarthShare Texas. Earth Share Texas represents KPC and 69 other nonprofits across Texas . If you are an employee of the cities of Austin, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, San Marcos, the State of Texas, the Federal Government, REI, Dell Incorporated, Wal-Mart, Hewlett Packard, and many others where you can donate, please check out KPC's page for our numbers to fill out on your donation forms. Thank you! If you would like your company to consider establishing an EarthShare workplace giving program, please call Mary Anne Piacentini at 713.523.6135 for more information on how you can help.
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Photo Credits
All photos were taken by KPC staff unless otherwise noted.
Indiangrass Preserve by Carolyn Fannon
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| The Katy Prairie Conservancy
3015 Richmond Avenue, Suite 230
Houston, TX 77098-3114
713.523.6135
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