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| Head to the Polls for Proposition 8
Ensure clean water for all Texans
On Tuesday, Texans will head to the polls to vote. Be sure to take this opportunity to learn about Proposition 8, which will help protect our state's water supply and ensure clean water for everyone.
Proposition 8, the Water Stewardship Amendment, will create incentives that will:
* secure a reliable supply of water for our children and grandchildren;
* protect water quality in our streams, rivers, and aquifers;
* increase water supplies to help keep water rates affordable, and
* increase water conservation by encouraging more efficient use of water.
Currently, property owners in Texas who meet a set of standards for managing their land to promote agriculture or to protect wildlife are eligible to have their property's value assessed at a lower rate, which reduces their property tax bill. Proposition 8 would extend the same incentives to property owners who manage their land to conserve water and protect water quality. And because the water incentives in this measure would only be eligible to property owners who already qualify for the agriculture or wildlife incentives, it would protect water quality and supplies without any reduction in tax revenues.
Proposition 8 provides a new tool to landowners by incentivizing protection and stewardship of our state's limited water resources. It encourages landowners to partner with the state to protect water quantity and quality without impacting the state's finances. The measure is also helpful to landowners affected by recent wildfires who can no longer sustain agriculture and want to restore their property.
Proposition 8 was passed unanimously by the Texas Legislature and had the support of both Republicans and Democrats. It is backed by farmers, ranchers, landowners, taxpayers' organizations and conservation groups.
Proposition 8 will protect the security of Texas' water supply for future generations. Please consider voting Yes for Proposition 8.
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Upcoming Events
Wild West Tour: Predator Prowl
Friday, November 11
 On Friday, November 11 join local naturalist Glenn Olsen, an expert in local ecology who knows lots about local birds and native plants, for an exciting twilight predator prowl on the Katy Prairie as part of our Wild West Tours. These tours are a great way to get an up-close look at some of the best places and wildlife that the Katy Prairie has to offer. You'll search for coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, etc. that stalk the prairie looking for prey. Glenn will set up blinds on rarely-visited preserves and will attempt to call in predators using special equipment.
When: Friday, November 11
Registration required. $65 per person. Please contact Jaime Gonzalez at 713.523.6135 or email jgonzalez@katyprairie.org to register.
State of the Prairie Conference
November 18 - 19
KPC is partnering with the Coastal Prairie Partnership and other groups to sponsor this year's State of the Prairie Conference and it's shaping up to the best conference yet! We've worked hard to assemble a terrific national and statewide experts who will give informative and inspiring presentations and lead field trips. This year we have all kinds of workshops, including landscaping with prairie plants and building prairies in urban and suburban spaces, as well as discussions on ecotourism, cattle production, and much, much, more. KPC highly encourages any one with an interest in creating and restoring prairies to attend Friday's lectures. The following day will include field trips to prairie sights around Houston, including the UH Coastal Center and the pristine Nash Prairie remnant. Please check out the State of the Prairie website for detailed presentation information.
When: Indoor presentations on Friday, November 18
Field Experiences on Saturday, November 19
Where: Houston Zoo
Registration Required. Please visit the State of the Prairie website to register. Walk-up registration available for November 18 session - by check payment.
 Unplugged Adventure: Biking and BirdingFriday, November 12
KPC's Unplugged Adventure program is designed to get you and your family unplugged from the ordinary and into the extraordinary with fun, exclusive events on the Katy Prairie.
The rugged Warren Ranch is perfect for a late-fall biking expedition. Join KPC bird experts when we explore this sprawling, wildlife-rich ranch from the seat of your bike! Participants will meet at the north end of Warren Ranch at our Matt Cook Memorial Wildlife Viewing Platform, unload their bikes, and start a 6-mile adventure to the south end of the Warren Ranch, riding along easy ranch roads. Along the away, we are sure to see plenty of wildlife, including newly arrived winter birds from the north. Drivers will rendezvous with bikers at Warren Ranch South for the return trip to the viewing platform.
When: Saturday, December 3, start 10 AM and end at 1 PM
Where: Participants meet at the Matt Cook Memorial Wildlife Viewing Platform.
Registration required. Participants must provide their own transportation and bike. To register, please email jgonzalez@katyprairie.org.
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 temperature of the prairie can change rapidly - from hot to cold and windy. Hats are great if you want to be shielded from the sun. Please bring your own water and insect repellent.
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 Planning a trip to the prairie?
Make sure we're open! KPC tries to make the prairie as accessible as possible with regular events and scheduled prairie days. However, not all of our preserves are open all the time. If a preserve gate is not open, please do not enter the property. Do not climb over fences and tour on your own as that could get you into trouble with area game wardens and peace officers. While we are striving to have more preserves open more often, please note that our user-friendly Indiangrass Preserve is accessible to visitors every Friday morning from 9 AM to 1 PM and the second Thursday of every month from 9 AM to 1 PM. If you have a group of 10 or more and want to schedule a special tour, we will try to accommodate your group but please give us at least six (6) weeks advance notice.
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Volunteer News
Did you know? Volunteers have contributed nearly 2,000 hours of volunteer time so far this year. If we estimated the value of those hours using just the standard value of $10 an hour (way low for the expertise provided by most of KPC's volunteers), we received $20,000 in contributed services.
Many thanks to all our wonderful volunteers!!!
Volunteer Events
PrairieWorks - Dig in to the Katy Prairie in our Native Seed Nursery! Want to get your hands dirty? Every second Thursday and Friday of each month, KPC hosts PrairieWorks at our Indiangrass Preserve. Volunteers can come and work in the Coastal Prairie Native Seed Nursery watering, weeding, and potting seedlings. Thursday times are 8 AM to 3 PM; Friday times are 9 AM to 1 PM. Email info@katyprairie.org for more details.
Spotlight
Event Support
Kate Bechtold
Craig Cooper
Johnny Fife
Cody Mikeska
Karen Miller
Alan Richardson
Lisa Scott
Land Monitoring
Johnny Fife
Bob Honig
Nursery Warriors
Craig Cooper
Johnny Fife
Karen Miller
Diane Russell
Rice Harvest Festival
Chris Dyess
Lesli Edge
Toni Huff
David Poteet
Iris Poteet
BIOBLITZ
Mammal Team
Amy Bickham Baird
John Bickham
Early Morning Bird Team
Jennifer Backo
Scott Keister
Jaquita Ekezie
Alyson Frisch
Stephan Lorenz
David Poteet
Iris Poteet
Invertebrate + Herp Team
Bob Honig
Matt Abernathy
Chuck Duplant
Eric Duran
Leslie Edge
Maggie Honig
Christina Huerdo
Cletus Lee
Gene Luhn
Debbie Copeland Luhn
Brandt Mannchen
TIffany McElweenie
Kathy Pratt & Family
John Schneider
Eric Stone
Bill Snypes
Wally Ward
Barney White
Plant Team
Ivonne Cordova
Mike Kirkland
Cheryl Sedivec
Lan Shen
2011 Fall Texas Master Naturalist-Gulf Coast Chapter Class
Evening Bird Team
Steve Gast
Mary Fitzgerald
Alyson Frisch
Stephan Lorenz
Don Mayhall
Claire Moore
Sylvia Paredes
Al Shultz
Oops! Did you volunteer with us in October and don't see your name? If we missed listing your volunteer contribution, please email info@katyprairie.org and we'll be sure you make it into the next newsletter.
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Support KPC
Your support is critical to our success. Preserving the Flat Out Wonderful Katy Prairie depends on the support of people like you. Give to the Katy Prairie Conservancy today and help protect this special place forever. Click the JustGive button to donate now or visit our website at www.katyprairie.org to find out how you can further our land conservation efforts, educational programming, and preserve enhancement activities.
Shop and save - the Katy Prairie! As you shop for essentials at Kroger or Randalls, you can also shop for the essential Katy Prairie. Simply link your Kroger or Randalls card to the Katy Prairie Conservancy. Every time you shop and use your savings card, a portion of the amount you spend will fund KPC's educational programming to connect kids with nature 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.
 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, you already can donate to KPC so 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.
 The Reliant EcoShare is a new way that Texans can support the Katy Prairie Conservancy and offset their own carbon production at the same time. Reliant Energy and EarthShare of Texas have launched a program that allows Reliant customers to help reduce their carbon footprints through the purchase of carbon offsets. And for each customer-purchased offset, Reliant will make a contribution to EarthShare of Texas and its participating organizations. As an EarthShare of Texas participating organization, KPC will benefit from this program. For more information, follow this link to the EarthShare of Texas website or go directly to reliant.com/ecoshare.
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Photo Credits Bobcat - Greg Lavaty
Bikes - stock photo
Warren Lake - Frank Farese
All photos were taken by KPC staff unless otherwise noted. |
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| The Katy Prairie Conservancy
3015 Richmond Avenue, Suite 230
Houston, TX 77098-3114
713.523.6135
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