Native Prairies Association of Texas

05/29/2026

📍Brenham/Chappell Hill, Texas

Join the Fayette Prairie Chapter of NPAT at Elder Prairie for their monthly workday. Elder Prairie is a 203-acre prairie, owned by NPAT, in Washington County. We’ll spend the morning clearing areas to support native plant recovery and improve habitat for wildlife.

www.texasprairie.org/event/fayette-prairie-chapter-elder-prairie-workday-june26

05/27/2026

As North Texas continues to grow, conversations about conserving open space are becoming more and more important

Last week, NPAT’s Rachel Seets joined a Fort Worth Report panel discussion on the future of green space conservation in Fort Worth alongside Mayor Mattie Parker, Allison Docker, Carrie Kasnicka, and Paxton Motheral.

During the discussion, Rachel highlighted the role prairies and open land play in supporting clean water, flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat, and air quality.

“Open space can also help to prevent flash flooding by absorbing rain water into the ground,” Seets shared during the conversation. “You’re talking about billions of dollars of infrastructure from engineers that’s just free and here if we can conserve it.”

In a state where most land is privately owned, conserving prairies and natural lands takes collaboration between landowners, communities, conservation organizations, and local governments. As cities expand, thoughtful conservation planning helps protect the natural systems that support both people and wildlife across Texas.

Thank you to Fort Worth Report for hosting this important discussion on the future of conservation and growth in North Texas.

🌾Read the full article here:

Four experts and Mayor Mattie Parker spoke Thursday at the Fort Worth Report’s Candid Conversation about protecting Fort Worth’s green space.

05/26/2026

📍 NPAT Headquarters – Manchaca, Texas

Spend the morning exploring the prairie at Dowell Ranch with Native Prairies Association of Texas, Austin Butterfly Forum, and Travis Audubon. Following a wet spring across Central Texas, the prairie is full of blooming wildflowers and active butterflies.

This beginner-friendly prairie walk will focus on observing and identifying butterflies. Participants are encouraged to document species observations on iNaturalist throughout the walk. Participants are welcome to bring binoculars, cameras, magnifiers, field guides, or other observation tools.

🌾RSVP here:
www.texasprairie.org/event/dowell-butterfly-walk-may2026/

05/24/2026

📍 Fort Worth, Texas

Cool-season grasses are some of the first plants to green up across North Texas prairies each spring. Spend a day at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge learning how to identify them in the field during this hands-on workshop with Dr. Joseph K. Wipff III, aka “J.”

Participants will review grass plant structure, work directly with locally collected specimens, and head out onto the demonstration prairie to practice identification techniques in the field. The workshop is designed for direct interaction and discussion, with a limited group size to support hands-on learning throughout the day.

Lunch is included with registration.

🌾Register here:
www.texasprairie.org/event/fwnpat-cool-grass-may2026/

05/24/2026

Researchers with the University of Illinois are studying what keeps conservation volunteers engaged over time, and your experience can help shape that work.

This short survey looks at your volunteer background, what motivates you, and how volunteering fits into your life. The project connects to research on Texas prairie dawn, a rare and endangered prairie species.

If you have spent time volunteering in conservation, your input is valuable.

🌾Take the survey here:
https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2oeUEO1RtGaP5Fc?mc_cid=aaab06d6cb&mc_eid=fb629b8c90

05/23/2026

📍Houston, TX

The Houston Chapter of Native Prairies Association of Texas hosts monthly chapter meetings, offering a chance to connect with the Houston prairie community and hear from local conservation professionals.

This month’s guest speaker is Collin Dice, PhD Candidate at the University of Houston, presenting “Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, a New Potential Tool in Grassland Restoration.”

His talk will explore how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi support native plant growth and diversity, and how these underground fungal networks may be used to improve prairie restoration outcomes.

🌾RSVP here:
www.texasprairie.org/event/hnpat-monthly-meeting-may2026

05/22/2026

A full day in Greenville brought landowners and prairie experts together, learning about prairie stewardship in North Texas.

We started the morning with presentations from NPAT’s Rachel Seets on prairie conservation and conservation easements, and Jay Whiteside with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on prairie ecology and management practices. The Blackland Prairie Raptor Center also shared a live raptor demonstration, highlighting the role of predatory birds in healthy prairie ecosystems.

After lunch, we explored a rare remnant blackland prairie on a guided tour led by Matt White, prairie expert and author of Prairie Time. The tour focused on native plant identification and practical approaches to land stewardship.

Details for our next Landowner Workshop will be shared soon. 🌾

05/21/2026

📍 Fort Worth, Texas

Explore the sandy prairies of the Western Cross Timbers during a morning BioBlitz at the Fort Worth Nature Center.

Led by Kate Morgan and Dave Vestal, this field outing will use iNaturalist to document plant and wildlife species found in deep sand prairie habitat along the old equestrian trail north of the Cross Timbers Trail. The site’s Aquilla Fine Sandy Loam soils support a diverse mix of prairie plants, including several species that are uncommon at the Nature Center.

🌾RSVP here:
www.texasprairie.org/event/fwnpat-refuge-bioblitz-may2026/

05/20/2026

Fort Worth is growing fast, and community discussions about conservation, water, wildlife, and quality of life are more important than ever.

We’re excited to share that NPAT's North Texas Acquisitions Manager, Rachel Seets will be joining an outstanding panel this week hosted by the Fort Worth Report to discuss the future of green space and natural land conservation in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

As development continues to reshape North Texas, protecting native prairie, open space, and working lands is about more than scenery. These landscapes support groundwater recharge, reduce runoff and urban heat impacts, provide pollinator and wildlife habitat, and help keep North Texas connected to its natural heritage.

We’re grateful to see prairie conservation included in these important regional conversations alongside partners working across planning, parks, land protection, and development.

The future of Texas growth should include the prairies, forests, and other green infrastructure that have been part of its history.

🌾Register here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/candid-conversation-fort-worths-green-space-tickets-1988411417075

Join us as our panelists examine the question: What are the challenges in funding, acquiring and protecting green spaces?

05/20/2026

📍Virtual via Zoom

Today’s Wild at Work webinar will explore the importance of prairies and ways to get involved in prairie conservation and restoration efforts, hosted by Coastal Prairie Conservancy.

🌾RSVP here:
www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/conservation-legacy/adult-education/waw/

05/19/2026

📍 Deer Park, Texas

Deer Park Prairie will be open to the community for a day of guided prairie exploration, native plant and wildlife activities, citizen science, and evening mothing with the Moth Posse. Explore the prairie alongside Master Naturalists and Houston Chapter volunteers, contribute to a community BioBlitz, and experience one of Texas’ most biodiverse remnant coastal prairies after dark during mothing activities.

Protected by Native Prairies Association of Texas, this 51-acre coastal prairie preserve is not regularly open for public access, making this a rare opportunity to visit and experience Deer Park Prairie up close.

🌾RSVP here:
www.texasprairie.org/event/hnpat-dpp-open-house-may2026/