Each year, millions of acres of land are altered worldwide. The Katy Prairie is no exception to this trend. Annually, thousands of acres – prairie, wetlands, agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, and waterways – are altered so drastically that they are essentially changed forever. The Katy Prairie originally covered more than 500,000 acres, first as a tallgrass prairie interspersed with wetlands, and later with family farms and ranches spreading out for thousands of acres. Since 1978, more than 160,000 acres of the Katy Prairie have been lost to development – for residential, industrial, or commercial use.

The Katy Prairie Conservancy (KPC) is a nonprofit land trust established in 1992 to protect a sustainable portion of the Katy Prairie for its wildlife and all Texans forever. Long-term, KPC plans to protect between 30,000 and 60,000 acres, the amount of land biologists believe is necessary to support the diversity of wildlife found on the Katy Prairie. Much of the protected land will be maintained in agricultural production with some areas providing enhanced wildlife habitat through the creation or restoration of wetlands and tallgrass prairie. Currently KPC’s 6,000 acres of protected property are used for many purposes – farming and ranching, bird watching, hunting, educational tours, and research.

KPC uses a variety of land protection methods to meet the special needs of each individual land owner:

KPC’s first purchase involved a bargain sale (the property was sold for less than the appraised value) of a 554-acre farm. This method enabled the owner to participate in a tax deferred land exchange (§1031 exchange), where the seller purchases another piece of land and thereby avoids capital gains taxes. KPC has also purchased land at the full appraised value, paying in cash at closing or paying over an agreed upon time frame, based on the tax consequences desired by the seller.

KPC’s land protection program also has been greatly aided by the donation of lands used to compensate for the loss of wetlands elsewhere. In most cases, the acquired properties have been adjacent to land already owned by KPC, effectively expanding KPC’s preserves. Other donated lands front nearby Cypress Creek, thereby creating a wildlife corridor, connecting preserves and providing open space and recreational opportunities.

KPC also uses conservation easements to protect land from development. A conservation easement is an agreement between a private landowner and a qualified entity, such as KPC, to permanently protect the land’s scenic, open space, natural resource, or historical values by placing limits on the development that may occur on the land. One of the most notable examples of lands on the Katy Prairie that have been protected through a conservation easement is Live Oaks Ranch in Waller County.

In addition to donated conservation easements, KPC is working with willing landowners in a purchase of development rights (PDR) program. KPC’s first PDR involves a working farm whose owners will continue to farm and ranch as they have for generations, but who will place restrictions that limit the property’s future development. In exchange for the development rights, the owners will receive a sizable cash amount.

Some property owners have donated trade lands to KPC. Trade lands do not have sustainable ecological value for protection by KPC. The donor gives the lands instead of cash; KPC is allowed to sell the land and use the proceeds to purchase other lands in areas targeted for protection.

If you are interested in working with KPC regarding the possible protection of your property, or would like more information on how you can get involved with the organization, please contact KPC at 713-523-6135 or maryanne@katyprairie.org.

Together we can protect this wonderful resource – for the benefit of our children, our grandchildren, and all Texans, forever.