Project Description

Historically, much of Houston and parts of Hermann Park were covered by a sprawling, vibrant grassland known as the Coastal Prairie.This landscape was dominated by tallgrasses towering up to 8 feet above the ground in fall. As development proceeded, fires were halted, and trees where grown, the prairie became increasingly rare and now is listed as a critically endangered ecosystem with few native prairieseft in Harris County and no remaining sites left in HermannPark.
The Hermann Park Conservancy (HPC), Coastal PrairiePartnership (CPP), and Texas Master Naturalists are teaming up on a multiyear effort torestore three small but highly visible areas in Hermann Park back to native prairie. The goal is to replace non-native, weedy grasses at the targeted sites with a diverse assortment of colorful native warm-season grasses and wildflowers to create betterhabitat for birds, butterflies, rabbits, and other park wildlife while augmenting the aesthetic qualities of existing grasslands. Another benefit of this project, and a small prairie garden planned for the Houston Zoo, is that it will help to raise awareness of prairie conservation among the Houstonians and others visiting this very popular park.
The success of this effort will rely on volunteers clearing areas ofbrush, seed collecting, growing native plants, and performing prairie rescues. The coordination of these activities will be shared between CPP, HPC, and Texas Master Naturalists.
Additional assistance may be provided by the Houston Zoo and Mercer Botanical Garden. HPC and CPP have
set a 1st-year goal of planting more than 2000 prairie plants using a combination of both rescued and cultivated plants.

2009 NPSOT Houston Meeting Schedule, Meet at 7:00 pm at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center:


Nov. 19 Annual Plant Swap and Social

Dec. Annual Holiday Dinner

Highlighted Events/Activities/Nonprofit & Environmental Items– See More details about Highlighted events below the calendar. 1. Naturalists needed for Girl Scout Programs 2. Levy Park Workdays- Sunday, Nov. 22 5-7 pm 3. Recycle Pots 4. Garden Club Scholarships 5. Wildflower Seed Grants 6. Preserve Wetlands 7. For teachers: NWF Eco-schools 8. Native Prairies Association of Texas NPAT



******Sat., Dec. 12 10 am – 1 pm Plug into Outdoors Event at James Berry Elementary School -An Environmental Science Magnet School http://es.houstonisd.org/berryes Contact: Lori B. Kelleher, Magnet Coordinator 713-696-2700 lkellehe@houstonisd.org

Please support HISD’s Environmental Science Magnet School!


Garden Club of Houston, Thank you for this new Brochure: Great Small Trees for Houston http://www.buffalobayou.org/documents/Small_Trees_brochure.pdf



SEE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NOTES AND DATES FOR THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY BOOTH at the bottom of this note – please consider taking the native plant society booth to an event just once this year. If we all participate in outreach activities, we can better spread the word about nature and the need to preserve and restore natural areas, to ensure the survival of pollinators, native birds, butterflies, etc.