Unrestricted Gift – Unrestricted or non-designated donations help KPC respond to the most pressing needs/opportunities on the prairie in a timely fashion. These donations also support on-going operations.

Restricted or Designated Gifts – KPC also welcomes gifts to support specific activities that it identifies as priorities each year. Donors may designate one of the items below; the majority of the gift will be used to support that activity. KPC allocates 15% of all restricted donations to general operations and 5% to its stewardship fund so that the prairie can be protected and promoted today and tomorrow. Restricted/designated projects include:

Land Conservation – Donations help KPC purchase specific tracts of land, increase KPC’s protection of the Warren Ranch, or are assigned to KPC’s Land Fund until adequate funding and suitable tracts are available. In 2009 we are working on the protection of more than 600 new acres and on continued conservation of the Warren Ranch.

Preserve Enhancement – Funds support habitat enhancement projects, including removing invasive species, creating depressional wetlands, restoring grasslands, and expanding KPC’s Coastal Prairie Native Seed Nursery, among other projects. Funds also assist KPC in its master planning and research projects. In 2009 we will create more than 200 acres of wetlands and restore areas of native grasslands at the Field Office and on Nelson Farms.

Master Plan– KPC continues to refine its overall preserve master plan and to update management plans for individual preserves. In 2009 KPC is working on identifying public access points, sensitive habitat areas, a major trail network and opportunities for visitor amenities. We also will identify ways to partner with other nearby visitors programs.

Public Access Programming – Donations support planning and implementing all public access programming, including tours, field trips, and special events such as Family Day on the Prairie, Open Trails, Prairie Discovery Tours, ECOnnections, and PrairieWorks. In addition to our regular programming, in 2009, we are developing educational programming for youth, including Summer Science Nights, field trip program for elementary and middle school students, and a winter camp.

Visitor Amenities – Funds support design and development of visitor amenities on the Katy Prairie. In 2009 we will complete construction of a viewing platform at Warren Lake along with a nearby parking lot and trail to the platform. These amenities meet the Americans for Disabilities Act standards. Other visitor improvements to KPC’s Nelson Farms Preserve are in the design development stages.

For more information on naming and sponsorship opportunities or to learn about other ways you can support the Katy Prairie Conservancy, please contact:

Mary Anne Piacentini
Executive Director
713.523.6135
fax: 713.523.6145
email: maryanne@katyprairie.org

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Katy Prairie Conservancy. See our complete 2007 donor list