The Katy Prairie Conservancy invites the public to participate in Stewardship Saturdays, in which corporate groups, service organizations, and individuals can come out to the Indiangrass Preserve on the Katy Prairie and help maintain the health of this vital natural resource. Stewardship Saturdays, held on the first Saturday of each month, guide volunteers through several restoration tasks each week that keep the land healthy, including managing invasive species, clearing fences of vegetation, and planting native plants.

These volunteer sessions are from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at Indiangrass Preserve, 31975 Hebert Rd. in Waller. Groups will sometimes depart together to complete work on other KPC Preserves. This is an opportunity for volunteers to occasinally visit some of the preserves that are closed to the public.

The Katy Prairie Conservancy’s Conservation Director, Wesley Newman, remarks that “Stewardship Saturdays are a great way to get out and connect with nature, while making a difference by helping the Katy Prairie Conservancy take care of these lands. Healthy lands are an important part of healthy communities, and these projects create and improve much-needed habitat for wildlife like the grassland birds that migrate through the prairie. Your efforts also benefit migratory butterflies, including the threatened monarch butterfly.”

No experience is necessary to participate in Stewardship Saturdays and all ages are welcome (children must be supervised at all times by a parent or guardian). The physical requirements include bending, kneeling, or sitting on the ground and some light lifting. Volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes, tall socks, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat.

Items to bring for an optimum experience are reusable water bottles and gardening gloves, although there are gloves to borrow. All other tools are provided.

Dates for Stewardship Saturdays in 2020 are:

Feb. 1

Mar. 7

Apr. 4

May 2

Jun. 6

Aug. 1

Sept. 5

Oct. 3

Nov. 7

Dec. 5

The Katy Prairie Conservancy also has ongoing programming at Indiangrass Preserve for children and adults with fun and educational events year-round, including Unplugged Adventures and Walking Tours on the Ann Hamilton Trail each month.

Check us out at www.katyprairie.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.