March 23, 2026 – Houston, Texas – The Coastal Prairie Conservancy has permanently protected the final 221 acres of Three Oaks Farm, completing the conservation of this important property and closing a key gap in the Katy Prairie Preserve.
This milestone strengthens nearly 20,000 acres of connected prairie, wetlands, and working lands just west of Houston – an increasingly rare landscape that plays a critical role in reducing flood risk, supporting wildlife, and maintaining the region’s agricultural heritage while also providing recreational opportunities to the public, including birdwatching, hiking, and nature photography.
Three Oaks Farm sits at the heart of the preserve system, linking lands near the Indiangrass Preserve and Hebert Reservoir. With its protection, a once-fragmented section of the prairie is now connected, allowing water, wildlife, and working lands to function more naturally across the landscape. “This is about more than acreage,” said Mary Anne Piacentini, President and CEO of the Coastal Prairie Conservancy. “By completing conservation at Three Oaks Farm, we are strengthening an entire system that helps protect communities, sustain working lands, and preserve a landscape that defines this region.”
The Katy Prairie Preserve is one of the largest nature preserve systems in the Houston area and one of the last places where people can still experience the region’s historic coastal prairie. It supports rice farming, ranching, and wildlife habitat, while also offering places for the public to connect with the land – from the Indiangrass Preserve and Welcome Center to Warren Lake and Blazing Star Prairie.
In a region facing rapid growth and increasing flood risk, these lands serve as natural infrastructure—absorbing and slowing stormwater, improving water quality, and providing open space that benefits both people and wildlife.
The completion of Three Oaks Farm would not have been possible without the commitment of the landowners and the support of key partners, including the North American Wetlands Conservation Act through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Knobloch Family Foundation, CenterPoint Energy Foundation, Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation, Texas Land Trust Council, and a generous grant from an anonymous donor.
About the Coastal Prairie Conservancy
The Coastal Prairie Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to sustaining a resilient Texas by preserving coastal prairie, wetlands, farms, and ranches to benefit people and wildlife forever. Preserved lands play an important role in flood control, cleaner air and water, outdoor recreation, and wildlife habitat. To learn more about the Coastal Prairie Conservancy’s conservation efforts, visit www.coastalprairieconservancy.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram @coastalprairieconservancy.
