This field trip highlights the flatland prairies west of Houston, once home to herds of bison and flocks of prairie chickens but now under immense developmental pressure. You'll get a chance to visit both prairie remnants as well as innovative prairie restorations. The coastal prairie in this region occurs on alfisols (sandy) of the Lissie and Beaumont geologic formations and the dominant characteristic species include little bluestem, brownseed paspalum, slender bluestem, cylinder jointtail grass, littletooth sedge, Dichanthelium oligosanthes, Heller’s rosette grass, indiangrass, purple threeawn, hairy frimbry, barrens silky aster, and heath aster.
- Potential sites: Katy Prairie Preserve, Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge