Team Prairie

The Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is dedicated to ecosystem stewardship and the protection of our Blackland prairie heritage. With your support, we can preserve and restore 66-acres of a prairie remnant comprised of native vegetation, protect native wildlife, support biodiversity, improve air and water quality, and educate the public about the far-reaching impact of human-caused environmental threats. Together we can protect what remains, rebuild what has been lost for future generations and preserve for the health of local ecosystems.

 Our 66-acre property has undertaken a long-term transformation from neglected grazing lands threatened by invasive species and woody encroachment into a rich nature reserve that inspires visitors and provides a space for them to enjoy our native habitat for generations to come. This area is not only a hub for nature enthusiasts, but also a center for outdoor learning. We offer guided trail experiences during our first Saturday programs that allow visitors to learn about our ecoregion and its inhabitants in an up-close interactive way. We host an array of school, scouting and educational opportunities in our park, and these benefit from our native plant gardens and adjoining prairie trails. We also provide annual working internships for students studying ecology, land management, botany and other biological sciences, and these provide hands-on, practical experience in ecological restoration methods. 

Our ongoing restoration of native habitat continues to provide an expanding home for an abundance of native species, including migratory birds, mammals, and insects such as the increasingly threatened Monarch butterfly. Through the removal of non-native/invasive plant species, prescribed fire, seeding of desirable plant species, and management of woody encroachment, we continue to increase the overall health of our prairie remnant. BPRC works in collaboration with other north Texas and Collin County conservation projects in order to improve restoration methods, share restoration techniques and ensure the genetic diversity and health of our prairie plants through seed collection and sharing.

Biodiversity surveys are conducted as possible, and these are in the process of being updated to cover the entire property. Part of our mission is also to assist with and encourage other conservation managers in north Texas and Collin County to conduct their own biodiversity surveys, so that we can be part of a database that is comprehensive for fragmented projects throughout the area. We are also part of an active observation project as part of INaturalist, a popular and significant mixed amateur- and professional-level online community for documenting the biodiversity of native plants, insects and animals. This broad effort provides important insights into the benefits of our conservation and restoration efforts and their impact on the health of the ecosystem and native food web.