10 Acre Blackland Prairie Restoration Project

This North Texas Giving Day, please consider helping the Heard reseed 10 acres of our (289-acre) nature preserve. Each dollar donated will help us reseed approximately 20 square feet of prairie! Funds from this campaign will go toward seeds, equipment, and project labor.

Because the seeds needed for this project are highly specific and available from limited sources, they are more expensive than seeds you might see in stores for more common species. Additionally, our hope is to use sources that have regional proximity to our nature preserve.

Why is this important?

By reseeding our prairie, we will be able to better combat invasive plant species that continually make their way into endangered Blackland Prairie ecosystems. We’ll also be able to better support our resident wildlife by creating a more robust food web and habitat.

Additionally, we’ll be better able to captivate the general public with a colorful array of native wildflowers, forbs, and bunch grasses. These plants will primarily bloom in the spring and early fall, offering the general public two incredible opportunities to get a glimpse of what Texas once looked like.

Project Information

Prairies once covered a great deal of North America but now the Blackland Prairie is one of the rarest and most endangered ecosystems in the world. Due to its rich, fertile soil and minimal tree cover, much of this ecosystem was converted to agricultural uses. This eventually made it easy to convert to industrial, commercial, and residential uses. Non-native plants often make their way into the wildlife sanctuary and historic methods of keeping trees and large shrubs out (such as wildfire and buffalo) are difficult to utilize today.

As a result, this project will be comprised of several steps that involve mowing and raking existing plant life, preparing the soil for new seeds, and broadcasting the seeds at an appropriate time of year to enhance the potential germination rates.

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience, restore and preserve our priceless environment. Your support through financial contributions will help ensure that the Heard, including a 289-acre nature preserve, will be sustained.

Thank you for your consideration of this project and your support!