Tall-Grass Triumph – The Nash Prairie

Thats why the Nash Prairie matters so much. As Chronicle reporter Matthew Tresaugue reported Tuesday “Life abounds at states last surviving bit of coastal prairie,” Page B1, July 26, the 400-plus acres of never-plowed land in Brazoria County remained pristine by historical accident: The Czech and German immigrants who first settled the area grazed cattle on it infrequently and harvested hay only once or twice a year, allowing plants to regenerate. And the owners who followed them simply continued that pattern.

The result was a rare piece of virgin prairie – and we were thrilled to read that it was recently acquired by the Nature Conservancy, so the ecosystem can be preserved in perpetuity.

via Tall-grass triumph: Nature Conservancy saves pristine piece of Texas coastal prairie | Editorial | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.

I have driven past this little piece of nature unnumbered times over the past decade and never realized what a treasure it was sitting beside the county road on the other side of the Brazos River from home. Just a bit north of this “pasture” sits the old windmill I like to capture with my camera. When I read the article and saw the maps, I knew exactly where this relic of the past was. Knowing where and what required a road trip and yesterday was the day to make the run. The video above was the result. Considering the drought conditions we are under, the Nash Prairie was still a beautiful place…Even under the afternoon sun on an August day. I will definitely be making more trips for exploring…

Here is a video from the Nature Conservancy explaining a bit more about the importance of the place.

Nash Prairie Preserve Fact Sheet