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The fundraising campaign for the 12.45 acre Travis Country remnant Live Oak Savanna has been renewed. The remnant, located in the center of…
Read more of this >>Prairie Facts
Today the tallgrass prairies of Texas are very rare. Less than 1% of the original 20 million acres of Texas’ beautiful tallgrass prairie remains and losses are still occurring to plowing, improper overgrazing, and development.
Simpson Prairie
Location: Northwest McLennan County near Valley Mills and Crawford
Region: Grand Prairie (Lampasas Cut Plains of the Cross Timbers and Prairies)
Size: 50 acres (out of 80 acres)
Ownership: Owned by Mike and Marliss Williams with a conservation easement held by NPAT.
History
After growing up in the area and learning about prairies, Mike remembered seeing prairie before the area of Simpson Prairie became overgrazed. Mike then searched for and found part of the overgrazed prairie, purchased it, and restored Simpson Prairie. Mike has used seed hay from Simpson Prairie in area prairie restoration and plantings.
Site Description
Simpson Prairie is a prairie remnant of the Grand Prairie (Lampasas Cut Plains of the Cross Timbers and Prairies) on a gently sloping hillside. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), and Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) are dominant grasses.
Plant List
View the plant list on the Simpson Prairie Plant List page.
Other Lists
Birds (by Kirsti and Sirpa Harms)
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Bobwhite
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Hummingbird (probably Black-chinned, the more western bird)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike
American Crow
Barn Swallow
Northern Mockingbird
Summer Tanager
Cassin’s Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak
Painted Bunting
Dickcissel
Eastern Meadowlark