Just off a quiet stretch of highway in Calhoun County, beyond a nondescript metal gate, lies a 17,351-acre mosaic of dense live oak forests, coastal prairies, salt marshes and wetlands. This property, known as Powderhorn Ranch, is one of the largest remaining undisturbed tracts of native coastal prairie habitat left in Texas—and likely the largest conservation deal in the history of Texas.
Aerial Footage
Secured by a partnership between The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and The Conservation Fund, Powderhorn Ranch offers sweeping, unobstructed views of tallgrass prairies and marshland in addition to 11 miles of tidal bay front that protect vitally important seagrass beds and mollusk reefs. Its environmental significance cannot be overstated. Federally endangered whooping cranes currently winter just 15-30 miles south of Powderhorn. With the number of wild whoopers expanding, the ranch will undoubtedly become a critical habitat for whooping cranes in the coming years.
Powderhorn’s saltwater wetlands also offer important, year-round habitat for shorebirds, wading birds and waterfowl. Elsewhere, extensive woodlands and freshwater wetlands provide critically important “fall-out areas” for migrating songbirds, particularly during spring migration when, exhausted from their flights across or around the Gulf of Mexico, birds use these areas to rest and refuel. TNC plans to conduct extensive wildlife and plant surveys on the ranch, which will undoubtedly become a haven for bird watchers, as well as people interested in fishing, kayaking and canoeing.
The ranch also includes a distinctive geologic formation called the Ingleside Barrier, which supports unique plant life such as the seacoast bluestem and Texas coastal bend live oak. With several miles of Matagorda Bay frontage, the bays and flats along that shoreline serve as important nurseries for a variety of fish and shellfish, including brown shrimp, redfish, spotted sea trout and blue crab.
PRISTINE PRAIRIE: Powderhorn now protects critical coastal prairie. © Jerod Foster
SPECIES SURVEYS: TNC staff carefully conduct bird surveys. © Carlton Ward Jr.
BAYSIDE BEAUTY: Powderhorn Ranch sits on the edge of Matagorda Bay. © Jerod Foster
BIRD BIODIVERSITY: A juvenile yellow-crowned night heron at Powderhorn. © Jerod Foster
UNIQUE LANDSCAPE: The property is scattered with large coastal live oaks. © Jerod Foster
MARSH FOR MIGRATION: Powderhorn is a vital resting spot for migrating birds. © Jerod Foster
CUTE CRITTERS: Eastern cottontails use prairie grass to cover nests. © Jerod Foster
OH DEER: Texas is home to roughly 5 million white-tailed deer. © Jerod Foster
TIDAL BAY: Powderhorn Ranch includes 11 miles of bay frontage. © Jerod Foster
BIRD IS THE WORD: Nearly 300 bird species have been documented here. © Jerod Foster
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funded a significant portion of this at-scale conservation project using fine money resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has played a lead role in securing that funding and will continue to raise money to support habitat restoration and management along with creating a long-term endowment. As the easement-holder, TNC will play a key role in restoring areas that have been overgrazed or over-run with invasive species.
In 2016, TNC turned full ownership of Powderhorn Ranch over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Today, the property is better known as the Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area. In the future, over 2,250 acres of the tract will become a state park with public access, managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
While TNC holds a permanent conservation easement on Powderhorn Ranch, the property was turned over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in 2016. This tract is now managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) as the Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area; TPWD offers limited access to the property throughout the year. Additionally, plans are underway to turn over 2,250 acres of Powderhorn Ranch into a public state park, which will also be managed by TPWD.
View a map of Powderhorn Ranch and other coastal conservation areas.
Since 2017, The Nature Conservancy has worked with partners to protect thousands of acres within the Bahia Grande coastal corridor in South Texas.
Celebrating the protection of 1 million acres of land in Texas.
The Nature Conservancy in Texas is turning the tide for oysters in the Gulf of Mexico, using an innovative restoration approach to revitalize oyster populations for ecology and economy alike.
