PUBLISHED: November 2026 by Liz Rebstad

Photos by Karastin Katusin

Along the Bayou Greenways trails, Mexican free-tailed bats find shelter beneath bridges and in bat houses installed by Houston Parks Board. Providing shelter is only one part of supporting Houston’s thriving bat populations. Healthy grasslands provide habitat for the insects that bats depend on for food, making prairie restoration an important component of sustaining local bat colonies.

Thanks to a grant from CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Houston Parks Board is restoring multiple grassland habitats for bats through our Bat Prairie Expansion Project, beginning with restoration efforts at Simsbrook Prairie along Sims Bayou.

Simsbrook is home to a bat house and several established prairie areas that were originally planted and seeded in Spring 2021. Over time, invasive species began to affect the bat prairie, reducing the amount of native vegetation needed to support a healthy grassland ecosystem. Restoring this area means reestablishing native plant species that provide important habitat for insects, creating a more reliable food source for bats that roost along the bayou and in the bat house.

On October 9, 2026, Houston Parks Board hosted Green Team volunteers at the Simsbrook Bat Prairie, where they helped kick-start the restoration effort. Together, volunteers planted more than 500 native grasses and forbs that will serve as the foundation for rebuilding this important habitat.

As temperatures cool in Houston, we will conduct additional seeding at Simsbrook. Increasing the prairie’s plant diversity will help establish a healthier, more resilient grassland ecosystem that supports a wider variety of insects for bats.

The second phase of the Bat Prairie Expansion Project will focus on adding an additional acre to the existing prairie at Watonga Boulevard along White Oak Bayou. Save the date for this exciting restoration effort at Watonga West during #ParksByYou Day on February 6, 2027!