Mary Manor Preserve

Why Visit Mary Manor?

Looking to see ducks and cattle on the Katy Prairie? Start here.

Mary Manor Preserve is a 625-acre guided-access preserve in the heart of the Katy Prairie Preserve, where a 240-acre managed wetland complex provides outstanding habitat for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife. Beyond the wetlands, expansive grazing pastures demonstrate the important role cattle play in maintaining healthy prairie habitat and preserving the Katy Prairie's agricultural heritage.

 

  • Help us protect wildlife and sensitive habitats by following preserve guidelines:

    • Access is by guided tour, volunteer event, or special program only.

    • Stay with your guide and remain in designated areas.

    • Leave no trace. Pack out all trash.

    • Do not feed or disturb wildlife.

    • Dogs and pets that are not service animals are prohibited.

    • Smoking, alcohol, firearms, and loud music are prohibited.

    • Closed-toe shoes, drinking water, and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.

    • Fishing and hunting are not allowed without permission by CPC.

    • Minors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Visitor Information

Hours

Guided Access Only

Experience Mary Manor through:

  • Guided tours

  • Volunteer workdays

  • Educational programs

  • Special events

Location

Address

Mary Manor Preserve is located in the heart of the Katy Prairie Preserve in central Waller County.

GPS Coordinates:
29°53'47.8"N, 95°54'26.8"W

Visitor Notes

  • Guided access only.

  • Parking information is provided upon registration.

  • No public restrooms available.

  • Terrain may be uneven or muddy depending on weather conditions.

  • Closed-toe shoes, drinking water, and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.

Preserve Highlights

Mary Manor provides vital habitat for waterfowl on the Katy Prairie.

Explore Key Features

  • Water levels of the wetland complex are actively managed throughout the year to provide habitat for ducks, shorebirds, wading birds, and other wetland-dependent wildlife, including the Mottled Duck, one of the Gulf Coast's few year-round nesting duck species.

  • Natural prairie depressional wetlands, known as prairie potholes, continue to be restored and enhanced throughout the preserve. These wetlands provide critical wildlife habitat while improving water storage, water quality, and flood resilience.

  • Mary Manor demonstrates that working lands are wildlife lands. Carefully managed cattle grazing helps maintain healthy prairie vegetation, supports wildlife habitat, and serves as an important stewardship tool across the preserve.

  • Managed wetlands and native prairie attract hundreds of resident and migratory waterfowl species throughout the year, making Mary Manor an exceptional location to observe the ducks of the Katy Prairie.

  • Established in 2024 as part of a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, 7 acres of Mary Manor are actively maintained as a pollinator strip for pollinators like Monarch Butterflies.

The Story of Mary Manor Preserve

 

Conserved by the Coastal Prairie Conservancy in 2001, Mary Manor Preserve protects a landscape that has long been shaped by water, wildlife and agriculture.

For generations, the property was managed in a rice-and-pasture rotation that created exceptional habitat for ducks and other migratory waterfowl. Building on that legacy, the Coastal Prairie Conservancy partnered with Ducks Unlimited in 2005 to restore a 240-acre managed wetland complex, where water levels are carefully managed to provide dependable habitat throughout the year.

Today, the wetlands attract a remarkable diversity of waterfowl, including Mottled Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, American Wigeons, Northern Shovelers and Wood Ducks, along with herons, egrets, shorebirds and other wetland wildlife.

Beyond the wetlands, cattle continue to graze the preserve as part of its agricultural heritage. Together with ongoing prairie restoration and invasive species management, Mary Manor demonstrates how thoughtful stewardship can support both thriving wildlife habitat and the working landscapes that define the Katy Prairie.

Help Us Steward the Prairie

Most guided access to the Mary Manor Preserve takes place through volunteer workdays and stewardship events.

Whether you're restoring wetlands, planting native prairie, removing invasive species, or helping monitor wildlife, every volunteer contributes to the long-term health of this important conservation landscape while experiencing the Katy Prairie firsthand.

Volunteer with CPC

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. Mary Manor Preserve is a guided-access preserve and can be visited during scheduled tours, volunteer workdays, research activities, and special events.

  • Managed grazing is an important conservation tool that helps maintain healthy prairie vegetation and supports wildlife habitat.

  • Depending on the season, visitors may encounter migratory birds, waterfowl, pollinators, native prairie plants, and a wide variety of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

  • Yes! Volunteers regularly assist with prairie restoration, wetland stewardship, invasive species management, and the annual Texas Prairie Dawn monitoring effort.