KHS Students speak at city hall

On Monday, January 28th, Katy High School students Stone Garza, Nandita Deo, Andie Gunn and Brooklyn Garibay spoke at City Hall before Mayor Chuck Brawner and city council members Durran Dowdle, Janet Corte, Chris Harris, Frank O. Carroll, III, and James C. Mendez Jr.  Students provided a status update and way-forward for the Tiger Prairie, while also calling the community to action; the Tiger Prairie Project would like to further engage the City of Katy by encouraging businesses and residents to incorporate native Texas plant species into local landscaping.  Students urged the City of Katy to consider revising city ordinance 2284 to include a mandatory 50% native Texas species in all new landscape plans submitted by landowners for building permits (residential or business).  Collectively, these 'pocket prairies'/native greenspaces can reduce the amount of water used for irrigation, while also increasing soil infiltration rates during flooding events.  Native plants then, are an ideal, eco-friendly solution, aligned with Katy's conservation efforts and flooding mitigation plan.

From left to right: Kelly Knight, Stone Garza, Nandita Deo, Andie Gunn, Brooklyn Garibay and Dr. Rhonda Burrough.