Dallas isn’t the first place people think of when the term “prairie” is mentioned.

Nevertheless, Dallas is still an integral part of the Texas Blackland Prairie, and only a fraction of the original prairie remains today. The St. Mark’s Master Naturalists club focuses on restoring the native environment that once flourished in Texas.

“We have a lot of projects,” club president Max Yan said. “Most of them are on the Northaven Trail. Our primary goal is to promote prairie restoration. Only around 0.1 percent of it exists now, so it is important that we keep native plants from going extinct.”

The organization plants many native species along the trail to combat the rapid decline of prairie land in the past century. The decline was primarily driven by urbanization and improper agricultural treatment.

“We have a big stockpile of seeds that the club has collected over the years,” club vice president Neel Jain said. “We go out to remnants and collect seeds, sow the seeds in and out of the greenhouse, and finally we plant them (along the Northaven trail).”

In addition to growing plants, the club uses techniques like transplanting to preserve plants at critical sites. This work allows certain species to continue growing in a different environment.

“We go to remnants that are going to be destroyed soon and dig up plants,” Jain said.  “Then we plant them at the Northaven site.”

The club also aims to help bring awareness to the issue of local ecosystems being destroyed. By planning all their projects in public places, they gain visibility in the community.

“This is a very hands-on, active organization,” Yan said. “All of our projects are designed to be a community experience. Sometimes people stop by to ask questions while we’re out there. There is a sense that anybody can see our work.”

The organization is not just about conservation. It aims to help people rediscover a connection to the environment that is often overlooked in their daily lives.

“As a society, we need to reconnect with nature more often and reestablish that as an important part of our lives,” Jain said. “It’s a special experience to step outside of our industrial lives and into nature. We’re a part of nature, not trying to build over it.”

Individual efforts alone aren’t enough to reverse decades of environmental changes. However, their work has a large impact by raising awareness and inspiring others.

“The things that we do probably won’t directly save a species,” Yan said. “One garden won’t directly save the Texas Blackland Prairie. However, through the organization, we’re able to spread awareness and get more people involved. That is what I think is really important.”