What Is Grassland Restoration?
When people picture American landscapes, they often think of forests or mountains. But the South and Midwest were once something else entirely: vast grasslands, rich with native grasses, wildflowers, and low, resilient shrubs.
These weren’t empty spaces—they were vibrant ecosystems. They:
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Protected soil from erosion
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Filtered and stored fresh water
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Provided habitat for birds, pollinators, and wildlife
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Captured carbon from the atmosphere
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Supported centuries of Indigenous land stewardship and foodways
But in just over a hundred years, almost all of it has been cleared—paved over, plowed up, or grazed to exhaustion. What once covered entire states is now one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America.
Grassland restoration is the work of bringing these landscapes back. It’s reintroducing native plants. Healing exhausted soil. Making space for what once thrived to grow again.
Why It Matters to Us
At CatSpring Yaupon, restoration isn’t a campaign or a buzzword. It’s the foundation of how we choose to live and work. It starts with noticing—watching what the land is telling us. And it continues with care: harvesting only what we need, encouraging native plants to return, and allowing biodiversity to do its quiet work.
We don’t see yaupon as a crop to be controlled. We see it as a part of an ecosystem we’re in relationship with.
What We’re Doing, Practically Speaking
So what does grassland restoration look like in practice?
It looks like this:
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Managing invasive species that crowd out native grasses and damage the soil
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Leaving yaupon rooted, and harvesting its leaves by hand, so the ecosystem remains intact
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Avoiding synthetic chemicals, letting microbes, mycelium, and wild grasses thrive
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Partnering with regenerative agriculture experts, blending science and traditional knowledge
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Letting native plants return—like milkweed for monarchs, switchgrass for the soil, and little bluestem for birds and bees
We don’t rush. We don’t replant yaupon where it doesn’t belong. We work with what’s already here—and gently make room for more of it.
Why It’s Domestic—and Why That Matters
Most teas travel a long way before they reach your mug. They’re grown in far-off plantations, often sprayed with chemicals, shipped across oceans, and packaged by companies far removed from the land they source from.
Yaupon is different. It’s the only naturally caffeinated plant native to the U.S.—and it grows wild right where we harvest it in Texas.
That closeness matters. It means fewer emissions. More accountability. And a direct connection between land, grower, and cup.
One Cup Can Support Something Bigger
So as you brew your next cup, know this: you’re not just making tea—you’re joining a movement rooted in respect, resilience, and renewal.
We’re glad you’re part of it.
Explore our Yaupon teas and steep a little more meaning into your daily ritual.
