Prairie restoration
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This article or section deals primarily with the United States and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
Prairie Restoration is an ecologically friendly way to restore some of the prairie land that was lost to industry, farming and commerce. For example, the U.S. state of Illinois alone once held over 22 million acres (89,000 km²) of prairie land and now a mere 2,000 acres (8 km²) of original prairie land exist.
Prairie Restoration is also a tongue-in-cheek reference to homeowners who do not like to do yard maintenance, and don't keep their lawn perfectly trimmed, fertilized, edged, rolled, and manicured. However, maintaining a perfect thatched lawn is a resource-intensive process that is wasteful of energy, money, fresh water, and the homeowner's free time. Replacing traditional thick, fast-growing lawn grasses with slow-growing and low-lying plants that might otherwise be considered weeds can greatly reduce resource use, while still looking aesthetically pleasing and freeing up the homeowner to spend their time doing more fulfilling and productive work.
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[edit] Purpose
Ecologically, prairie restoration aids in conservation of our earth's topsoil, which is often exposed to erosion from wind and rain when prairies are plowed under to make way for new commerce. Conversely, much more of the prairie lands have become the fertile fields on which we grow cereal crops of corn, barley and wheat.
Many prairie plants are also highly resistant to drought, temperature extremes, disease, and native insect pests. They are frequently used for xeriscaping projects in arid regions of the American West.
The restoration project of prairie lands can be large or small. You can create a backyard prairie restoration that will enrich your soil, help with erosion and take up extra water in excessive rainfalls. Prairie flowers are a big attraction to native butterflies and other pollinators which can further enhance your backyard as a low maintenance showplace. On a larger scale, communities and even corporations are doing their part to create areas of restored prairies which in turn will store organic carbon in the soil and help maintain the biodiversity of the 3000 plus species that count on the grasslands for food and shelter.
[edit] Types of plants
Prairie plants consist of grasses and forbs. Grasses, which are monocots, are similar to what you might picture in your yard, but grasses in the prairie will be of a broader leaf than the blades of grass you have in your lawn. Some prominent tallgrass prairie grasses include Big Bluestem, Indiangrass, and Switchgrass. Midgrass and shortgrass species include Little Bluestem and Buffalograss. Forbs fall into an unusual category. They are not grasses, trees or shrubs, but are herbaceous and share the field with the less diverse grasses. Most wildflowers and legumes are forbs. Forbs are structurally specialized to resist herbaceous grazers such as American bison, and their commonly hairy leaves help deter the cold and prevent excessive evaporation. Many of the forbs contain secondary compounds that were discovered by the American Natives and are still used widely today. One particular forb, the purple coneflower, is recognized more readily by its scientific name Echinacea purpurea, or just Echinacea, which is used as an herbal remedy for colds.
[edit] Care of prairies
Fire is a big component to the success of prairie lands, large or small. Controlled burns, with a permit, are recommended every year (after two growth seasons) to burn away dead plants; prevent certain other plants from encroaching (such as trees) and release nutrients into the ground to encourage new growth. The Native Americans may also have used the burns to control pests such as ticks.
If controlled burns are not possible, rotational mowing is recommended as a substitute.
[edit] Prairie contributors
Some popular prairie restoration projects have been completed and maintained by conservation departments, such as Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, located in Wilmington, Illinois. This restoration project is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It sits on part of the Joliet Army Ammunitions Plant, specifically on an area once contaminated from TNT manufacturing. Beginning in 1997, the project now has opened some 15,000 acres (61 km²) of restored prairie to the public.
Another large restoration project finds its home on the ample area of Fermilab; a U.S. governmental atomic accelerator laboratory located in Batavia, Illinois. Fermilab's 6,800 acres (28 km²) sit a top fertile farmland and the prairie restoration project consists of approximately 1000 acres (4 km²) of that. This project began in 1971 and continues today with the help of Fermilab employees and many community teachers, botanists and volunteers.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Prairie Enthusiasts Grassland protection and restoration in the upper Midwest.
- Prairie Plains Resource Institute
- Prairie Parcel Restoration
- Prairies Forever
- Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
- Fermilab Prairie Prairie at the Fermilab Accelerator at Batavia, IL
- Prairie Restorations, Inc.
- Citizens for Conservation A non-profit centered in Barrington, IL restoring prairie, savanna and wetland habitats.
- Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance, located in central Wisconsin; instrumental in the rehabilitation of the Sauk Prairie on the Badger Army Ammunition Plant
- International Crane Foundation, restores prairies and other crane habitats.
- Youcanchangetheplanet.org - A non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable conservation and the rehabilitation of prairies, forests, and wetlands.
