prairie restoration

Iowa landowners are restoring native habitats

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Prairie Grass
Photo by David Cornwell, Flickr

Tyler Chalfant | October 1st, 2019

Tall grass prairie once covered 70-80% of Iowa, but today, less than 0.1% of that remains. Some conservationists and landowners are working to change that, planting native species to restore Iowa’s natural ecosystems. 

The fourth annual Linn Landowners Forum was held in Marion on Sunday, educating landowners large and small on restoring native habitats, planting pollinators, and reviving the monarch butterfly population. Mark Vitosh, from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, spoke at the forum about the effects of invasive species, which can push out native plants and disrupt natural habitats.

The Iowa DNR Prairie Resource Center purchases thousands of acres per year to restore natural habitats. The loss of prairie has caused the decline of many native species. Tall grasses provide winter cover for a variety of species and are home to insects and small mammals important to the ecosystem’s food chain. Additionally, native grasses can slow soil erosion and nutrient runoff, protecting lakes, rivers, and streams from pollution.

The event’s finale featured the release of 500 monarch butterflies, captured by the Monarch Research Station, which tags hundreds of butterflies each year to track their migration patterns. According to the station’s manager Mike Martin, those patterns are often disrupted by habitat loss, pesticide and herbicide use, and the elimination of milkweed. 

34th Prairie Preview takes place this Thursday

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Dr. Steve Hendrix, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Iowa, will be the featured speaker at this year’s Prairie Preview. His lecture is titled “Wild Bees of Iowa: Hidden Diversity in the Service of Conservation.” (John Flannery/flickr)

Jenna Ladd | March 7, 2017

The 34th Prairie Preview will take place this Thursday evening in Iowa City.

The event is hosted by the Bur Oak Land Trust, an Iowa City organization that accepts land donations from residents seeking to place natural areas into public conservation trusts. The Prairie Preview XXXIV will feature a presentation from University of Iowa professor emeritus Dr. Steve Hendrix. Hendrix’s presentation, titled “Wild Bees of Iowa: Hidden Diversity in the Service of Conservation” will discuss the economics and biology of pollinators, declines in honey bees and wild bee populations, the value of restoration for wild bees and the future of wild bees, among other topics. Hendrix will also provide basic information about wild bees that live in Iowa. His presentation will be based on his original research along with the work of others in the field.

Hendrix said his presentation “is important from the perspective of ecological services that wild bees provide. They are responsible for the successful reproduction of prairies and they provide the pollination needed for fruits and vegetables that keep us healthy.”

More than 40 environmental organizations and agencies will also be present at the Prairie Preview XXXIV sharing information and providing resources to attendees. The event is free, open to the public and will take place at the Clarion Highlander Hotel and Conference Center at 2525 N Dodge St, Iowa City, Iowa 52245 on March 9th, 2017. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7:30 p.m. 

This Prairie Preview, which usually attracts crowds of over 200 people, is sponsored by the Iowa Living Roadway Trust, Iowa Native Plant Society, City of Coralville, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Fiddlehead Gardens LLC, Forever Green, Friends of Hickory Hill Park, HBK Engineering, Legacy GreenBuilders, Project GREEN, Veenstra & Kimm, Inc., and Lon and Barbara Drake.

More information can be found here.

Linn County voters overwhelmingly support conservation ballot measure

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Indian Creek is one of many waterways in Linn County which will benefit from the $40 million conservation bond passed on Tuesday. (Flickr/Carl Wycoff)

Jenna Ladd | November 11, 2016

Despite a divisive national political climate, voters in Linn County spoke with one voice in favor of conservation measures in their county on Tuesday.

Introduced by the Linn County Conservation Board, the ballot measure proposed a $40 million bond to be used for land and water conservation efforts in the county. Unlike other ballot measures in the state, which are typically decided by razor-thin margins, the conservation bond proposal passed with over 74 percent voter approval. The Linn County Conservation Board plans to use 55 percent of the funds for water quality and land protection, 30 percent for parks, and 15 percent for trail improvements. The group has issued a list of 30 potential projects which include wetland development along the Cedar and Wapsipinicon Rivers and several smaller creeks, woodland restoration, native prairie restoration, and improvements to outdoor recreation facilities.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett said that this year’s September floods in Cedar Rapids may have influenced the voters’ decision. He said, “We’re coming off the September flooding event that raised to the top of people’s minds how important watershed management is. Many people I visited with about this subject matter looked at this as water quality and watershed management.” Linn County Conservation Deputy Director Dennis Goemaat agreed. He said, “People value their recreation and water quality in natural areas.”

Goemaat added that the board wants to begin working with  Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and other invested groups as soon as possible in order to work on funding the projects. It will take time to raise the $40 million, representatives say, but Mayor Corbett is hopeful that the success of the ballot measure will encourage legislators to allocate money to the Iowa DNR’s Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund of 2010, which funds Iowa DNR programs.

Hillary Hughes is vice-president of the Linn County Conservation Board. She said, “This is an affirmation vote. I think this should demonstrate to lawmakers statewide that conservation is important to citizens of Iowa.”

Slideshow: photographer brings artistic perspective to prairie restoration

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Over the course of a year, photographer Garrett Hansen sporadically lived and photographed the prairie at the Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA — pronounced “sera”). CERA is located in Kellogg, Iowa, and contains both remnant and reconstructed prairie.
Before European settlers discovered Iowa, 85 percent of the state was covered in prairie. Today, only one-tenth of one percent remains. Consequently, places like CERA are working to reconstruct Iowa’s natural habitat.
As detailed in the slideshow, Hansen’s photography at CERA made him recognize and appreciate the differences between remnant and reconstructed prairie. His views imply that an aesthetic approach alongside a biological approach could help in reconstructing prairie more accurately.

Photos from Hickory Hill Park in Iowa City

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This summer I’m going to highlight some beautiful nature areas in Iowa. Here’s a gallery of Hickory Hill Park in Iowa City. It contains terrific trails for hiking, running and dog walking. It also contains more than 13 acres of restored prairie. The various trail entrances and a map are available here. Continue reading →

College students lend a hand to prairie restoration

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Photo by USFWS Endangered Species, Flickr

Iowa Lakes’ students are working to expand the prairie at Fort Defiance State Park in Emmet County.

Efforts by the students and others have helped double the area of the prairie over the last three years.

The Estherville Daily News reports that the students invested a substantial amount of time to aid Iowa’s natural environment:

“The students have put in over 100 hours collectively,” said [Iowa Lakes’ professor Gary] Phillips. “They’ll also collected seed to repopulate the area that’s been cleared. The time together is over 150 hours.”

For more information on the prairie and Iowa’s ecosystem, check out our interview with Connie Mutel.