A two-acre prairie reconstruction project is currently underway on the land here at Prairiewoods. To learn more about prairie reconstruction and what some of its benefits are we sat down with Brian Bourgeois from our Land Care Advisory Committee, who is helping to lead and fund the project.
What made you decide to help at Prairiewoods and join the Land Care Advisory Committee?
My admiration for Prairiewoods’ mission and Prairiewoods’ love for Nature and all God’s creation.
What is the process for native prairie reconstruction?
We are working to remove invasive brome grass so our approach is to chemically treat the area, conduct a controlled burn and then treat the regrowth if necessary. That will give us a clean seed bed that we can drill new seed into prior to the first frost of the year.
How do you handle seed sourcing for your projects, and do you adjust mixes for climate resilience?
What is most important is to match seed mixes to soil, water, and light conditions. For example, you should plant dry mesic or sand prairie mixes on south-facing rock outcroppings and sandy areas, matching the seed mix to the soil type.
It’s important to always strive to use local ecology, or seed genetics matched to the area that may have been present pre-Columbus. Water, soil types, and light can vary dramatically across a very small area so it is important to plant a very diverse mix and then let God’s fabulous programming (also known as natural selection) decide what is best suited for the conditions in that area.
When can we expect to see new growth at Prairiewoods?
Prairies are ugly as they begin to come to life. You can expect weeds to dominate the first year. Some early perennial plants and grasses will show the first year as well as annuals like Virginia wild rye. The second year will bring a nice flush of forbs such as black and brown eyed Susans, grey headed cone flower and bee balm. The third year will have a bigger forb flush as they begin to establish.
What do you see as the major benefits of native prairie reconstruction?
It is a permanent investment in nature, and you are reconstructing a small piece of the tallgrass prairie which is one of the most depleted ecosystems in the world. Further, the prairie offers immense benefits for soil health, carbon sequestration, water filtration, top soil protections and protecting the habitats of native animals and insects.
Prairies are not only a permanent investment in nature but are an investment in our physical health and mental wellbeing. One only has to look at what it does for water quality, to see the health benefits and, of course, from a mental health perspective—into the prairie you go to find your soul.