- Prairie restoration
Prairie restoration is an ecologically friendly way to restore some of the
prairie land that was lost toindustry ,farming andcommerce . For example, theU.S. state ofIllinois alone once held over 22 millionacre s (89,000 km²) of prairie land and now just 2,000 acres (8 km²) of "original" prairie land exist.Purpose
Ecologically, prairie restoration aids in conservation of earth's
topsoil , which is often exposed toerosion 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 whichcereal crops ofcorn ,barley andwheat are grown.Many prairie plants are also highly resistant to
drought , temperature extremes, disease, and native insect pests. They are frequently used forxeriscaping projects inarid regions of the American West.A restoration project of prairie lands can be large or small. A
backyard prairie restoration will enrichsoil , help witherosion and take up extra water in excessiverain falls. Prairieflower s are attractive to nativebutterflies and otherpollinators . On a larger scale, communities andcorporation s are creating areas of restored prairies which in turn will store organiccarbon in the soil and help maintain thebiodiversity of the 3000 plusspecies that count on the grasslands forfood andshelter .Types of plants
Prairie plants consist of
grass es andforb s. Grasses, which aremonocots , are similar to what may be in a yard, but grasses in the prairie will be of a broaderleaf . Some prominenttallgrass prairie grasses includeBig Bluestem ,Indiangrass , andSwitchgrass . Midgrass and shortgrass species includeLittle Bluestem andBuffalograss . Forbs fall into an unusual category. They are not grasses,tree s orshrub s, but areherbaceous and share the field with the less diverse grasses. Mostwildflowers andlegumes are forbs. Forbs are structurally specialized to resist herbaceousgrazer s such asAmerican bison , and their commonly hairy leaves help deter thecold and prevent excessiveevaporation . Many of the forbs contain secondary compounds that were discovered by the American Natives and are still used widely today. One particular forb, thepurple coneflower , is recognized more readily by its scientific name "Echinacea purpurea ", or just "Echinacea ", which is used as anherbal remedy for colds.Care of prairies
Fire is a big component to the success of prairie lands, large or small.Controlled burn s, 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 releasenutrients into the ground to encourage new growth. The Native Americans may also have used the burns to controlpest s such asticks .If controlled burns are not possible, rotational mowing is recommended as a substitute.
Prairie contributors
Some popular prairie restoration projects have been completed and maintained by conservation departments, such as
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie , located inWilmington, Illinois . This restoration project is administered by theU.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and theIllinois Department of Natural Resources . It sits on part of theJoliet Army Ammunitions Plant , specifically on an area once contaminated from TNTmanufacturing . Since 1997, the project 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. governmentalatomic accelerator laboratory located inBatavia, Illinois . Fermilab's 6,800 acres (28 km²) sit a top fertilefarmland 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 Fermilabemployee s and many communityteacher s,botanists andvolunteer s.ee also
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Land rehabilitation
*Restoration Ecology
*Buffalo Commons External links
* [http://www.theprairieenthusiasts.org The Prairie Enthusiasts] Grassland protection and restoration in the upper Midwest.
* [http://www.prairieplains.org Prairie Plains Resource Institute]
* [http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/prairie/Prairie_Res/index.html Prairie Parcel Restoration]
* [http://www.prairies.org/ Prairies Forever]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/mntp/ Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie]
* [http://www-ed.fnal.gov/samplers/prairie/fnal_prairie.html Fermilab Prairie] Prairie at the Fermilab Accelerator at Batavia, IL
* [http://www.prairieresto.com Prairie Restorations, Inc.]
* [http://www.CitizensforConservation.org/ Citizens for Conservation] A non-profit centered in Barrington, IL restoring prairie, savanna and wetland habitats.
* [http://saukprairievision.org Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance] , located in central Wisconsin; instrumental in the rehabilitation of the Sauk Prairie on theBadger Army Ammunition Plant
* [http://www.savingcranes.org International Crane Foundation] , restores prairies and other crane habitats.
* [http://www.youcanchangetheplanet.org Youcanchangetheplanet.org] - A non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable conservation and the rehabilitation of prairies, forests, and wetlands.
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