Save The Kasota Prairie

Reproduce and share this information as needed.
Available in alternative formats upon request.
Produced by Region V State Parks Resource Management 6/97.
Grow Plants Native to Minnesota, reference 1.

Growing roots takes time and energy. Imagine the nutrients those strong roots gather to send to showier plant parts. The show is worth waiting for. Every native landscape is a work in progress. If a species fails to grow well in your planting, a flourishing species may expand in to the open space. Marvel at the workings of the community you help create.

I. Getting to know your site Several factors determine which species and preparation suit your site:

A.    Sun exposure: How long is the site exposed to sunlight?
B.    Soil type: Is soil sandy, clay, or loam? Consult your county soil atlas. To learn soil acidity (ph) and organic content get a soil test from a local University of Minnesota Extension Office or Soil and Water Conservation District;
C:    Drainage / soil moisture: Does the soil hold moisture? Is it dry, mesic (rain soaks in with low run off), or wet:
D:    Existing ground cover: What stays? Perhaps the shade trees or shrubs. What goes? Weeds and problem exotic species;
E:    Neighboring vegetation: Will your planting influence wild native plants, or be influenced by nearby weedy exotics?

II. Budgeting A native planting is a long-term landscape investment; it can be built in phases. How much can you spend now?

A. Money may be needed for: site preparation, plant materials, and maintenance;
B. Budget your time and resources: Will you do site prep or contract it? Gather some seed or buy it all? Buy plants?
C. Consider options based on available money:

1. Plant the entire site with many different species or
2. Phased plan 1: plant the entire site with base species, add more diversity as budget allows or
3. Phased plan 2: plant many species on part of site, then use own resulting seeds/seedlings to expand planted area

III. Creating a wish list of species for your site: Visit natural areas to see how local natives grow; consult planting and identification guides. To help you choose species, some producers provide a cultural guide, or species list which includes each plant's site requirements, bloom color and bloom time.

IV. Shopping for native plant materials: Look for sources selling seed and plants produced from seed of local origin. Some considerations:

A.	Cleaned, local origin seed with a high percentage of pure live seed (PLS) may seem costly, but should grow best.
B.	Plants, plugs or rootstock are often suggested for gardens, showy edges, woodland and difficult to propagate species.
C.	Make sure plants are not dug from the wild. This depletes the resource and many species do not thrive after transplanting.

A.	Are there noxious weeds or problem invasive species? Seek competent advice on control techniques. Herbicides hand pulling, weed wrench, cultivation or mowing may control weeds and their seeds long enough for natives to establish. Learn to look for woody exotic species too, such as Tartarian honeysuckle and European buckthorn.
B.	Is existing vegetation relatively weed free? Consider interseeding (no till) or plugging plants into existing vegetation. Example: a thin lawn, or sparse old field. No till means fewer new weeds; soil is held while natives establish.
C.	Do you have proper planting equipment? Ask seed producers about a Truax drill for large sites, hand operated seeders for small sites. Hand broadcasting is an option. Metal bars punch holes for seedlings. Use garden tools for potted plants.

VI. Managing: "Low maintenance" does not mean "no maintenance." Mainly the first few growing seasons require maintenance. How will weeds be controlled? A few inches of wet chopped leaf mulch choke weeds and support seedlings on small areas. In prairie/savanna plantings plan to mow before weeds reach 6-12 inches or hand weed small sites. Long term either burn after the third year, then every 3-6 years as needed or mow on same schedule, removing clippings.

Practice patience and more patience. Every native landscape is a work in progress. The show is worth waiting for.

Reproduce and share this information as needed. Available in alternative formats upon request.
Produced hy Region V State Parks Resource Management 06/97. Grow Plants Native to Minnesota, reference 3

Minnesota's Natural Heritage: An Ecological Perspective. J.R. Tester. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.1995.

The Prairie World. D. Costello. Thomas Y. Crowell Co., New York, 1969. 242p. History and description of the North American Prairie, including the geography, waters, plants, mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians, and human interactions. ISBN 0816609381

Tallgrass Prairie J Madson Falcon Press MT. 1993 128p ISBN 1560442239Excellent,readable text and photo essay on prairie ecology

Wild and Beautiful: A Guide to the Native Wildflowers of Southeastern Minnesota. Joanne Gellerman, et. al.Austin, MN, Institute for the Development of Educational Alternatives, 1996, 16 page brochure which folds to fit in a glove compartment (800) 828- 1231. Includes map of the area showing public wildflower sites, site descriptions, information on when and where to find specific wildflowers, and folklore and poetry inspired by wildflowers.

A Guide to Minnesota's Scientific and Natural Areas. Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas Program. 1995. St. Paul, MN, Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, Section of Wildlife, Scientific and Natural Areas Program. Illustrated.

Minnesota Chapter Preserve Guide. The Nature Conservancy (United States). Minnesota Chapter. 1988. Minneapolis, MN.

Public Recreation Information Maps. PRIM maps show all public lands and facilities within an area. For more information call 1(800)766-6000 or 1(800)657-3757.

Prairie Wildflowers Native to Minnesota's Natural Regions Minnesota Dept. of Transportation. Contains species lists for each ecological region of the state.

Trees and Shrubs For Minnesota Landscapes and Roadsides Minnesota Dept. of Transportation. Interactive CD-ROM searches its database for species meeting your criteria, including native to Minnesota, site conditions and plant characteristics such as height. Color photos and facts available for each species. Call (6121779-5076 for CD information or to order.

Trees and Large Shrubs: Species Native to Minnesota's Ecological Regions. DNR Forestry, 1200 Warner Road, St. Paul, MN 55106. (612) 772-7925 E-mail receptionist shawn.holmes@dnr.state.mn.us

Recommended Trees For: Southeast Minnesota. an Ecosystem Approach. G. Johnson and K. Hirnanga. University of Minnesota, Minnesota Extension Service bulletin FO-6575-S 1996. To order bulletins call (612) 625-8173. For World Wide Web MES educational information- http://www mes umn.edu/

Recommended Trees For: Southwest Minnesota. an Ecosystem Approach. G. Johnson and K. Hirnanga. University of Minnesota, Minnesota Extension Service publication FO-6575-S 1996

Plants in Prairie Communities. R. Robison, M. H. Meyer and n White. University of Minnesota, Minnesota Extension Service, bulletin AG-FO-3238-C, 1995. This bulletin describes three typical prairie communities: wet, mesic, and dry, and the plants found in each. Includes 158 of the more significant north central U.S. species.

HLELC Heron Lake Environmental Learning Center
P.O. Box 429, Lakefield, MN 56150 • 507-662-5064

Students do a plot survey of their school lawn to determine the diversity of species there, and discuss the definition of ''weed.U

Grade:	K-6
Time:	20 minutes
Objective:	Students will be able distinguish prairie from cultivated lawn, based on diversity.
Concepts:	Diversity -- There are many different kinds of animals and plants in an ecosystem. This diversity makes the prairie ecosystem stable and helps it survive fire and insects. Connections -- Every part of nature is connected to every other part either directly or indirectly
Vocabulary:	prairie, grass, weed, diversity, ecosystem
Equipment:	string and stakes, color photos of grasses, paper, pencils or pens
Preparation:	Before the class begins, go out to the school lawn and stake off one or more plots with stakes and string. (When doing the lesson with younger students, you may want only one plot for the whole class. With older students, you may want to let students work in their own plots.)

I . Start with the question: what is a weed? Students will give various answers, then ask if they know of any plants that are weeds. Ask students if they have heard of dandelion flowers. Many people call those weeds. Why do we say they are weeds? Are weeds good or bad? How do most people feel about weeds? With older students, really challenge them to think about the category "weed" -- is it scientific or emotional? (Emotional.) Can weeds ever be good? (Wait until you see the "weeds" on the prairie!)

2. Answer your question by explaining that a weed is something growing where it doesn't belong. We call lots of plants "weeds" but there is no one particular plant that is a weed. Sometimes even flowers are called weeds (remember the dandelions). When your parents say they are going to weed the lawn, they mean they are going to take out everything that isn't the grass they planted. This leaves only one or two kinds of grass in your yard.

3. Explain that the class is going to do a survey of an ordinary lawn to see how many grasses and how many weeds live in it. Go outside to the plots you have created. With older students, divide them into teams and assign a record keeper to each group. The other students will count. Encourage students to get down on their hands and knees to look closely at the lawn. Count the different grasses you see, and describe them if necessary

Melissa Hoover 8/96
HLELC Heron Lake Environmental Learning Center
P.O. Box 429, Lakefield, MN 56150 • 507-662-5064

Students work in groups to create a colorful calendar of natural events and changes which happen on the prairie throughout the year.

Grade:	4-9 (vary complexity with grade level)
Time:	1 hour or more
Objective:	Students will understand the changes which occur on the prairie across the seasons. Students will gain a more complex understanding of the prairie ecosystem.
Concepts:	Cycles -- Nature works in cycles with no beginning and no end. During the prairie year, we see cycles in the seasons, in plans growth and animal life and movement. Change -- Ecosystems are in a constant state of change. ~any changes are cyclical, but some, like human interference, can be permanent.
Vocabulary:	season, ecosystem, migrate, hibernate, decompose, dormant, prairie plant names, seed vocabulary: germinate, pollinate, annual, perennial
Equipment:	pens and markers; 12 sheets of paper, each with a calendar month grid printed on them -- one for January of the year, one for February, etc. (or unlined paper and straightedge ruler for students to make their own); heavy-stock paper; hole punch; reference materials (see attached sheet "A Prairie Year"; old magazines with pictures of the prairie and prairie life in different seasons

1 . Introduce the concept of year-round prairie by asking students to describe what the prairie looks like. Most will say things like "grass," "field," etc. Point out that their responses are describing what the prairie looks like for only part of the year (summer, and some of spring and fall), but in Minnesota winter is a big part of our lives. What does the prairie look like in the winter? What is happening on the prairie in the different seasons? Pose this as a broad question, then lead into the activity by getting specific.

2. With younger students, the teacher will lead a brainstorm about prairie changes, going season by season, keeping a list or set of drawings for each month. Think about plants (growth, germination, pollination), animals (birth, death, hibernation, mating), climate changes (rainfall, snowfall, sun, temperature), and soil changes. The teacher should be prepared to come up with most of the events. See attached background and reference sheet.) With older students, start a class brainstorm, then divide students into 12 pairs or groups (with smaller classes, you may end up with "groups" of one) and assign each a month. Students brainstorm and research what happens on the prairie during their month. Remind them of the categories they need to keep in mind (write these on the board or hand out a guideline sheet).

3. When they have covered as many of the areas of change as they can think of, give each group a calendar month grid or have them make their own. Students will mark all significant changes in their month on the grid. Encourage creativity, for instance designating a certain day "Pollination Holiday" or imagining a day when an animal awoke from hibernation. The point is to get a general idea of what happens on the prairie in each season. Set a minimum, for instance three events or changes per week.

4. When the month grids are complete, give each group a blank piece of paper which will form the top page of their calendar month. They will create an illustration which is appropriate for their month -- this can be a drawing, or collage of cut-out images or anything else students think of.

5. Hang the completed calendar somewhere in the room and refer to it throughout the year, possibly even celebrating certain Prairie Holidays. If possible, the class could check a real prairie several times a year to see if their calendars are correct.

Extension: Introduce older students to A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold's account of the changing seasons on his farm in Wisconsin. Students could write their own almanacs in the style of Leopold, or could read selected Leopold passages aloud.