Prairie Restorations

JEFFERSON, WI prairie restoration

On 7/4/10 we received the following update from this landowner - 10 years after seeding.  Here is an excerpt of her email.

You'd be proud seeing how it continues to mature.  The grasses are really becoming noticeable and we continue to see more of the plants we've always had...spiderwort, purple coneflowers, compass plants, sunflowers, cup plants, bergamot, blazing star, the butterfly weed is really starting to spread now too.

Signed:  Laura C.

	When we started, vegetation consisted of Canada thistle, burdock, buckthorn, and Canada Goldenrod among other weeds.  Four applications of Roundup throughout the summer of 1999 eliminated most of the weeds during the site preparation process.
	August 2005 -- This prairie is in it's 4th growing season.
	A high-diversity mix of native forbs and grasses was seeded April 2000 with our Tye No-till drill. The following year subsequent weeds were controlled by mowing several times. Site visit 7/8/10 -- Prairie is in its' 10th year.  The beautiful white flower blooming is Culver's Root.
	Site visit 7/8/10 -- Laura is admiring the beautiful Compass Plant.
	COUNTRYSIDE HOME IN JEFFERSON, WI Site visit 7/8/10 -- Seeded fall of 2006.  This high diversity seed mix is beginning to mature adding a rainbow of colors for residents of this facility.
	COUNTRYSIDE HOME They reduced their mowing by about four acres saving considerable money in mowing expense with an additional benefit of not polluting the environment.  Birds and butterflies complement the prairie.