North American Prairie Conference

Field Trip Information Summary


Wednesday, August 6, 2008




• This 75 acre farm includes 25.6 acres of prairie plantings.  Six prairie plantings, all with different planting dates, methods, and seed mixes. 

• Plantings range from 10#/acre of pure native grass plantings with forbs added later (10 species), to a planting of 4#/acre of grasses and 4#/acre of forbs (40+ species), and everything in between. 

• Planting in the spring and in the fall, no-till drilled and broadcast seeded, 15 year old plantings and 5 year old plantings.

•  These prairie plantings and surrounding lands are part of numerous programs including: Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) Reserve, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP).  These programs helped provide stabilization of marginal ag land, pastured hillsides, and riparian corridors. 

• Improved water quality by protecting a unique feature called the "Decorah Edge", the source of hillside wetlands creating a transition from a mesic prairie, to a wet-mesic prairie and coming together to a small perennial stream.

• First prairie planting located at bus unloading area, other plantings along the way to back planting about ¼ mile from unloading area.
• walk to furthest planting would be moderate to rigorous.
• furthest site is a walk on a well maintained trail with some steep terrain and potential wet conditions, potential “noxious plant” problems include wild parsnip and water hemlock.