North American Prairie Conference

Field Trip Information Summary


Wednesday, August 6, 2008




• Resource Manager Rodney Rovang will talk on the Driftless Area on the way down to Effigy Mounds National Monument from Winona.  Ice Ages, geology, Native Americans use of fire, and management philosophies of the monument will be discussed during the trip.

• Arrive at Effigy Mounds National Monument Visitor Center for background on mound building cultures and presentation on prairie restoration program.

• Participants will board tour bus to visit prairie restoration and eat at the prairie site.

• After lunch field trip participants will hike to a native goat prairie areas over looking wetlands in the Yellow River Flood Plain.

• The field trip will end with  a scenic loop along mounds out to Fire Point overlooking the Mississippi River and return to the bus for trip back to Winona.

• Effigy Mounds contains about 200 prehistoric Native American burial mounds located along the Mississippi River.

• The park contains wetlands and rivers in floodplain forests with woodlands, and prairie sites on top of 400 foot bluffs.

• The visit would consist of brief introduction to the park at the headquarters and then a walk or drive to 50 acre prairie restoration that includes 65 species and two planting methods. 

• Half was drill seeded and the other half broadcast seeded. 

• No tilling or herbicide was used to restore this 50 year old fallow field area.

• Buses could drive right to the site so only a short walk of about ¼ to ½ mile.
• From there people could walk the 11 miles of trails to see the monument and other prairie restoration areas including naturally recovering old field areas and with arrangements some goat prairies.
• The walk will be easy for the prairie restoration visit.  Walking distance will be about three miles on gently rolling ground.
• Independent walks could be rigorous to see outlying areas due to steep trails and distance.
• A well managed trail system lead to most of the points of interest within the park however on the self guided hiking the trails will be steep at times. 
• Bring insect repellant.