Last year the Parkville Nature Sanctuary decided to create a small prairie in the meadow on both sides of the Bluebird Trail near the butterfly garden. That part of the sanctuary has been growing fescue and Johnson grass.
We weren’t sure how to create this prairie, so we sought advice from Larry Rizzo of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC.) In addition to giving us advice, Larry arranged for us to use seeds harvested from the Wakanta Prairie in Eldorado Springs, Missouri. This prairie is a partnership between the MDC and the Nature Conservancy.
Following Larry’s advice we burned our meadow area on March 11th this year. The next step was to spray the area with the herbicide RoundUp as soon as the grass grew to 3"-5" tall. On May 9th, volunteer Darrel O’Del used his own tractor and sprayer to apply the RoundUp.
On May 19th, we planted seeds donated by the MDC using a special seed spreader worn by a person walking. This seeder was designed to spread the fluffy seeds characteristic of prairie grasses. The planting was done with the help of PNS Committee volunteers and students from Park Hill South’s Ecology Club and their advisor, Marcia Umscheid.
Larry advised us that a perfectly planted seed would be half in the ground and half above the ground. To accomplish this, we asked the City Crew to use an upside down harrow to press the seeds into the ground.
On Sept 9th the City Crew mowed the grasses to a height of 6 inches, the height recommended by Larry during the growing period.
The next step will be to spray the grass with RoundUp again following the first light frost. Then next spring we will keep the grasses cut short so the seedings are open to sunlight. If non-native plants or weeds begin taking over, they will need to be pulled or sprayed. Then after the grasses die back in the winter, our prairie may need to be burned again.
We appreciate the guidance and support of MDC in this project. MDC donated the expensive seed mixture for warm-grass prairie and the RoundUp for spraying in May.
When the grasses grew, I was shocked. It looked as if we had not planted any prairie grass! Only a few plants of switch grass were visible in the mix that grew.
I shared my frustration with three different people who have successfully started prairies. None of them were surprised by what I saw. They have told me it takes approximately six years for the grasses to transition into a true prairie.
So, if you walk the Bluebird Trail and it looks as if nothing has changed, don’t be discouraged. It takes a while to create a prairie! We don’t know exactly what kind of grasses and flowers we will end up with, but Larry Rizzo says the following varieties are present in the Wakanta Prairie where the seeds were harvested.:
Grasses: big blue stem, little blue stem, Indian grass, switch grass, prairie drop seed, and side oats gramma.
Flowers: blazing star, coneflower, sunflower, goldenrod, coreopsis, and other varieties.
You can tell this has been a collaborative effort with lots of groups and individuals helping make this process possible. If you would like to be a part of creating this prairie, give me a call.
There are always many more opportunities to help.
Talk with others who share your interest in nature.
Learn more about developing and maintaining a nature sanctuary.
Express your ideas about how a nature sanctuary should be--both physically and in programming.
Know you have helped create a place where people can learn and enjoy nature.
Volunteer a lot of time or a little time. Every hour helps.
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To volunteer for the Parkville Nature Sanctuary, call Jim Reed, 816.741.0820
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