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#1 | ||
A Bee's Best Friend
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Chicago Illinois USA
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Stephen Packard has posted another interesting article about prairie diversity and restoration.
The pictures are beautiful and the questions challenging. We are so lucky to have him here in Illinois. Maybe some answers to why certain plants do not succeed. Strategies for Stewards: from woods to prairies : Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Rare and Conservative Plant Quote:
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#2 | |
Great Horned Owl
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northeastern MA
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At this point, though I still allow the prairie to grow, it has pretty much reverted to a mixture of a few of the plants I had originally planted mixed in with numerous native aggressives and even some budding shrubs, though I did mow it to the ground at the beginning of this season, destroying many would be shrubs in the process. I agree with the speculation that a wide diversity of plants in a prairie like setting requires periodical burns and a wide diversity of native animals (like the snakes mentioned) to succeed at all, though, even then, the absence of a large herbivore like the buffalo is bound to have its affect. The bulk of my wildlife planting now is invested in shrubs and trees that have a high attraction record for wildlife. like oaks, cherries, viburnums, blueberry, etc...
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"Know thyself." Oracle at Delphi |
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#3 |
Offical Silphium Abuser
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Southeast Ohio
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I have never had enough land to grow an actual prairie but find that woodies are my primary invaders here is SE Ohio.
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"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." --Cicero ~http://rebeccas-window.blogspot.com/~ |
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#4 |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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Gloria,
Thank you for sharing the link and the quotes. I'm just seeing this now (as my bedtime is approaching after a very draining day). The quotes have me really wanting to open the article, but I fear I will put off getting my much needed sleep. Will see which wins out. Either way, I look forward to following this thread. ![]()
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"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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#5 |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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I'm still up; I checked out the blog article. Great photos and a lot of food for thought. Thank you.
Being in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, I guess I'm not really restoring a prairie...but, I'm sure that the idea of plant communities/associations and conservative species still spply. I picture keeping our property in various stages of succession...but, more and more, I suspect periodic burning may very well be necessary (although I have no idea yet if it will be feasible). Until, I get vast sections planted and established, I don't yet have to worry about it.
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"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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Tags |
conservative, plant, rare |
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