The Prairie Acre Restoration Plan

28 Pages·2014·1.29 MB·English

The Prairie Acre Restoration Plan

Methods and Procedures for Restoration and
Preservation of Prairie Acre

EVRN 615 Capstone class project

by Jordan Brandenburgh, James Conboy, Hannah Duff, Dylan Konek, Simon Madhavan,
Grant Myers, Anna Tatarko, Adam Timmerman, Allison Williams and Julia Yang

May 2014
Acknowledgements

Our Capstone group would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Senior Curator
at the R.L. McGregor Herbarium and Senior Scientist at the Kansas Natural Heritage
Inventory Dr. Craig Freeman, Graduate Teaching Assistants Rachel Craft and Anna
Kern, KU Landscape Manager Michael Lang, and the staff at the Spencer Research
Library.

We would also like to thank our Professor Dr. Kelly Kindscher for his hard work and
continued support in this endeavor.

Cover Page image is copyright David McKinney and University Relations

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Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
a. Goals and Objectives
b. History and Dedication of Prairie Acre
2. Prairie Acre Site Assessment
a. Significance of Native Prairie Ecosystems
b. Cost-Benefit Analysis of Restoration
3. Restoration Methods and Long-Term Management Techniques
a. Obtaining Seeds and Propagation Methods
b. Prescribed Burning Methods and Safety
c. Competition and Takeover in Plant Communities and the Removal of
Invasive Species
d. Soil Nutrient Management
e. Assessing Restoration Progress
f. Future Management of Prairie Acre
g. Possible Expansion

4. Future Use
a. Hands-on Education and Fieldwork
b. Campus Aesthetics
c. Master Plan Accordance
d. Public Recreational Opportunities
5. References / Works Cited
Appendix
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1. Introduction

Prairie Acre is a small
section of native prairie on
the University of Kansas
campus. This report
outlines the history of the
acre and includes
recommendations for
future restoration efforts. A
small, fragmented site of
only .35 acres, Prairie Acre
once held a rich variety of
80-100 species, but the
number dropped to only 28
species by 1992.

The natural beauty of
Prairie Acre is a remnant of
what Mount Oread, the tall limestone hill on which the University of Kansas (KU)
sits, once was; "a ridge covered with wind-blown grass and prairie flowers" (Harder
1992). Though Prairie Acre has been undervalued and degraded along with
tallgrass prairies all across North America, it remains unplowed and resilient. As a
rare remnant of native landscape on KU campus, Prairie Acre is well worth
preserving.

The Prairie Acre Restoration Plan is the result of a collaborative effort amongst
students and faculty in the Environmental Studies Program at KU. The plan serves
as both a historical and educational guide for Prairie Acre Site that was dedicated in
1932 through the efforts of four KU alumnae and Biochemistry Professor, C.F.
Nelson. They hoped “to preserve the significance of the prairie hillside for future
generations” (Hersey et al. 2011). This plan is divided into four sections: an
Introduction, Prairie Acre Site Assessment, Restoration Methods and Long-Term
Management Techniques, and finally a section dedicated to Future Use. Each of
these sections outline the primary objectives of the Prairie Acre Restoration Project.

A. Goals and Objectives
The goal of this project is to restore Prairie Acre to a healthy tallgrass prairie
ecosystem by establishing diverse communities of native wildflowers and grasses.
Restoring the prairie will help us understand both the ecosystem being restored and
our relationship to it. The first objective of Prairie Acre Restoration Project is to
educate readers on the rich history and ecological diversity of Prairie Acre and all
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tallgrass prairie ecosystems. The second objective is to assess the current status of
Prairie Acre and to evaluate its health as a tallgrass prairie. The third objective is to
outline the proper procedures for the initial restoration and long-term management
techniques that will enhance the biodiversity of the acre. The fourth objective is to
create a comprehensive list of native prairie species that will be planted in this
restoration. The fifth objective is to describe the future uses and benefits that
Prairie Acre will offer KU and the Lawrence community and propose future
expansion and development of the area.

B. History and Dedication of Prairie Acre

Set aside in 1932 for KU’s June
commencement festivities, Prairie Acre
is believed to be the last portion of
Mount Oread that has never “been
disturbed by plow, shovel, blasting
powder nor other man-made device for
reshaping the surface of the earth”. A
campaign spearheaded by Agnes
Thompson, Amida Stanton, Rose
Morgan, and Hannah Oliver, and with
the aid of Professor Carl F. Nelson of
the KU Biochemistry Department,
pushed for the protection of the “virgin
soil”(Hersey et al. 2011, ). Their efforts
were soon joined by fellow professors
and alumni who also saw the
importance of preserving the site (Hersey et al. 2011). The dedication of the site
harkened back to the frontier days of Kansas, cultivating images of pioneers,
Indians, buffalo, and the Oregon Trail and the settling
of the West.

Prairie Acre thrived during the three decades
following its dedication. Eight years after the
commencement in 1940, the Potter Lake limestone
wall that currently surrounds Prairie Acre was built
(Marsh n.d.). While surviving disturbances from
construction on top of Mount Oread and losing part of
its size due to new sidewalk, Prairie Acre still
conjured fascination. An editorial in the 1956 Kansan
declared that “the sightseer who visits Prairie Acre
today will be greeted by a scene of untamed beauty”
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(Hersey et al. 2011). In 1966, a letter from Elmer F. Beth, a Professor at the School
of Journalism, made its way to Chancellor Wescoe. The letter (Image 1.3) stated that
“‘Prairie Acre’ at KU is probably the most unusual historical monument on ANY
campus,” and suggested “that the University erect at that entrance a really attractive
marker which will describe the acre… large enough so the heading could be read
from a car at the traffic-check station (Beth 1966).”

However, starting in the late 1960s, the state of Prairie Acre declined due to poor
maintenance and neglect. The University started allowing the growth of trees at the
site, blocking needed sunlight for prairie growth, and begun to mow the site. As a
result, the biodiversity of Prairie Acre, which once supported between 80-100
native plant species, was diminished to a meager 28 species by 1992 (Kindscher
1999).

In 1987, awareness about the degraded state of
Prairie Acre was sparked by a professor in the
Biology Department, who urged in a letter to
Facilities & Operations that for restoration of
the site (Hersey et al. 2011). In 1988,
Architectural Services agreed that a project
should be implemented to restore the site, but
efforts were restricted by time and equipment
availability of Facilities and Operations (Wade
1988). Finally in 1992, the Office of University
Relations issued a press release which stated
that the decision had been made to remove the
trees and perform regular burnings on the
prairie site (Harder 1992).

Unfortunately, under the excuse that fire codes
prohibited the University from burning the site, the
University began to question the significance of
Prairie Acre. Despite this setback, Prairie Acre was
burned in 2002, 2003, and 2011 (Hersey et al. 2011;
Hyland 2011). In the campus plan of 1997, Prairie
Acre was identified as a “primary expansion area”,
since it is one of few buildable sites close to the
academic core of campus (Hersey et al. 2011). In
more recent years Prairie Acre has also received
recommendations for restoration in both the 2008
Campus Heritage Plan and the 2011 Campus
Sustainability Plan.
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2. Prairie Acre Site
Assessment

Anthropogenic disturbances can often
have negative effects on the natural
environment, ranging from air and water
pollution to the endangerment and
extinction of species. Individuals and
communities can play a significant role in
the promotion of ecological health and
well-being. Prairie Acre is not only an
opportunity to demonstrate the
importance of preserving native prairies
here in Kansas, but for preserving the
biodiversity of natural landscapes and
their ecosystems everywhere on earth.
The species diversity and ecological
productivity of Prairie Acre has been
greatly diminished but fortunately,
Prairie Acre remains a terrific candidate
for restoration.

A. Significance of Native Prairie
Ecosystems

One hundred and fifty years ago, Mt.
Oread was a sea of grasses and wildflowers teeming with wildlife. Tallgrass prairie
once covered 170 million acres of North America. Within a generation, the vast
majority was plowed and developed. Today less than 4% of that Native Prairie
remains, and most of it is found here in Kansas (National Park Service 2014). This
reduction of prairie has been largely due to factors such as agriculture, overgrazing,
invasive species, fire suppression, and habitat fragmentation and degradation.
Native prairie grasslands are a vital ecosystem, particularly in the Midwest, as they
support a diverse array of organisms. Prairies are rich in species, composed of a
mixture of grasses and forbs (herbaceous flowering plants), with composites and
legumes being especially well represented (Packard 1997). Prairie plants grow in
close proximity, flowering at different times throughout the growing season. Prairie
species are well adapted to extreme temperatures, drought, wind, high light
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intensity, fire, and grazing (Packard 1997). In addition, prairies provide shelter and
food for many other species including insects, migratory birds, small mammals and
pollinators.

Image 1.6: Rockefeller Prairie at KU Field Station

Restoring native prairie ecosystems has become increasingly important as they
continue to be lost to other land uses (Heslinga 2010). The goal of prairie
restoration is to recreate the patterns of plant species richness found in virgin
prairies. Consequently, restorations are monitored primarily for the number of
native species that are present (Polley 2005). However, this goal has often proven
difficult to achieve (Howe 1994), because mechanisms responsible for diversity in
prairie communities are not fully understood (Polley 2005). One review of prairie
restorations found that only 68 studies out of 468 reported restoration success after
planting (Ruiz-Jaen 2005). Fortunately, according to historical data, our small acre
is a degraded remnant prairie-meaning it still has components of its natural
character surviving, (Packard 1997). Healthy prairie remnants can contain as many
as 150 to 180 species (Allen 2007), but a floristic survey done by Dr. Kelly Kindscher
in 1992 found only 28 native species in Prairie Acre. Thus in our case, it is not the
survival of diverse native vegetation that qualifies Prairie Acre as a remnant;
instead, it is considered a remnant because of its intact soils. The fact that its thick
high quality soils are still intact housing diverse microbial communities means
Prairie Acre will be better suited to achieve our goal of restoration (Allen 2007).
Plant ecologists comparing restored prairie to remnants have shown that species
richness tends to decline over time in restored prairies, but remarkably less so in
prairies that are remnants (Allen 2007). Furthermore, many prairie plants mature
rapidly and most will flower within 5 years (Packard 1997). While the prairie itself
once covered vast areas, it is, in many respects a fine-textured community meaning
it is possible to reproduce many of the attributes of a native prairie in one acre or
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less (Packard 1997). All these qualities are positive indicators that Prairie Acre has
great potential to undergo a successful restoration. We hope to restore the Acre’s
plant community from its present species count of just 28 species to over a hundred
different native prairie wildflowers and grasses that will contribute to a multitude of
diverse ecosystem functions (See Appendix 1 for a complete list of proposed
species). With this plan, the simple restoration of an important historical ecosystem
is sure to have lasting success.

B. Cost Benefit Analysis of Restoration
Prairie Acre is a degraded remnant prairie and its restoration will necessitate the
investment of time and resources but the benefits of such a restoration will be felt
throughout the local ecosystems, the University, and the community as a whole.
Costs Benefits
● Time / Labor ● History
A labor force will be required to Prairie Acre has been an officially
begin restoration efforts and dedicated site on campus for over
upkeep the acre in the future 80 years. Restoring it to its former
according to the long-term glory would communicate its value
restoration plan. to the campus environment and KU
● Capital history.
The exact funds needed to complete ● Education
the project are uncertain, $10,000 A prairie restoration/management
from University endowment is class could benefit the University
desired to hire a full time with a free maintenance team and
coordinator for initial restoration benefit students with educational
efforts. fieldwork.
 Management ● Environment
Prairie Acre is both aesthetically
Continued upkeep of the site by
pleasing and a vital ecological
Facilities & Operations,
habitat that is currently threatened
purchasing seeds or plants which
in the Midwest.
are no longer found on site, and
possible fees for obtaining a license
for prairie burning.

Restoring Prairie Acre will require a time commitment from the party or parties
involved in the restoration. A proper restoration may take several seasons. In
addition, funds will be required for purchasing seeds and hiring staff to facilitate the
restoration and maintaining the site. A burn license may be required to ensure
appropriate management of Prairie Acre. Despite these costs, this important
historical and ecological landmark at the University of Kansas and may also provide
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various educational opportunities such as classes, research, and community
outreach.

3. Restoration Methods and Maintenance Techniques

One of the primary goals of the restoration plan is to restore the biodiversity of
Prairie Acre with beautiful wildflowers that would not only be aesthetically
pleasing, but ecologically productive. Proper maintenance will allow the
biodiversity of Prairie Acre to flourish in a productive, sustainable, and aesthetically
pleasing manner. Maintenance procedures for successful restoration include
burning, weeding, and runoff prevention. The initial restoration procedures, such as
consistent and vigilant weeding of any observed invasive species, is paramount to
both the immediate and long-term health and success of the Prairie Acre
restoration. The figure below lays out a proposed 2-year timetable for restoration
efforts.

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