Pioneer a Prairie

Posted by Bill Whitney on April 27, 2007 - 11:27 AM

Prairie Plains is launching a new approach to its longstanding work in the ecological restoration of prairies and wetlands. We have always wanted to be able to “give away” prairie restorations and to use the process of restoration as a fulfilling way to involve and educate people. The process of harvesting and planting prairie and wetland seeds, along with horticultural aspects of growing greenhouse seedlings to plant in a garden, seed production plot or planted acreage is inherently a learning-by-doing process. It is a wonderful vehicle for involving volunteers, students, interns and other interested people in the study of natural sciences such as botany, wildlife and plant ecology, horticulture, and land management.  In the Prairie Plains context it is also a way to put ecological restoration – a growing worldwide concern - into a new context of human relationship building, service and community development.  The impediment to giving prairie away is that there is a cost of staffing such a program. Program administration, harvesting and planting of seeds, and developing a long-term stewardship follow-up program to manage the prairies all takes funds.

The Pioneer a Prairie program proposes to match multiple cash donors to a landowner who wants a prairie – sort of an adopt an acre plan. Prairie Plains will plant the prairie and facilitate the communication and administrative aspects for each project. If we can begin on a small basis, over time we hope to attract more people to participate, to take part in the learning and doing process, or cash or land contributors.

With a donation of $500 per acre from multiple donors Prairie Plains will design and plant a private landowner’s property to high diversity prairie. Part of the donation will be restricted for development of a permanent management assistance endowment ($300 for planting and $200 for stewardship fund). As the primary beneficiary of this land improvement the participating landowner will be responsible for certain site preparation needs as well as follow-up management with help from Prairie Plains.

The visionary long-term goals of this project include: 

• Hundreds of properties planted to high diversity prairie encompassing thousands of acres in eastern and central Nebraska;

• Numerous projects sponsored by a variety of donors and landowners (to include individual landowners, educational institutions and organizations);

• Creation of a large network of people including cash donors, landowners, volunteers, Prairie Plains staff and its members, all tied together through newsletters and web media;

• Community and private events tied to many projects (landowner willing);

• Many educational and recreational outings to project sites (landowner willing);

• Site specific project designs integrating cultural/historic resources (historic and working farms and ranches, cemeteries, scenic and natural landmarks, towns and cities);

• Projects tied to activities of Scouts, youth groups and service organizations;

• Projects tied to the Nebraska Writers Project and visual and performing artists;

• Creation of a web-accessible Geographic Information System map database of seed sources, plantings, people and other related project information;

• Seminars, lectures, workshops and celebrations at the new Prairie Plains Education Center and various project sites concerning ecological restoration (how-to harvest seed, plant, evaluate, manage, graze, burn, etc.);

• Creating community connections of all projects pertaining to agriculture, hunting, recreational, fitness, nature, etc., interests.

• Forming a huge volunteer network helping with seed collecting, processing and planting, prairie burning, fencing, signage, events, etc.

•  A landowner with a minimum of five acres of land to devote to the project goals for a period of thirty years.

• Anyone who donates $500 or more (apportioned at $500/acre; multiples of whole acre allotments are preferred).  This can include individuals, businesses, foundations, non-profits, agencies.

• In-kind donors of equipment, seed, or services of any type that helps further project goals will be in the network and acknowledged; gift value will be applied to total project match.

•  Daily enjoyment of his/her land and the prairie.

• Rights to set practical guidelines for appropriate use by other project participants within specific program goals.  Some may desire more involvement with people – others less.

• Rights to graze cattle for income within clearly defined program management constraints.

• Rights to harvest and sell his/her prairie’s native local ecotype seed (Prairie Plains will reserve rights to harvest native seed on these areas in order to plant new sites unless the landowner expresses first interest).

• Landowners will receive a Prairie Plains membership for the year of their commitment.

• A donation to Prairie Plains for this program is tax-deductible.

• The donors will become familiar with the planting site and get acquainted with the landowner.

• Donors will be able to visit the prairie they helped plant, or take part in volunteer stewardship activities with the landowner.

• Donors will receive a Prairie Plains membership for the year of their commitment.

• Being involved with a program that can stimulate new ideas and working relationships in areas of community development, ecological restoration, outdoor education, and recreation.

• Prairie Plains will experiment with and refine its ecological restoration methods and standards.

• Meeting new people with diverse interests in prairie and the land.

• Seeing people of all ages enjoy and learn about their area.

• Appreciation and enjoyment garnered from promoting a people-oriented mode of land conservation that fits a diversity of people and ideas, and has the capacity to positively impact a lot of land, people and communities across Nebraska.

• All program participants can take part in any event related to their specific project as well as the many events and activities scheduled on all Pioneer a Prairie sites across the state.  All participants will be able to take ownership in all program accomplishments.