Campus Prairie

Prairie Reconstruction in Turfgrass on the ESU Campus

Historically, the landscape in eastern Kansas was dominated by a diverse tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Tallgrass prairie provides important habitat for a variety of native grasses, flowers, and animals; however, only a fraction of this ecosystem exists today. Restoring the landscape with native plants will provide environmental benefits including improved water quality and enhanced wildlife habitat for native birds and pollinators. We are reconstructing a 6-acre tallgrass prairie on the ESU campus north of ESU’s Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center (PAROC) and south of ESU’s Campus Woods. This prairie will provide an ideal opportunity to educate students and the public about the importance of this critical native habitat.  Additionally, this prairie reconstruction will enable multiple opportunities for student research and exploration, which is especially beneficial for students living on campus without transportation to our other Natural Areas. These improvements are aligned with the goals of the 2015-2025 Strategic Plan of Emporia State University, to provide high-impact learning experiences and expand outreach opportunities to learn about and protect our shared natural resources. This project will include several stages to convert a significant portion of the turfgrass field to native grasses and flowers. The first step of the process was the removal of the turfgrass which will took place late summer 2022 and using a herbicide applied to minimize non-target environmental impacts. The second step was burning the dead vegettaion in December 2022.  In early February 2023 the area was seeded with a mixture of native grasses and flowers. The area will take a few years to develop and need to be managed to promote native plant growth and diversity. This will include invasive plant monitoring and removal, native seeding, and mowing or burning the area according to a prairie management plan. Interpretive trails are also be in development. We appreciate your patience and interest as this project develops!