Andy Nimrod, Director Decorah Parks and Recreation (left)

Terry Haindfield, retired wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR (right)

Thursday, April 9, 2020, 7 pm, Decorah Public Library Community Room

Learn how, when and why the Decorah Community Prairie was developed. Nimrod and Haindfield, who were involved in the beginnings of the Prairie, will discuss the the present condition of the site and visions for its future.

Laura Fischer Walter is the Plant Materials Program Manager at the Tallgrass Prairie Center (TPC) at the University of Northern Iowa. She received her BA and MS (Biology) from Kansas State University, carrying out research in prairie plant ecology at the Konza Prairie Biological Station. She is a former teacher of high school biology, earth science, and German. She is an amateur photographer who loves being outside in all seasons and enjoys gardening. At the TPC, she manages the on-site production of Iowa-source foundation seed for native seed growers, facilitates communication within the native seed supply chain, and fosters prairie education through the Prairie Roots and Irvine Prairie projects

Restoring prairie to Iowa's landscape has many benefits for people and our environment. UNI's Tallgrass Prairie Center has been working toward this goal for over twenty years through its programs and projects. In Iowa's highly altered landscape, the availability of diverse, high quality native seed is paramount for restoration success at various scales.

Laura Walter, TPC Plant Materials Program Manager, will explore seed sourcing for different restoration goals, the importance of maintaining genetic diversity in the seed supply, and the trials and joys of native seed production.

Robin Oanes has been interested in insects all her life, but it wasn’t until her husband started planting prairie that she became aware of the huge number of pollinators and other insects that can live on one small acreage. She began to obsessively photograph and document every species seen in their prairies. So far she’s found over 100 day-time pollinators, with many other species also hanging around on their two acres. Her passion for these little creatures led to the development of pollinatinglife.com, a website devoted to Midwestern pollinators.

Robin will be sharing photos of the different critters she has found in her “ G-O Home Prairie”. She hopes you’ll come away from her presentation inspired to take the time to stop, look, and see the wondrous little lives all around you.

Brian Sauer is Wildlife Technician and Private Lands Biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Brian will be discussing best management practices for establishing prairies and managing prairie ecosystems. Brian will also go through potential options for cost share assistance and/or seed sources and contractor options for establishing prairies.

Ross Evelsizer has been at NEI Resource Conservation & Development since 2013 as a Watershed Planner and GIS Specialist. He helped develop the first HUC 8, multi-county, watershed resiliency plan in Iowa for the Turkey River and two additional watershed resiliency plans for the Upper Iowa and Upper Wapsi Rivers, which collectively include outreach and discussion, public meetings, and one-on-one dialog with partners from around the state and producers in over a dozen Northeast Iowa counties. He has led several producer outreach projects, bringing together Iowa NRCS, Iowa Farm Bureau, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Corn Growers, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and others. Evelsizer has B.S. degrees in Speech Communications, in Geography and in Geographic Information Systems from South Dakota State University.

Prairies were the predominant land cover in Iowa before European settlement in the 1800's. Since that time, 99% of native prairies have been removed from the landscape making Iowa one of the most altered landscapes in the world. Today, we face increased flood frequency and intensities, water quality problems, and high rates of erosion. Watershed managers and conservationists are turning back time by utilizing prairie plantings to help protect surface waters from changing landscapes and weather patterns. Producers are also looking to emulate prairie systems with cropping systems that promote soil health and increased plant diversity.

Larry Reis (above, left, with son Dan) is a retired Winneshiek County Conservation Board Naturalist. An accomplished naturalist in Winneshiek, Iowa; Reis uses photography and the internet to spread his love of nature, and to encourage all to explore and conserve the land around us.

This presentation will feature photos of our common pollinating bees, flies, wasps and butterflies on Iowa prairies, with a special emphasis on the monarch butterfly since this iconic prairie pollinator has recently experienced a dramatic population decline.

Corey Meier is Winneshiek County Engineering: Roadside Manager for the program entitled IRVM Iowa Roadside Vegetation Management. He spends his off time following his kids in various sporting events and works on habitat hobbies on their farm.

Winneshiek County is known locally and throughout the Midwest as an ecological and natural resources gem due to its land forms and waters. Our county has been known as a hub for eco-tourism / outdoor recreation and has become a hometown to many just for this reasoning. Our county roadside corridors are gateways to our communities and pictorial marketing devices that promotes our natural resources heritage. We strive to implement best management practices that improve public safety; while addressing environmental factors of storm water runoff and wildlife habitat.