Grassland

Why Grasslands Matter

Signage for Prairie Plantings

One of the most heartbreaking things that can happen after pouring hours of work, money, time, and sweet into rehabilitating grassland, is for people who don't understand their value to come along and "help out" by spraying pesticides or mowing important plant species down. To help prevent this, some organizations and artists offer plaques and other types of signage to help educate people of the unruly-looking grass's purpose. That the plant life's presence is in fact wanted.

Keystone Species

International

Ants

Ants are a keystone species around most of the world, acting as both ecosystem engineers and tiny predators.

Europe

How to Plan for Reconstruction

How to Plan a Prairie Reconstruction

11:10 minute video from the Tallgrass Prairie Center  talking through the planning phase: research, obtaining/storing seeds, and weed removal. Then goes on to talk about what to expect in the first few years as the species composition changes.

Resources

Invasive Control

Invasives can be controlled a number of ways. Many conservation organizations use glyphosate, which is dangerous to human health and the environment, but may be needed for particularly aggressive species, before rewilding can begin. 

Controlled burning and grazing are another option which require care and planning.

Weed whackers and hand weeding, especially at specific points in an invasives life cycle can be effective but more intensive physically. The video to the right demonstrates the need to take the entire top off a flowering plant to avoid the remaining stalks from flowering, but plants with deep tap roots may need to be properly dug up or poisoned. Pouring hot water on the roots may help.

To turn an invasive tree into a snag that can help wildlife, I've had the limbs cut off, then gone around the tunk with a blade to cut through the bark. Since nutrients move up under the bark, this makes it harder for the tree to regenerate, but it is important to check around the base and limbs often to remove any buds, stems, or leaves that the tree may try to put out. Constantly removing the new growth will eventually starve the plant to death.

Warning: Do NOT use salt to kill weeds. "Salting the Earth" can make the soil toxic to plants for hundreds of years or more.

North America

Prairie Restoration Project

 10:55 minute video talks about the methods used to till and seed the farmland into prairie, and shows how the landowners deal with invasive plants.

Rewinding Locations

Parks

Africa

North America 

USA

Join us in returning healthy lands, healthy lives, and healthy economies to Indian Country

You can also choose to stay up to date with the legal issues facing rewilding work such as the Bison testing bottleneck that it currently preventing US tribes from adopting new bison from Yellow Stone Park - read here for more info, then remember to vote and contact your representatives when bills such as the H.R.2074 - Indian Buffalo Management Act "

Montana

Organizations

International

Africa

Kenya

Grassland and Rangeland society of Kenya (GRASK) "is a professional society that brings together researchers, professionals, practitioners and resource users to address the challenges facing grasslands and rangelands in Kenya and the IGAD region. The Society unifies, stimulates and fosters focus and interest on grasslands and rangelands for their sustainable development to play the rightful role in national and regional economic development."

Asia

Europe

Latvia

UK

Scotland

North America

USA

Missouri

Montana

Oceana

Australia

South America

Resources, Tools, & Guides

International

North America

USA

Iowa

Missouri

Grants, Funds, & Incentives

North America

USA

South America

Maps

North America

USA

Grants & Funding

North America

USA

Missouri