The Prairie Enthusiasts, a  large non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of prairies is based in the upper midwest.  One of the original chapters , The Prairie Bluff Chapter was founded by Gary Felder, one of the principles in Savannah Springs Nursery  Besides other projects the Prairie Bluff Chapter has been involved in the  purchase & maintenance of the Marbleseed Prairie

 The York Grasslands

by  Gary Felder

       If you are among the many people who have been increasingly dismayed by the housing developments that seem to be popping  up like toadstools after a rain, I would like to share some exciting & encouraging news with you.  In mid  January I received a phone call from a  Green county landowner I have known for several years and who happens to have a wonderful prairie remnant on his farm.   Her was calling to let me know that despite his appreciation of the prairie, that the time had come for him to sell and Realtors  were promising him top dollar.  I immediately began calling everyone I knew who could be of assistance, from private citizens to the Nature Conservancy.  After a couple anxious weeks, I received a phone call from the Bureau of Endangered Resources (BER) inviting me to a meeting at  the DNR Research Center in Mono & requesting that I bring along any information I had  that would be relevant to the area in question.

       I arrived at the meeting armed with aerial photos, surveyor maps, and species lists,  Imagine my amazement when, after  my informal presentation and the ensuing discussion, the BER representatives proposed to buy not only the parcel going up for sale, but also several other nearby remnants & buffer zone fields totalling over 500 acres.

        As it turns out the BER  has known about this area & been doing plant & bird species  surveys in the area for some time.   They were indeed aware  of its significance, both historically (the last fragments of the huge  Green's Prairie) & biologically (home to both state threatened & federally endangered species including Prairie Bushclover, Regal Fritillaries & Upland Sandpipers).  The news of the impending sale of an important remnant was all it took to get the ball rolling.

       It was gratifying to learn if their interest in the area as I have been  working to get some degree of protection  for this area for several years.  In fact, in 1997 the Green County Conservation League had become involved in efforts to preserve this area by purchasing a high quality remnant dubbed Marbleseed  Prairie after one of the sites intriguing native forbs.  Under the BER plan, 10 other prairie remnants totalling approximately 220  acres will not only enjoy  the  same protected status as the Marbleseed Prairie enjoys, but also bee connected to it and each other by buffer zones, an important element for the continuing health of the residual wildlife.   Through direct purchases & conservation easements , the BER and local conservation organizations will protect as much  land as possible, exceeding the original 500 acres now in the works.

        With the assistance of the BER, & $$'s from the Stewardship fund, citizens and conservation organizations of Green county have a wonderful opportunity to become involved & create a conservation showcase that will preserve for generations the remains of what  was once the dominant ecosystem in the area - the prairie.

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