Prairie Rescue Event Set for Fayette County
Posted: March 25, 2008

Volunteers of all ages will help rescue a prairie at more than 15 sites throughout Iowa during the months of March, April and May.

The public is invited to help with an April 8 prairie rescue event at Volga River Recreation Area, in Fayette County. For a complete listing of all Iowa prairie rescue sites online, go to www.inhf.org/prairierescue2008.html. The events are also listed on the Iowa DNR Keepers of the Land events calendar at www.iowadnr.com/volunteer/index.html.

This is an annual event coordinated by the Iowa DNR with support from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, county conservation boards and private conservation groups.

For more information, contact Whitney Davis, with the Iowa DNR, at 515-281-6271, or Whitney.Davis@dnr.iowa.gov.

Today, only about 1/1,000th of Iowa's prairie remains. These small prairie remnants, even those in public ownership, are still at risk from encroaching species and the lack of historic fire and grazing patterns.

Prairie Rescue volunteers will clear invasive species such as brush and small trees from the sites. Experts will conduct controlled burns on some of the prairies. These efforts will allow adults and kids to experience the prairies Iowa's earlier generations saw, while preserving that experience for future generations.