Frequently Asked Questions about Installing and Managing Tallgrass Priarie

Tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to Iowa that houses thousands of species from insects, birds, small mammals, snakes, to over five hundred types of plants, many of which grow exclusively in the Tallgrass Prairie. Prairies offer many benefits, and can improve soil health, support local wildlife, help with drainage and reduce erosion. Prairies are carbon sequesters and can offer sustainable grazing practices. Because of the amount of prairie destroyed for agriculture, there is less than 1% remaining in Iowa. The Tallgrass Prairie is an endangered ecosystem.

An ecosystem is a complex puzzle, of which one missing piece makes a big difference. The Tallgrass prairie is no different—one that many species rely on to survive. When the Tallgrass prairie is removed or depleted, those species either don’t survive, or end up displaced. This displacement can then interrupt other ecosystems, and can sometimes be a reason for increased occurrence of “nuisance wildlife.” Insects, and pollinators like bees, in particular, need the safety of the prairie to live and thrive. Removal of ecosystems like the prairie have caused these insects to forage in residential areas, where running into pesticides and other harmful substances is more likely, therefore increasing death and disturbance. Iowa was once a wilderness of grasslands. While agriculture has its importance, the Tallgrass prairie does too!

The easiest step is to plant native species around your house and yard. If you have enough space, consider making a prairie patch, or a pollinator garden (this would be a flower-focused patch).

If you happen to have more space, consider planting a prairie patch.

For people who have wooded properties, or wetlands, these are also essential ecosystems of Iowa. And in their own right, are incredible, necessary, and needed ecosystems. Rather than trying to make a wooded area into prairie, consider Contacting Us to make a Woodland Restoration plan for your area. Same goes for wetlands!

Not necessarily!

Working with a professional from the start certainly increases your chances of starting things off on the right foot. The bad news is, all those prairie seeds you planted can’t grow if weeds are taking up all the sun and all the root space. Depending on how long the weeds have been there, what types, and the severity of the invasion, I would assess the situation and make a management plan. There is no one-size-fits-all to this kind of work, but the general rule is don’t let weeds go to seed, or you’ll be fighting them for years to come!

Sometimes I meet awesome people who are excited about their prairie, and want to learn, but don’t know how to get started. If you want to manage it yourself (rather than me managing it for you), but need a little help with timing (like knowing exactly what to do when), consulting is perfect for you. I can make you a management plan to follow, and we can meet on a monthly or bimonthly basis to check-in and discuss how the management is going (and tweak if needed).

You’ve come to the right place! The first step is booking your first consult, which is free. From there, I will get you a quote that details out the cost to prep the ground (remove lawn), seeding cost, and monthly cost for me to maintain it. Once you give it a thumbs up, we can schedule the install!