Prairie project

This kind of project is exciting to me.  In so many areas, people "own a piece" of something wonderful, and don't make the effort to preserve and care for it.

Through its Prairie Window Project, Dyck Arboretum in Hesston intends to ensure that the prairie lives on. In partnership with area landowners, the Arboretum has begun a painstaking process to identify prairie remnants in the area, harvest and clean seed, prepare seed mixes, and plant and manage prairies.

This conservation and restoration effort has spurred new interest in area prairies.

"There are more people in this area who own a piece of prairie that wonder what to do with it than I would have believed," said arboretum director Julie Torseth. "It's kind of a trend. There was 'back to the earth' when I was in college. This is kind of 'back to the prairie."

Link: Hillsboro Free Press.