Nature Net News
August 2008
Prairie Grass
"A passion builds inside anyone who spends time on the
prairie."
D. Showalter
Dear Readers, In August, the prairie is awash in color - where there were
formerly simple shades of green and gray now bloom bright purples, sun-yellows,
dashing whites and pinks, and with it, a whole host of insect, mammal and bird life!
Even though the settlers remarked on a "waving sea of grass", we are just beginning
to understand the intricacies of the prairie community. Kathe & Betsy |
Prairies formed approximately 8,000 years ago? Prairies once covered 40% of the United States and now only 1% of the original North American prairies still exist.
What to Do This Month:
Take a hike through Curtis Prairie, one of the first restored prairies at the UW Arboretum.
Read "Prairie Birthday", Aldo Leopold's essay (found in A Sand County Almanac) about a remnant prairie he passed during his travels.
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Prairie Prepared
The prairies are famous for their vast historic presence on the wide open plains… and for their ability to withstand a full day of hot sun! Remember to protect yourself when exploring the prairie. A wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and light colored clothing will help keep harmful rays at bay. You may want to invest in a hat with flaps (to cover tender skin on your child’s neck and back) for your young ones. And remember to lather on the sunscreen. Several brands in lotion and spray formula are available for children.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Prairie Primer
The prairie is composed of 60-80% grasses (like big bluestem, and Indian Grass) and 20-40% flowering plants (purple coneflower, silphium and others), providing habitat for insects and other animals. Over 100 plant species can occur in a prairie of less than 5 acres!
The grasses can grow as tall as 10-feet high and the roots of some plants extend 12-feet below the prairie surface storing energy for new plant material. This complex plant system created rich, fertile soil which originally attracted settlers to this region!
To learn more about Wisconsin prairies, check out the DNR EEK! website and the National Park Service's site about prairies.
Eco-Exercise:
Prairie Prance
There's no easier way to get your kids "up and running" than to hike through the tall grass prairie on a nice summer day. The height of the towering grasses provides an exciting thrill for little explorers what's at the end of the trail? what's around the corner? Use this timely trek to work those little legs and arms. But be sure to stay on the path!
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
UW Arboretum
The
University of Wisconsin Arboretum is home to the first and
one of the most successful prairie restorations in the world. At
it you can experience a prairie as it was meant to be and come to
understand the many processes that restore land back to health.
The Arboretum is recognized world-wide for its pioneering work in
prairie, savanna, forest and wetland restoration. Delve into some
of the 20 miles of trails on this two-square mile tract of diverse land.
Start your visit at the
Visitor Center to find out exactly what
the Arboretum has to offer!
Grass Baskets
Find some tall field grass, raffia or
yarn to create a basket of prairie beauty:
With poster board or cardstock, cut out the circle pattern, cutting only on the solid black lines. When you are done, the circle should look like a sun. Nest, fold up the "rays" of the "sun" so that they are all sticking up. Tape a piece of yarn or grass to the center of the bottom of the circle and start weaving. If you run out of material, just tie the end of the old to the start of the new and continue weaving. To finish your basket, simply take the remaining "tail" of your weaving material and twist it around the material underneath it and tuck it under. Curl the edges of the remaining poster board and voilá! To see examples of some steps, click here
Suggested Reading:
The "Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
(Ages 9-12)
"If You're If You're Not from the Prairie" by David Bouchard (Ages
7-11)
"A Prairie Alphabet" by Jo Bannatyne-Cugnet (Ages 4-8)
