Prairie Restoration: Your Chance to Be Outside and Play with Fire While Improving Your Community

Prairie restoration is a friendly way to restore prairie land that has been lost to industry, farming, and even weeds. A restoration project of prairie lands can be very large or it can also be very small. A prayer as duration projects can and rich soil and attract natural wildlife.

There are many types of prairie plants such as grasses and forbs. Grass is found in the prairie are different from the typical grass in your home in the front yard or the backyard. Prairie grass consists of a broader leaf, and some prominent types of grasses include that of Indiangrass and Big Bluestem. Forbs on the other hand are not grasses, trees or even shrubs, they are in their own category, and commonly you know of forbs as either wildflowers or legumes. Echinacea is a type of forbs that is used as a herbal remedy for the treatment of colds.

There are many organizations and groups of people, who attempt to restore prairie lands. Your local village may have an organization or your town or city may also have an organization. Many college campuses also have student groups that are involved with restoration projects. It is a great way to meet people, work outside, and also give back to your community.

What may come as a large benefit to many people for prairie restorations is the ability to destroy the wilderness with fire. In fact, controlled burns are recommended every year to burn away dead plants and prevent other plants from growing that you don't want there. Of course, you will need a permit before undergoing any sort of controlled burn and you will need to be careful not to injure yourself or others.

Most burns are done in the spring months, ranging from March to May depending on the specific geographical region. Newly created prairies need to be burned every year, and then only every 2 to 3 years after the initial period. Even healthy prairie's benefit from having burns every 3 to 5 years.

If for some reason burning is not an option mowing can also be used as a substitute for fire, however only partially. The mowing needs to occur in the late fall and is done on a similar frequency as the burns. After mowing, it is necessary to remove all the excess clippings from the prairie so that sunlight can still penetrate the region. This also gives another opportunity to light something on fire as the clippings can also be burned.

All in all prairie restoration and aiding in helping the environment is an effective way to give back to your community. If you enjoy the thrill of fire and watching something burn it can also be a lot of fun. I have personal experience with prairie restoration and I recommend it to anyone of any age whether you are looking for volunteer hours or just looking to spend some time outdoors.