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From the Big Thicket Association, there is a Marysee Prairie (near Batson, TX and protected by TLC) work day on January 5th:

"January 5 (Sat) – Marysee Prairie Work Day – The Marysee Prairie is one of the last remnants of tallgrass prairie in the Big Thicket region. Come assist the Big Thicket Association in this ongoing effort to revive and maintain the native grasses and wild.owers on this site near Batson, Texas. Work tasks vary by month, but usually involve removal of tallow seedlings, and controlling the regrowth of woody species. Tools and gloves provided. For more info, contact Susan Schinke at sruth@consolidated.net or 936-829-5204, or Frank Blake at frankblake@juno.com or 713-528-2896."

Spotted via the Sierra Club – Houston Group web site.

Lex X re-posted an interesting list he found, which I believe was originally published by the New Road Map Foundation.  A copy posted by EcoFuture includes references and footnotes for the statistics.

The list seemed appropriate for the new year, thinking about where we are and how we can improve in the new year.  I was surprised to see tallgrass prairie included in the list:

In the last 200 years the United States has lost:

• 50% of its wetlands
• 90% of its northwestern old-growth forests
• 99% of its tall grass prairie and
• up to 490 species of native plants and animals with another 9,000 now at risk

I think we should try to follow bad news with potential good news whenever possible, so here is a thought: what if we could fund the restoration of vast amounts of tallgrass prairie while helping to solve global warming and achieving energy independence based on a renewable, ecological system?  I plan to post more on cellulosic ethanol in the near future.

Frequency of prescribed fire and grassland bird ecology is a common topic when I talk with birders about prairie conservation.  The best state for grassland birds and native plant diversity seems to be to emulate the patchwork of fire, bison grazing, and unaffected areas of the past.  Don’t burn too frequently or too much, but don’t burn too little either.

Fire in the Tallgrass Prairie (large PDF file), an article in the January/February 2006 issue of Birding magazine, gives a good overview of the situation.

(Found via Mike’s Bird and Digiscoping blog.)

A story by Chester Moore, "Wildlife Conservation: Why Waterfowl?", brought the following to my attention:

• "Waterfowl species are not as secure since the vast majority nest in the prairie pothole and boreal forest regions of the U.S. and Canada."
• "Ducks in particular need native grasslands and other highly specialized habitat to survive."

… which led me to more sources:

• "Sadly, the loss of these prairie grasslands, and the wetlands within them, will be devastating to duck populations, sportsmen, and businesses related to waterfowling…  Breeding ducks also need large expanses of grasslands. " (Plowing the Prairie by Scott Stephens, Ph.D., for Ducks Unlimited)
• ""The best wild duck nesting success depends on at least four miles of surrounding prairie grass. … [Another] finding is particularly important if scientists want to preserve prairie-nesting shorebirds such as willets, marbled godwits, upland sandpipers and Wilson’s phalaropes." (Nesting ducks need miles of grassland, MSU researcher finds by Carol Schmidt on Montana State University’s web site)

It seems we are always finding more reasons to conserve and restore prairies, and more potential allies (birders and duck hunters in this case).

From TNC’s "Grasslands: Conserving These Crucial but Endangered Habitats":

The prairie’s beauty has moved philosophers and painters throughout history — while its fertile soil has inspired restless settlers and industrious farmers. Today, the world’s grasslands are home to nearly 800 million people. They provide food, medicine and economic opportunities to countless millions more.

But less than five percent of all grasslands globally have been protected for conservation. And these landscapes face ever increasing threats. …

In Texas and Oklahoma, the Conservancy is implementing a variety of land-management strategies for grasslands. These innovative techniques include prescribed fire, rotational cattle and bison grazing, native grass seed banks and community outreach to conserve and restore the last remaining stretches of the Blackland Prairie.

In the past, several people have asked me what groups are involved in on-the-ground prairie conservation and restoration.  I thought I would start the list in a blog post, and expand on it as we found out or remembered more organizations.  (We can make a list of advocacy-only organizations in a future post.)

The Nature Conservancy has done the most work in prairie conservation throughout North America, though nowadays they only seem to get involved in very large, landscape-scale projects (10,000 acres or more) unless a site involves specific endangered species.  I’d like to list specific chapters/states and prairies in a series of future posts.

Regional groups with estimated native prairie acreage protected include:

• Native Prairies Association of Texas – protected over 1200 acres in Texas
• Texas Land Conservancy – unknown acreage in Texas
• Missouri Prairie Foundation – protected over 3000 acres in Missouri
• Prairie Plains Resource Institute – protected over 5800 acres in Nebraska
• The Prairie Enthusiasts – protected over 1000 acres in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois
• Audubon Nebraska – over 800 acres in Nebraska (Spring Creek Prairie)

Know of more?  Post them in the comments!

Hello Prairie Friends!

I’ve created this prairie blog on Wumple.com where we publish news about native prairie (tallgrass and shortgrass), savanna, desert grassland, and other native grassland related news.

(There is also a "Blog" link on the Native Prairies Association of Texas web site that goes to PrairieBlog too.)

PrairieBlog publishes and summarizes news daily about native prairies and other grasslands, though it may have slightly more tallgrass prairie news (since that is my favorite type of native grassland) and Texas prairie news (since that is where I am located and involved in prairie conservation, restoration, and appreciation).

Some example topics include: prairie conservation and restoration, native prairie plants, local ecotype native seed projects, grassland birds, butterflies, ducks, bison, prairie art, culture and history related to native prairie, carbon sequestration, cellulosic ethanol, organizations working on prairie conservation and restoration, etc.

I hope PrairieBlog will help educate more people about native prairies, motivate people to work for prairie conservation and restoration, help people keep informed of the latest news and work in prairie conservation and restoration, and help people involved with prairies network with each other.

Do you know of some native prairie, savanna, desert grassland, or other native grassland related news?  Then send it our way!  Submit news by emailing us at blog@texasprairie.org.

Also, please comment or leave feedback on the blog: We need the motivation of seeing people read and use it!  🙂

Thanks!
– Jason

Do you know of some native prairie (tallgrass and shortgrass), savanna, desert grassland, or other native grassland related news?  Then send it our way!  Submit news by emailing us at blog@texasprairie.org.

Some example topics: prairie conservation and restoration, native prairie plants, local ecotype native seed projects, grassland birds, ducks, bison, prairie art, culture and history related to native prairie, carbon sequestration, cellulosic ethanol, organizations working on prairie conservation and restoration, etc.

Also, please comment or leave feedback on the blog.  I need the motivation of seeing people read and use the blog!  🙂

When I talk to groups in Texas about the need for prairie conservation and restoration, I try to convey that prairies are a cultural and historical part of Texas heritage in addition to an ecological part.

Wandering Dave, on his blog, just reminded me of another piece of evidence: Deep in the Heart of Texas

The stars at night are big and bright
Deep in the heart of Texas.

The prairie sky is wide and high
Deep in the heart of Texas.

Reminds me of the one I love
Deep in the heart of Texas.

– Deep in the Heart of Texas, 1941, by Hershey and Swander

Why am I publishing a prairie blog?  There are several reasons:

• Education: Ansel Adams said: "If no one knows the importance of preserving a beautiful place, that place is not likely to be preserved." Only by talking about the beauty of prairies and the need to conserve them will conservation efforts increase. I’m in Texas and outreach and education seem especially needed here.
• Motivation: So little native prairie conservation and restoration happens in Texas that I needed to hear about others’ successes to help keep me motivated.  I hope it will help motivate others also, because we need more people to get involved in prairie conservation and restoration.
• Networking: I hope others involved in prairie conservation and appreciation will post comments so we can get to know each other.
• Information:  Some examples: NPAT is constantly looking for native prairie remnants in Texas to add to our data, and to make friends with the landowners and tell them about the potential tax benefits of conservation easements.   We also want to connect conservation buyers (including my wife Lisa and myself) with owners of native prairies.
• Funding: I hope generous donors or foundations may read this blog and decide to help fund prairie conservation and restoration, in Texas and throughout North America.

I’m sure I will think of more reasons, which I will add later.  🙂