This Fall we began the process to turn a retired agricultural field into a mosaic of wetlands, wet prairie, mesic and dry prairie.
Below are the photos and maps of this work. At the end is a link to the full report on our Friends of Nachusa Grasslands site. The report was written by this year’s Nachusa Resident Fellow, Anna Scheidel.
The planting is 23-acres.
On this 23 acres we planted 1,622 pounds so about 70 pounds per acres of seed from 165 species of seed!
Some of the special seeds, and the very wet areas were hand planted.
To read Anna Scheidel’s carefully written 18 page report go the Friends of Nachusa Grasslands Stewardship tab and scroll down to Planting Histories to number 133. Here is a direct link to the report: https://www.nachusagrasslands.org/uploads/5/8/4/6/58466593/planting_133_%E2%80%93_2020_%E2%80%93_juanita_williams_unit_%E2%80%93_crew_%E2%80%93_a_scheidel.pdf
grassland restoration network 
Great work Anna!
Very exciting?
So you don’t have concerns with seeding over top that much corn stubble?
Very exciting?
So you don’t have concerns with seeding over top that much corn stubble?
A modest or regular amount of corn stubble we think, we don’t know, does not hinder germination or establishment. We figure the corn stubble helps in lowering erosion, and perhaps keeping some moisture in the seedlings in August droughts. It would be hard to tease these out with out controlled study. But we seem to be getting good results. For years, we would mow the corn stubble, then burn it off to reduce the litter. Last several years we just mow the stubble and plant.
That’s good to know…. what you know, what you think you know, what you suspect, what you’re just guessing. It’s all helpful. Thanks!