grassland restoration network

Preliminary Agenda

Grassland Restoration Network- 2016 Workshop

September 13-14, 2016 – Aurora/Wood River, Nebraska

Co-Hosted by The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies
and Prairie Plains Resource Institute

September 13
9am-11:30am – Optional walking tours of prairie restorations in Aurora, Nebraska by Bill Whitney of Prairie Plains Resource Institute. Bill planted these diverse prairies in the early 1980’s through the 1990’s along what is now the Lincoln Creek Trail. He will discuss how the prairies established and changed over time, along with the history of Prairie Plains Resource Institute as an educational land trust.
12:30pm – 5:30pm – Tours of Prairie Plains Resource Institute’s Gjerloff Prairie north of Aurora, including various restored sites, remnant prairie on loess bluffs along the Platte River, fire and grazing management, and seed storage/processing facilities.
6pm – Catered supper at the Prairie Plains Education Center
7pm – 9pm – Social time
Lodging on your own at nearby hotels in Aurora and Grand Island, Nebraska. Consider Holiday Inn Express in Grand Island, Ken’s Motel in Aurora, or other options.

September 14
8:30-11am – Field sessions on evaluation and research results at The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies south of Wood River, Nebraska. Topics will include: long-term monitoring of mean floristic quality in restored prairie, impacts of soil texture/nutrient levels on prairie restoration establishment, response of grassland birds to patch-burn grazing of restored prairie, results of overseeding projects in degraded remnant prairie, and the response of small mammals, bees, grasshoppers, and ants to attempts to enlarge and reconnect prairie remnants through prairie restoration.
11am-Noon – Tour and group discussion of a restored wetland/stream (former sand and gravel mining ponds). The site was restored in stages between 2003 and 2013 and has established well, but is threatened by a number of invasive plants that are well-established upstream of the site.
12pm – 1pm – Catered lunch
1pm – 3:30pm – Tours of cropland restored to high-diversity prairie/wetland habitat in 2013 and 2016 and field sessions on research results from the Conservancy’s Diversity Research Plots – a series of ¾ ac replicated plots planted with various levels of plant diversity. Ongoing and completed research has focused on the impact of plant diversity on invertebrate communities, resistance to invasion, soil properties, and drought response and other aspects of ecological resilience. Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Kansas State University will discuss their projects.
3:30pm – Depart

Our annual Nachusa Grasslands fire report where we have lots of photos, maps and lessons learned is available at:

Click to access 2015-2016_nachusa_fire_crew_annual_summary_report_b_kleiman.pdf

Moorhead State University Regional Science Center and Bluestem Prairie, Hawley, MN

Day 1: Tuesday, July 21
Lunch on your own
12:00 PM Arrive at MSUM Science Center; Welcome/Introductions- Matt Mecklenburg, Land Steward-TNC, Overview of GRNW- Chris Helzer-GRN/TNC
12:15 PM Bluestem Prairie Complex Overview and Afternoon Field Trip Logistics- Brian Winter, Program Director-TNC
12:30 PM Presentation-Prairie Restoration Research at North Dakota State University; Dr. Jack Norland, Associate Professor Department of Natural Resources
1:15 PM Field Trip: Leave for Bluestem Prairie reconstructions/Prairie Restoration Incorporated facilities
1:30 PM Stop 1 and 2: Native Prairie along 17th Ave.-Matt Mecklenburg, Bluestem Prairie reconstruction 7-Brian Winter
2:45 PM Stop 3: Bluestem Prairie reconstruction 4-Brian Winter and PRI Production fields at Siberia site-Jim Johansen-PRI
4:00 PM Stop 4: PRI Facilities: Facility Tour, Social Hour and Dinner-Jim Johansen, Ron Bowen and other PRI Staff; welcome and give a brief overview, tour facility and self-guided tour of production fields around the facility.
5:00 PM Full group discussion time (Facilitated by Local TNC and PRI Staff)
5:15 PM Social Hour (Beverages Provided)
6:15 PM Dinner (BBQ w/ Veg option), Keynote: Ron Bowen-PRI Owner
7:45 PM Leave PRI for Science Center
8:00 PM Arrive at Science Center and day one complete

Day 2: Wednesday, July 22
Breakfast on your own
7:45 AM Arrive at Science Center
8:00 AM Presentation-Jon Voz-BSWR: Prairie Restoration with Government Programs
8:45-Field Trip: Logistics-(Marissa-Talk about Phil, Brian-Talk about Jason, Travis-Talk about partners)
9:00-11:45 AM Travel to Glacial Ridge and stop at partner sites- Becky Esser USFWS, Jon Voz-BSWR. Note-three stops along HWY 32 corridor (45 min/stop); one for WRP and two for WPA. (Slininger and Meadowlark WPA’s)
11:50 AM Arrive at Glacial Ridge NWR Headquarters
12:00 PM Lunch (box lunches provided) and History of Glacial Ridge-Jason Eckstein-MN DNR, Brian Winter
12:30 PM Tour Glacial Ridge Restorations- Jason Eckstein, Phil Gerla-UND, Marissa Ahlering-TNC
Stops include: Dugdale WMA (Stops 1 &2), GR restoration east of HWY 32 (east ½ of section 35 Tilden twsp. Stop 2), High diversity seeding w/o fire and ditch meander northwest of the active gravel pit and High diversity seeding w/fire northwest of active gravel pit (stop 3).
Plan to split the two buses between four stops: 1 hour @ Dugdale WMA and Dugdale portion of NWR-speakers: Jason E and Ross H, 1 hour @ NW of active gravel pit-speakers: Jason E, Phil G and FWS Staffer, 1 hour @ section 35 Tilden twsp-speakers: Jason E and Phil G. Note that these times will allow for 15 min of drive time between the sites and bathroom breaks back at the Glacial Ridge office (between stops) as well as provide time at all of the sites for small group exploration/discussion as well as Q@A with the speakers.
3:45 PM Full Group Discussion Time (Facilitated by trip presenters and local TNC Staff)
4:00 PM Leave for Science Center
5:30 PM Arrive at Science Center
5:45 PM Workshop Wrap-Up-Matt Mecklenburg
Dinner on your own- If staying the night attendees are encouraged to meet at local restaurants by the hotels

Day 3: Thursday, July 23
Note that if anyone is interested in a Thursday morning field trip please indicate on your registration.
8:00 AM-11:00 Optional/informal field trips-Meet at the Science Center @ 8:00 am.
Possible trips:
Science Center Trails/Hike into Buffalo River State Park
Other Bluestem Prairie Complex Reconstructions

GRN REGISTRATION FORM
The GRN is an informal network of people working to improve the conservation effectiveness of grassland restoration. Through annual meetings and other communication pathways, GRN participants share information on such topics as restoration techniques, objectives, challenges, measures of success, and more. The ultimate goal is to conserve native grasslands by using restoration to defragment and enhance existing habitats.

We are limited on space in this workshop, and we want to host a particular audience, and our invite may get bounced around the internet to lots of folks.
The target audience we are aiming for are land stewards responsible for creating grassland habitat, their supervisors, and ecologists who study grasslands.
The target audience is typically not under-graduates, seasonal employees, citizens who want to learn about grasslands (noble as that is), friends of the project (who know us too well anyway).

Please fill out the registration information below. Do not send payment yet. The cost will be set low at $50. Please respond by June 5th so we will know what space we have. We will then send an email requesting a payment by check or credit card.
We have blocks of hotel rooms set aside at two area hotels (cost not included in registration). There are 15 rooms in the AmericInn in Hawley, MN; 10 Double Queens and 5 Kings. Prices with tax are $125/night or $112/night government rate. Please register under GRNW and do so by June 21st. There are also 10 rooms reserved at the Travelodge in Moorhead, MN; 4 Double Queen, 3 King and 3 Suites. Base discounted rate for a reserved block is $90/night. Please register under
Grassland Restoration and do so by July 6th.
Name:
Email:
Phone:
Affiliation:
What is your job title?
What do you do?

Thursday morning field trip: Y/N
Please email this registration to mmecklenburg@tnc.org