PROSPECT HEIGHTS PRAIRIE PLANTING IS ON TRACK.
Preparation for planting the prairie under the ComEd Right-of-Way next to Country Gardens is under way. Thanks to a grant from ComEd and Openlands, five acres of prairie next to the Prospect Heights Bike trail will be seeded this December. 50 lbs of seed and 1000 plugs have been purchased from local sources and 40 lbs of remnant prairie seed has been collected by dedicated volunteers.
Iza Redlinski, restoration ecologist, led a site analysis of the site earlier this month. Quadrat sampling of the vegetation revealed that the area is 99% non-native grasses and weeds, with no value to wildlife. Right now, it is a "dead zone". The site will be sampled every year to document progress and quantify success and overall ecological benefit. Scientific analysis performed by Mrs. Redlinski will prove the prairie's ecological value in the long run. The Commission thanks her for her time and dedication, as she is a busy mother with a newborn!
This week, the area was herbicided to kill the Eurasian grasses and weeds. The Commission is very thankful for all of the help from the Prospect Heights District. Executive Director Kathy Nowicki organized a boom sprayer capable of delivering the herbicide in less than an hour. A special thanks to Gerald Arden and Esteban Burciaga for their expert help and execution. A wonderful concerted effort from many to prepare the site for seeding!!
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