Operation Wildflower Workshop 2004
Saturday July 24, 2004
IOWA'S TALLGRASS PRAIRIES
Past, Present, & Future
Location- Ames Izaak Walton League
2066 Stagecoach Road, Ames, IA
Registration Fee $20.00 - Deadline July 10, 2004 - Late Fee $25.00 - Limited
to 100 participants
Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa Wildflower Workshop (also sponsored by Iowa
DOT Prairie Roadsides) for 2004 and 2005 will concentrate on Iowa's
Tallgrass Prairies. Join us as we explore the Past, Present and Future of
our native prairie plants.
"A prairie is a community of grasses, forbs (wildflowers), shrubs, animals,
and microorganisms. Prairie can be found as far east as Indiana and as far
west as the Rocky Mountains. Its northern reaches extend into Canada and can
be found as far south as Texas. Historically there were over 30 million
acres of prairie in Iowa, but agricultural and urban developments have
drastically reduced this amount. In Iowa, 150 years ago, nearly 85% of the
state was tall grass prairie. Today less than 0.1% of this prairie remains."
(INHF-M. Ehresman & C. Kurtz)
Some of Iowa's native prairie is protected in preserves and parks, but many
small parcels, or remnants, are not. They are found along railroad tracts,
road ditches, and even portions of farms. These remnants need saving. And
all prairies need continued long term maintenance.
Field Trip sites: DOOLITTLE PRAIRIE STATE PRESERVE is a 25-acre
prairie-wetland complex owned by the Iowa DNR and managed by the Story
County Conservation Board. It includes several potholes, and more than 223
native plant species have been documented. It is one of the best prairie
remnants in central Iowa in terms of quality and diversity.
MEETZ PRAIRIE WINDS RECONSTRUCTION is a privately-owned 34-acre former row
cropped tract that is now a five-year-old reconstructed prairie pothole
complex. The complex includes small prairie remanent, and was planted with
local-ecotype seed. Animals include digger crawfish, woodducks, sedge wrens
and boblinks.
SCHEDULE - July 24, 2004
8 - 8:30 a.m. Registration, Coffee Rolls
8:30 a.m. Welcome & Introductions by MJ Hatfield
8:45 a.m. Past, Present & Future of Prairies
Presenter Carl Kurtz
9:20 a.m. Prairie Insects-Butterflies, Bugs & Dragonflies
Presenter Harlan Ratcliff
9:55-10:05 a.m. Break-view displays etc.
10:05 a.m. What is a Herbarium? Ada Hayden Herbarium
Presenter Deb Lewis, Curator (ISU)
10:40 a.m. Grassland/Prairie Birds & Ecology
Presenter Marlene Ehresman
11:15 a.m. Invasive Aliens Presenter Laura Jesse
11:45 Summary: What can you do individually, as a
club, ethics of wild plants.
Presenter MJ Hatfield
12-1:00 p.m. Lunch - Door Prizes - View Displays
1:30 Board Bus for Field Trips - *Doolittle Prairie
State Preserve (native prairie), via I-35 IDOT
Plantings, and M. Meetz private reconstructed
prairie and wetlands.
Return approximately 4:30-5:00
*1 tour leader per 10 participants
** This program has been approved for Master Gardener CEU's
Questions about the workshop can be sent to MJ Hatfield,
Chairman, 2505 Tullamore Lane, Ames, IA 50010, email
[log in to unmask]
Registration Form
Name _____________________________
Address___________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Phone/
email_____________________________________________
Garden Club_______________________________________
Registration Fee $20.00
Deadline July 20, 2004 Late fee $25.00
Limited to 100 participants
Registration includes Lunch, Breaks & Field Trip/Bus
______Yes I will be arriving early on July 23 and would like
to attend the optional field trip. (Starting 1:00 p.m. Tour TNC Pohl Prairie
Preserve, Tullamore Part neighborhood prairie planting and wildlife habitat,
and prairie seed dealer Andy Swanson's prairie flower plots.)
Make check payable to: FGCI Operation Wildflower 2004
Send to: Marianne Klinsky
2207 Hayes
Ames, IA 50010
phone (515)232-6091 email: [log in to unmask]
This is Iowa in July, dress accordingly. The morning facility is not fully
air conditioned but has old fashioned, energy efficient windows that open;
ceiling fans and floor fans. Dress coolly. We will be taking buses to the
field trip sites. The buses are air-conditioned with restrooms but
bring/wear long pants and sturdy shoes for walking in the prairie. Be
prepared for inclement weather (rain gear).
Bring camera, binoculars, enthusiasm and your questions.
Directions: *From outside Ames take I-35 to the 13 th
Street exit, go west to Stagecoach Rd. just before the
Skunk River Bridge - go north about ¾ mile, Izaak
Walton League is on the right.
*From Ames - go east on 13 th St. to the Skunk River,
Stagecoach Rd is just after the bridge. Izaak Walton
League is ¾ mile north of 13 th Street on the right side
of the road.
ACCOMMODATIONS: There are many nice motel/hotels in the Ames area, for your
convenience we would like to recommend the following:
Quality Inn &Suites Starlite Village
2601 E-13th Street, (just off I-35)
(515)232-9260 (800)903-0009 ext.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Inn
2600 E-13 St. (just off I-35)
(515)232-2300 (800)465-4329
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]
|
