Prairie Garden Trust
Occasional Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 4
by Henry Domke
Saturday, June 28th 2008
Field Trip
Lorna and I just returned from a trip to Connecticut. While we were there we
spent a day at Highstead, a property that is similar to the PGT. Dr. David
Foster (Director of the Board and Director of the Harvard Forest) and Elisabeth
Dudley (founder of Highstead) spent 5-hours sharing the history of Highstead
and giving us ideas that might help take the PGT into the future. highsteadarboretum.org
Wild Black Raspberries
The wild black raspberries are ripening this week and it looks to be a bumper
crop. The endless rain has probably helped them. In the first 6-months of
the year we have had 35-inches of precipitation. That is how much we normally
get in a year!
Floristic Survey
Dr. Peter Raven (Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden) offered the services
of two top botanists (George Yatskievych and Doug Ladd) to do a survey of
the vegetation at the PGT. Doug Ladd will be coming out next week (July 1st).
Birding News
The 29th annual spring bird walk was held on Saturday May 3rd. 52 species of
birds were seen. Jim D. Wilson led the group of 20 birders. Close views of
a Yellow-throated Warbler were a highlight.
Butterfly Walk
Donna Brunet is scheduled to lead another Butterfly and Dragonfly Identification
walk on Saturday, August 9th. It starts promptly at 1 PM. All are invited.
Binoculars are suggested.
Trail Maintenance
Jamie Coe (manager of the PGT) has spent months opening up the miles of trails
on the PGT but the job isn’t nearly done. The severe ice storm we had
last December damaged thousands of trees that now litter the woods and block
the trails.
Westminster College Students
Dr. Gabe McNett (Biology professor at Westminster College) toured the PGT on
June 1st. He intends to return with biology students for field studies. Dr.
Irene Unger (also a biology professor at Westminster College) also will be
visiting on July 13 to explore field research options.
Tree house project
Bernard Ewigman and Nick Kelsh plan to return October 10th for phase three
of the Tree House. Hopefully this will complete the primary construction
of the multi-level tree house that overlooks the Swamp and the Dog Leg Prairie.
New additions will be a boardwalk out into the swamp and stick enclosure
on the upper level to make the structure resemble a Great Blue Heron nest.
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