Prairie Garden Trust
Occasional Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 2
by Henry Domke

November 3, 2005

Floristic Survey
Don Kurz has agreed to take on the project of doing an inventory of the plants on the Prairie Garden Trust and associated properties. This will be a major project taking hundreds of hours of fieldwork. He plans to start in late March and hopes to finish up by the end of 2006. Since its inception, the Prairie Garden Trust board has asked for an inventory. Now we will have one.
Don is uniquely qualified for this project. He has Master degrees in both Botany, and Zoology. For over 20 years he worked for the Missouri Department of Conservation doing inventories of wild places in Missouri.
Don is also a writer and nature photographer. He was a mentor for my wildflower photography. He has many books out. My favorites are:
“Ozark Wildflowers” by Falcon Press's (my favorite wildflower book by far, I use it every day)
“Shrubs And Woody Vines Of Missouri” by the Missouri Department of Conservation
“Trees of Missouri” by the Missouri Department of Conservation

Forest Management Plan Completed
The Forester Carl Hauser finished his 57-page forest management plan in August. He has many excellent ideas on how to better manage our forested land given the goals of the Prairie Garden Trust. For example, eliminate the artificial strait lines (such as fence rows) that were imposed on the landscape in the past. Allowing an undulating feathered transition between field and forest will look more natural and will be more aesthetically pleasing. His plan will be the focus of the next board meeting (Saturday November 19th, 1:30 PM at the Prairie Garden Trust Center)
Two meetings have already been held to discuss Carl’s plans with representatives of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation. It is possible that there may government matching funds to help cover the $60,000 cost of this project.

Beaver Update
Ongoing efforts to eradicate the beavers from East Lake have not worked yet. When a leak in the main dam was discovered two weeks ago there was renewed enthusiasm to get rid of them. With Will Marshal’s help, two additional beavers have been killed this week. There is concern that Muskrats may be contributing to the tunneling which is weakening the dam.

Free RoundUp
Jeff Travers at Monsanto came through with his promise of free Roundup. In early September FedEx delivered 30 gallons of glyphosate concentrate (48.8%). This is probably worth around $2,500. We will use it to prepare fescue fields for conversion to prairie and to kill exotics such as Autumn Olive, Multiflora Rose and Seretia lespediza.

Board Member News
Andy Cave underwent cardiac bypass surgery recently. He is recovering well and we hope he will be at the next board meeting.