Stewardship Plans

To enhance the ecological value of the land at Prairie Oaks, we will be putting together a number of stewardship plans. These plans focus on relatively small areas with high potential to become productive ecosystems, and plans are designed using existing types of ecosystems (e.g. oak-hickory forest, tallgrass prairie, etc.) as models.

COMPLETE TIMELINE

Winter:

^{Start plugs of the following species (overwintering required): Fringed Loosestrife, Rattlesnake Master, Purple Coneflower, Early Meadow Rue, Blue Phlox, Bellflower, Stiff Goldenrod, Purple Milkweed, Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Heart-Leaved Aster, Columbine, Common Milkweed, Gray-Headed Coneflower, Sweet Black-Eyed Susan, False Sunflower [Completed 12.09.22]}
^{(Cedar Glade) Prune Red-cedar branches without needles to create room for plantings [Completed 02.10.23]}
^{(Far Pond Slope) Remove excessive Black Walnuts from Clearing [Completed 02.10.23]}
^{(Cedar Glade) Remove ornamental Catalpa trees to make room for Oak [Completed 02.11.23]}
^{(Cedar Glade) Create a habitat pile from the Catalpa logs [Completed 02.11.23]}
^{Start plugs of the following species: Indian Grass, Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem, Side Oats Grama, Poverty Oat Grass, Prairie Dropseed, Prickly Pear, Upland White Goldenrod, June Grass, Illinois Tick Trefoil, Wild Bergamot, Sneezeweed, Blue Sage, Aromatic Aster [Completed 02.14.23]}
^{(Archipelago) Transplant excess shrubs into pots [Completed 02.20.23]}
^{(Far Pond Slope) Remove excessive Black Walnuts from Woodland Transition [Completed 02.21.23]}
^{(Far Pond Slope) Prune trees [Completed 02.21.23]}
^{(Cedar Glade)} ^{Flag tree/shrub locations [Completed 02.21.23]}
^{(Far Pond Slope) Make dead Boxelder into a brush pile [Completed 02.26.23]}
^{(Far Pond Slope) Remove invasives from Woodland Transition [Completed 02.27.23]}
^{(Cedar Glade) Use pruned branches to make mulch}^{[Completed 03.05.23]}
(Shortgrass Prairie) Measure out current tarps and buy new ones if necessary to create a plan for smothering
Start plugs of the following species (late): Lead Plant, Western Sunflower
(Campsite) Move cut logs

Spring:

^{(Little Woodshed) Install “soft edge” posts [Completed 02.28.23]}
^{(Woodland Patch) Burn Woodland Patch [Completed 03.03.23]}
^{(Archipelago) Plant shrubs in Governors Island} ^{[Completed 03.05.23]}
^{(Little Woodshed) Weedwhack last year’s forb growth [Completed 03.06.23]}
^{(Cedar Glade) Plant hardwoods (3), Chokecherries (2), sun-tolerant shrubs (7), and shade-tolerant shrubs (15) [Completed 03.06.23]}
(Degraded Grassland) Burn
(Far Pond Slope) Burn Clearing
(Degraded Grassland) Remove Invasive Trees
(Far Pond Slope) Remove remaining invasives from Clearing
(Little Woodshed) Spread mulch on turf grass to smother it and promote native reintroduction
(Little Woodshed) Plant trees and shrubs
(Woodland Patch) Plant trees and shrubs
(Far Pond Slope) Plant trees in Woodland Transition
(Campsite) Plant hardwoods (3) and shrubs (10)
(Low Woodland) Plant trees and shrubs
(Archipelago) Repair critter damage to Liberty Island
(Bee Prairie) Replace cardboard with weed-suppression fabric
(Cedar Glade) Cardboard and mulch areas for the forbs and grasses
(Archipelago) Smother Chives in the Bronx
(Woodland Patch) Buy and spread Germination Code A seeds from the “Desirable Species” list onto burned ground
(Degraded Grassland) Disperse seeds from established prairie on burned ground
(Far Pond Slope) Disperse seeds from established prairie on burned ground
(Campsite) Seed Code A plants on burned ground
(Ground Cover Garden) Order and plant ferns
(Ground Cover Garden) Plant Palm Sedge seeds
(Ground Cover Garden) Collect seeds from any ground covers that flowered and plant them in gaps in the beds
Plant Plugs (consult individual plans for specific details)
Order seeds

Summer

(Shortgrass Prairie) Follow smothering plan, alternating every four weeks
(Far Pond Slope) Remove Wild Parsnip
(Degraded Grassland) Remove Wild Parsnip and Queen Anne’s Lace
(Archipelago) Install pavers around Long Island
(Archipelago) Cardboard and mulch on Long/Ellis Island
(Bee Prairie) Cardboard and mulch on Phase 3
(Archipelago) Start plugs
(Campsite) Repair fences and retention walls
Fill gaps in other Stewardship Plan projects with divisions from the Ground Cover Garden

Fall

(Degraded Grassland) Collect and disperse forb seeds from established prairie for overwintering
(Far Pond Slope) Collect and disperse forb seeds from established prairie for overwintering
Plant plugs
(Archipelago) Plant shrubs in Long Island

Winter 2023-24

(Shortgrass Prairie) Seed with shortgrass prairie mix

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