Join us as we tour the prairie restoration at Free State High School. Project leaders Julie Schwarting, FSHS Biology and Environmental Science Instructor, and Dr. Helen Alexander, KU Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Professor, will discuss the project's history and current activities. Frank Norman, GHF Snyder Prairie Preserve Manager, will then lead a plant walk through the restoration area.
The Free State Prairie is an exciting collaboration between KU, Free State High School, and community members which provides opportunities for students from both schools to research, work together, and educate the public about restored prairies. Read below for more information about the project.
To get to the prairie, park on the west side of Free State High School. Walk through the gates to the athletic fields and follow the sidewalk around the back of the football stadium. When the sidewalk ends, head west across the grass and the prairie sites will soon be obvious after a short walk.
An RSVP is requested to Kim Bellemere at grasslandheritage@gmail.com. Please email or call Kim at 785-849-8104 with questions.
In 2014, Free State Prairie was established on the campus of Free State High School with the goal of involving students in environmental education, research, and outreach. The project has two parts. First, a 1.4 acre prairie restoration and community ecology experiment was established. This site was seeded with prairie grasses and wildflowers. Although prairie plants have successfully established at the site, it will take several years before it resembles a native prairie (weedy plants currently dominate, as expected for this stage of the project). Second, a "prairie demonstration site" was created with plants that students grew from seed in the Free State greenhouse. The goal for this site (2500 sq. ft.) is to create an "instant" prairie that can be used for education and outreach. Both projects have involved high school students and teachers, researchers at KU, and many community volunteers.
