Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Date of this Version
2003
Citation
Steinauer, Gerry; with assistance from Bill Whitney, Krista Adams, Mike Bullerman, and Chris Helzer. 2003. A Guide to Prairie and Wetland Restoration in Eastern Nebraska. Prairie Plains Resource Institute. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 85 pp.
Abstract
This publication documents the restoration methods originally developed by Bill Whitney and later refined by himself and other ecologists from TNC, PRCT, NGPC and USFWS working in eastern Nebraska. Restoration of the following plant community types is covered in this document: tallgrass prairie, mixed-grass prairie, sand prairie, freshwater wet meadow and marsh, Rainwater Basin wet meadow and marsh, and saline wet meadow and marsh.
The methods we use are generally affordable and not complicated. To quickly summarize, we handpick and machine harvest seed, do little seed cleaning and broadcast plant with a fertilizer spreader. We do not mow annual weeds during the initial years after planting and manage established restorations with prescribed fire and grazing. Many Midwestern restorationists use other methods. For example, some plant highly-cleaned seed with a seed drill, pack the soil after planting and mow annual weeds in the first years after planting. We will touch on these methods within this publication.
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