Sugar Creek Preserve News

Last month prairie ecologist Steve Banovetz from Natural Resources Counsulting was onsite to conduct his regular inspection of the progress of the prairie restoration. The prognosis remains very good. He was able to identify numerous variety of native wildflowers and grasses that had taken root and were beginning to become established. The level of undesirable invasive species was found to be relatively low. With the exception of several patches of clover, the prairie is progressing much better than expected.


The plan for this season is to continue periodic mowings to discourage invasive plant establishment and conduct spot-spraying of thistles and other tougher undesirables. Sometime in 2008 NRC will give us the go-ahead to conduct a burn of the prairie and after that we should be able to let it grow to its full 5-8 foot height.

Restoring a native prairie has turned out to be a very complicated and intensive process, but with the right professional assistance and careful maintenance we are confident the result will be something spectacular.