Tallgrass Prairie Seminar

Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

John Pearson, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, will present "Perspectives of Iowa Savannas for Restoring a Pre-Settlement Landscape." Savanna was a major plant community of early Iowa occupying more than 2.4 million acres. Types of savanna differed ranging from park-like areas with widely distributed tress interspersed with prairie vegetation and virtually no shrub layer to dense thickets of woody species within a prairie matrix with a few stunted open growth trees. Oak savanna is regarded as a high priority for conservation because no original savanna currently exists. Interest in savanna restoration is increasing, but selecting sites to restore is influenced by variety of definitions and concepts. Pearson will explore contrasting concepts in savanna posed by historic maps, modern soil surveys and floristics, and relate them to the use of 1832-1859 General Land Office surveys, Mollic Hapludalf soil maps and plant indicator species in restoration. Refreshments will be provided.

Location: 
Tallgrass Prairie Center, 2412 W. 27th St.
Contact Information
Name: 
Anna Abney
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