Weathering the Weather with Native Plant Species

It looked like late August around here for a while, as cultivated plants wilted and faded in the heat. We have been lucky to get some rain over the last two weeks, but the beginning of June was brutal, with drought conditions and temperatures in the 90s.

It was interesting to observe how two different mini-ecosystems outside my office window responded to the extreme heat and dryness. The landscaped grass surrounding the center is in full sun most of the day, and regularly mowed (“mechanically grazed”), so it went dormant quickly and became crisp and dusty. However, the area we burned in the winter with the City and Rock County Conservationists remained green and productive and was resilient in the face of this early-season stress.

Top: Big Hill Center grass-human and bug’s eye view; Bottom: Prairie/savanna restoration area (15 yards east, across a driveway). See how much more complex and healthy the bottom ecosystem is after an unseasonably hot, dry June.

Big Hill Center was built in the middle of 90 acres of former farmland, so we are missing most of the top soil layer, and many of the plants are invasive species that have blown in and taken root. With help from RCC and a grant from Dupont, we’ve been able to restore the 8 acres surrounding the Center through regular workdays to clear brush and weeds, a winter burn, and reseeding using prairie natives from around Rock County.

The ability to thrive in extreme weather and provide shelter and food for many animals and microbes, are all super powers of native plants. Climate change causes unusual temperature swings that challenge the hardiest of species, so it is important to grow plants that can survive these extremes.

The patch we burned and seeded in December stayed lush–for a prairie–and green during June. These natives develop complex root systems that can be many times longer than their above-ground growth. Their roots reach deep in the soil to find moisture and minerals, sequester carbon, and stabilize the dirt.  They create a protective tangle underground that holds water, supports beneficial microbes, and rebuilds the topsoil.  The plants vary in height, so there are grasses low to the ground that shade the soil and help retain moisture, and forbs that grow tall to find the light above the grasses. This variety of plant life gives the prairie resilience in the face of extreme weather and provides a multitude of habitats and food sources so other species can thrive.

The only species that enjoy the manicured and distressed Center grass are a colony of 13-lined ground squirrels, who have dug into our “front yard” and the red-tailed hawks who swoop down for a 13-lined snack at least once a week. 

Are you thinking about incorporating more natives into your yard or garden? Come out to Big Hill and look over the space east of the upper parking lot to get a sense of what is possible. It will be a few more years until we see evidence of the 2020 seeding, but it is clear that these natives can take a (weather) beating. If you’re lucky, you’ll also catch a hawk-squirrel food chain in action!