Prairie Restoration

Calvin Presbyterian Church has approximately one acre of native prairie grass and flowers on the north side of the church property.  Planted in the spring of 2003 when the fellowship hall was completed, the property to the north was graded so drainage from the property could flow to the street east of the church.

Before 2003, the area north of the church was a vacant lot that was not landscaped or mowed.

There are now at least eight types of native Minnesota grasses and at least 24 native flower species in this area.  The prairie area provides food and cover for pheasants and other birds as well as small mammals, butterflies, and other insects.

The prairies grasses do not require the maintenance nor the fertilizing a grass lawn requires.  It does require one mowing a year and every three to four years the cold weather plants need to be removed and the area burned to help the reseeding of the prairie grass and flowers.  The thistle also has to be kept under control.

Take time to wander in the interior of the prairie as the flowers are hard to see from the side because of the height of the grasses.