Cultivating Prairie
Stewardship
"Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land."
Restoring a Prairie
Northeast Texas has seen the disappearance of grasslands since the arrival of the first settlers. This conversion of native grasslands to non-native pasture grasses, like Bermuda, has been detrimental to many of our native species.
The Northeast Texas Prairie Community Classroom is the culmination of a child’s dream and the fervent desire of a local prairie conservationist to provide education that will help area landowners restore these grasslands and encourage pollinators and native prairie species.
We invite you to be part of this ground-breaking initiative. It will take great involvement from the broader community to accomplish this amazing legacy for generations to come.
Our Projects
Before
Approximately 4 1/2 acres of land will be restored to native tall grass prairie. It will contain a mixture of native grasses and forbs intended to attract wildlife.
With the help of Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. we’re getting a start on our new prairie. After killing the invasive introduced grasses, we disced the ground and used a seed drill to plant a variety of native grass and flowers. It will take several years before the prairie is fully established but we’re waiting anxiously.
Students, ages 10 to 14, are learning about ecology, soil dynamics, regenerative agriculture, pollinators and more as part of ongoing, hands-on classes. We welcome all opportunities to develop more learning experiences for educational groups and schools in and around Yantis. Please contact Debbie Rhodes if interested.
We are grateful to all of our teachers and partners who are helping coordinate classes and field experiences. A special thanks to the Ebel Family, Cooper Lake State Park, Clymer Meadow, Texas A&M Commerce, Camp Tyler and U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
The Latest News
Re-wilding the Child
A few years ago the Oxford Junior Dictionary put out an updated edition designed to reflect words that deserve merit for children. Readers quickly noticed
Give love to the Bat for National Pollinator Week
HAPPY NATIONAL POLLINATORS WEEK! Today I wrote about a lesser known pollinator — the Bat! I know bats have been getting a bad rap
Bee kind!
“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.” – Maurice Maeterlinck, “The Life of
