oak savanna restoration in the midwest
Post on 25-Jan-2015
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Restoring Oak Savannas in the Midwest
By Kat Gordinier
What is an Oak Savanna?
• Large Oaks– Bur and White oaks
• Diverse Understory– Grasses– Sedges– Wildflowers
Where Were Oak Savannas?
• Endemic throughout the Midwest– Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas
• 10% of Iowa’s Native Habitat
Oak Savanna Native Species
• Bur Oaks– Fire Dependant
• Big & Little Bluestem• White Oak
Native Species cont.
• Purple Milkweed• Jack-in-the-Pulpit• Bottle Brush Grass• Virginia Wild Rye• Bobwhite Quail• Turkey• American Goldfinch• Bobcats
Restoring Savanna
• 1st Identify Former Savanna– Open Grown Oaks
• 2nd Remove Invasive Trees
• 3rd Remove Invasive Brush
• 4th Prescribed Burn
5th Monitor
• Burn Land Annually– Fall
• Hand Plant• 4-6 years
• Treat with Herbicide• Burn Annually• Plant a Savanna Mix• 10-12 years
If land hasn’t been grazed… If land has been grazed…
Works Cited
• McGovern, Molly. “Iowa’s Oak Savannas: Rekindling a Relationship.” Iowa Natural Heritage. Summer 2003
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Oak Savanna Communities. Ecological Landscapes of Wisconsin – Ecosystem Management Planning Handbook.
• Withgott, Jay and Scott Brennan. Environment: the Science Behind the Stories.
• Savanna Oak Foundation, Inc. “Oak Savanna.”• S. Chaplin “Upper Midwest Forest-Savanna Transition.”
WWF Fall Report.
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