Things that people can do outside of class to help the project: - Take pictures of the final stopping point and what the area looks like, upload the pictures to PICASA on Mr. Todd's computer.
- Make a map of the aerial view showing the areas we have worked on
- Schedule a workday after school (short)
- Design the signs
- Put up two prairie reconstruction signs in PR1 (behind the science wing)
- Clean tools, gloves, and areas that were used during project times
Future Work Day Goals: - Take out a trash bag - Nate, Kiana
- Cutting down small trees - Ruby, Brandon, Brian, Hannah, Tessa, Micaela, Deryk, Chris, Dillon, James, Dustin
- Hauling brush to pile - Kiana, Anna, Bryan, Elliot, Nic, Jacob
- Pointing to places to spray - Jackie, Kaydee
- Taking Pictures - Kaydee
- Raking - Elena, Amber, Abby
- Spraying Herbicide - Mike Todd, Ms. Hopper
- Chainsaw - Mike Todd
10/16 Work Day Goals: - Take out a trash bag
- Cutting down small trees and spraying with Patherfinder 2
- Making a new pile near the trailer
Future Goals: - More raking
- Need to spray crown vetch
- Take down bigger trees that are leaning towards the power lines and fence (Spence about getting someone out to top the trees)
- Get rid of big rock pile (Talk to Gerry Peters with the district facilities people)
- Remove the gravel road (Talk to Gerry Peters with the district facilities people)
- Burn the brush pile (need to get a permit from the City - call the fire department and they will issue the permit)
- Move the trailer and compactor (talk to Judge)
Work Day for 10/11
What We Need:
- Take gloves (Dustin, Stacy)
- Fill water container and bring it (Ruby, Tessa)
- Take Saws (Chris),loppers (Deryk, Nate), weed wrench (Dillon), rakes (Bryan, Hannah) - carrying these things in the wheel barrow (James)
- Take herbicide (dont use if windy outside) (Ms. Hopper)
- Take a couple cameras (for before & after pics) (Kaydee, Abby)
- Check weather and wear appropriate clothing (everyone)
- Take Chain Saw (use to cut down larger trees) (Mike)
What We'll Do: - Continue removing trees from top to bottom
- Cut stumps as low as possible to ground
- Remove all small debris
- Treat Herbicide
Working Around Herbicides - Things to Know/Think about: - Read Labels Carefully
- Wear long sleeves and pants - show little skin
- Don't apply while its windy (check label to see precaution about wind)
- Don't use the same sprayer for insects and weeds
- Use before the herbicide vaporizes
- Thoroughly clean equipment right after using - rinse three times waiting 30 seconds for water to drain
- Break containers before throwing away
- Never rinse pesticides down the drain
- Stay 3-4 feet away from sprayed area
- Don't spray in the direction your are going to walk in
- Do not spray near animals
- Do not walk in the area you sprayed
- Make a sign to indicate the area has been sprayed
Pathfinder 2 Information (label, etc.)
Pathfinder 2 Herbicide Safety Datasheet:
Stump Treating with Herbicide
Notes from Carl Kurtz's visit: - Work on small area first
- Most prairie plants take 3 years to produce seed - so we have to know how long to wait in order for plants to show up
- Different species next to each other will take longer to grow
- Prairie grasses are tall and can prevent snow drifts
- Pollinators love prairie
- Water brings more habitats for more species
- Got 900 lbs of honey from hives near the prairies
Plan for future: - Work Tuesday 9/25
- Figure out how much we can get done, and estimate the project area from that
- Take as many plant pictures on 9/25 as possible to identify them and how to remove them
- Put on Picasa web album and share with Carl and Jimmy
- Take down smaller plants tomorrow
- Take weed wrench
- Take rakes, shovels, hand saws, gloves, hoes, clippers
- Wheel barrow
- Cameras
- Trash bags
- Water
- Work day Friday 10/5/12
- Cut and treat stumps
- Take out the chainsaw
- Remove trees and invasive species and plant prairie seed
- Check to see how compact the ground is and aerate if necessary
- Make sure seeds don't wash down the hill
- Use herbicide soon, before the top part of the plant dies
Things from, "Tallgrass Prairie Restoration and Reconstruction": - Signage to inform people about our plans, what types of animals are there
- Site Preparation
- Remove small stumps
- Kill existing vegetation
- Herbicides to kill vegetation
- Seeding
- Dormant seeding - will make sure seeds are stratified
What are the major things that need to be addressed by the project? - Types of species of plants that are out there - invasive vs. non-invasive
- Signage for explaining to the public why we are doing this and how long this project will take and species present
- Distinguish between native and non-native, so we know what to preserve
- Explain what people can do to help
- Figure out which plants we want to plant and where
- Working to construct a trail
- How to remove trees that are cut down
- Are there other needs that the city or school has that we might be able to help with? (i.e. trash cans?)
- Ask City to work on spots in the bike path
- Remove extra concrete
- Pile of grass clippings
Questions that the class has about the project: - How much land will we cover?
- How long will this project take?
- Who is going to care for the area after we are done?
- How will we restore native plants to the area?
- Where will the cut down trees go?
- How long will people need to work on the area?
- How will we decide who is assigned what task?
- What can stay and what can go?
- Will we rotate tasks or stay with what we are doing?
- Are there animals that are not native to the area that we have to remove?
What do we need to learn in order to make informed decisions about the project? - Native species
- Tree identification
- plant identification
- What should we wear to protect ourselves
- What animals are native
- How to remove things properly
- What tools we need
- How to build a trail
- How to make the area sustainable
- How to capture animals
Expertise that we need to bring in to help us learn those things along with questions we would ask them: - The Iowa DNR
- Plant experts - Jimmie Thompson
- Park Rangers
- Ames Tree and Lawn Service
- Construction workers
- Graphic Designer
- Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge - Michelle Garcia
Here are the overall Environmental Impact Project Goals: - Deepen knowledge about some aspect of environmental science
- Give something back to your community in order to learn about the value of civic responsibility
- Become more connected to your community
- Develop project management/leadership skills
- Develop better written and verbal communication skills
- Explore personal and career interests
Original Football Field Hillside/area adjacent to City bike path Prairie Reconstruction Ideas:- Work with professionals to design and make 2 signs
- History and role of prairies in Iowa
- Benefits of native plants, how to plant native plants, the stages of reconstructing prairie
- Remove Trees
- Kill remaining vegetation - including Crown Vetch on South side of path
- Remove Honey Locust Trees along the path
- Remove the fence along the path (?)
- Dormant seed with Doolittle seed in November
- Install Signs in October
- Construct a trail from track shed to bike path
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