Site prep begins for new native prairie
Almost three-quarters of an acre will transition from mowed grass to native prairie thanks to grants obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fund for Lake Michigan, and Sustain Our Great Lakes. The funding will provide several years of oversight and management to ensure successful native vegetation establishment.
The City of Two Rivers is partnering with Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve and Glacierland Resource Conservation & Development Council, Inc. in the restoration project. The area is located at the State Highway 42 wayside park near the southern boundary of the city.
Site preparation has begun, and planting will occur in the spring. As it becomes established, the area will provide a host of ecological benefits. The deep-rooted perennial vegetation will improve infiltration and reduce runoff, thereby improving water quality in Lake Michigan. And the various native species will serve as important food and nectar sources for migrating birds and pollinators.
The Sustain Our Great Lakes program is part of a public–private partnership that awards grants for on-the-ground habitat restoration and enhancement. Fund for Lake Michigan invests in water quality initiatives that promise tangible near-term and long-term benefits to the plants, animals, and people of Wisconsin.
Sally Taylor
October 7, 2022
