Cutting Down Brush from the Prairie

This March, after the seeding of the prairie was completed by Mrs. Blackall’s third graders and Mrs. McKinley’s biology classes, some biology students took time to cut down trees and brush from the prairie. Armed with hand saws and herbicide, the students cut down both unwanted brush and invasive species. By doing this, they kept the prairie from being overtaken by non-native species while also providing new habitats for wildlife such as the endangered Grasshopper Sparrow, which relies on native prairies for survival. The classes will continue to work to restore native grasses and wildflowers to create a beautiful prairie ecosystem at our school. 

Seeding the Prairie

If you happened to pass the Sparta High School on March 15th you may have seen a herd of third graders and teenagers wandering across the school"s prairie.  At first glance it may seem a bit strange that these two age groups were mingling, but it's not so odd once you know why. As many of you know, the prairie was burned about a year ago to rid it of invasive species.  In an attempt to restore it to a beautiful native prairie ecosystem, Mrs. Spaans, Mrs. McKinley, and Mrs. Blackall teamed together and had their students spread native grass seeds across the prairie.  So while it may have looked a bit weird to see those two groups waltzing across the hillside, it was for a good cause, helping the environment.