Oak Savanna Restoration |
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An oak savanna is a rare ecosystem where oak forests of the Eastern U.S. meets with the prairies of the Midwest. Widely spaced oak trees allow filtered sunlight to reach the ground layer of tall prairie grasses, shrubs and wildflowers. At one time, there were more than 600,000 acres of oak savannas in southeast Michigan. Today, less than two percent remain, primarily due to land development and fire suppression programs. The diversity of plant species found among the oaks attracts a variety of animal life to the savanna, including deer, rabbits and birds. Savannas are home to the endangered Karner blue butterfly, which as a caterpillar feeds exclusively on the leaves of the blue lupine. We are creating a managment plan to restore this unique ecosystem located on 35 acres at the north end of our campus. The management plan includes removal of trash and debris, removal of invasive plant species, reintroduction of native plant species and initiation of a prescribed controlled burn. In spring of 2005, we began the first phase of the management plan (removal of invasive plant species) in collaboration with the River Raisin Institute and AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. For five weeks, nine members of the AmeriCorps NCCC and the River Raisin Institute (pictured below) worked on the removal of the invasive buckthorn plant species and construction of a winding trail through the woodlot using the chipped up brush.
Back to Organic Garden To Preserving the Land |
Every year, Southeast Michigan loses about 13 square miles of land to development. That loss includes farms, fields, wetlands and woods. One of our priorities is the preservation and enhancement of green space. Our campus is home to native trees over 100 years old and an endangered oak savanna ecosystem. 
