When we arrived to East Town Hall, Matt commented on the ubiquitous brome, and scarcity of flowering plants which was especially evident after our visit to Steven’s Approach. Matt immediately noted that there were trees surrounding a wetland area. Matt posited that the presence of this wetland area has influenced the management regime. Before even seeing the sign which confirmed his hypothesis, Matt recognized that this area that this area is probably managed by Ducks Unlimited for wetland health, not prairie restoration efforts.
Matt couldn’t hide his disappointment when he didn’t see any Echinacea angustifolia amidst the gently rolling hills of this site. His happiness, and mine, was restored when we noted the presence of lead plant, a plant which indicates healthy prairie. We will hold out hope for the purple cone flower, and look forward to returning to this site.
