Siouxland Magazine - May 2019

fresh air
get outside
protect
active
play
It’s more important than ever to create habitat “islands”
and corridors. Conservation areas are simply too small and
far apart to support the species we need to sustain our
ecosystem. Planting home landscapes with native species
is the only way to recreate the natural ecosystems that have
been disrupted by human development.
Plants native to our area are adapted to our soils, climate,
and moisture, so, once established, they thrive without
additional water, time or fertilizers.
Native plants improve water in other ways, too. Wetlands
natives slow storm water flow and allow it to percolate
back into the soil rather than allowing it to run off, taking
pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus along with it. These
“nutrients” affect recreational opportunities and drinking
water downstream and created a 5,500 square mile dead
hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Native plants even combat climate change. They remove
carbon from the air and store it in their massive root systems
more effectively than almost any other plant type. They also
hold onto soil far better than other plants and trees. Iowa
loses tons of soil every year from wind and rain erosion; the
NRCS estimates Iowa has lost an average of seven inches of
topsoil statewide since 1850.
Resources:
Why care about pollinators? pollinator.org
Audubon native plant database:
audubon.org/native-plants. Enter your zip code,
then filter by plant type, benefits to wildlife, or
what birds you want to attract.
Plant Grow Fly:
blankparkzoo.com/conservation/plantgrowfly/
create-your-garden/. Links to lists of host plants,
nectar plants, trees and shrubs, and
shade-tolerant plants.
The Prairie Nursery plant finder:
prairienursery.com/store/advanced-search
Prairie Moon:
prairiemoon.com/blog/resources-and-information
Benjamin Vogt’s “How” and “Why” articles and
plant profiles: monarchgard.com/articles.html
Loess Hills Wild Ones:
facebook.com/LoessHillsWildOnes/