Saturday, June 28, 2014
MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE AND AD-VISER - PRAIRIE PIONEER DAYS
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Prairie Extravaganza at Wetland Office–Audubon Center’s Raptors, horse-drawn wagon rides, prairie plants, etc.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Friends of the Morris Wetland Management District invite you to celebrate Prairie Extravaganza at the Morris Wetland Office from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. Encounter raptors and reptiles from the Audubon Center of the North Woods. A horsedrawn wagon will take you through a prairie landscape. Staff and friends will help you build a bird house to take home. Morning Sky Greenery will be selling their many beautiful prairie wildflowers and plants. The Audubon Center of the North Woods will be presenting an exciting educational program featuring live native birds of prey such as: American Kestrel, Eastern Screech Owl, Red-tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl and reptiles such as: Fox S n a ke , B u l l S n a ke , a n d Painted Turtle. Come get a chance to observe, photograph, ask questions, and e x p l o re b i o - f a c t s a b o u t Minnesota birds of prey and reptiles. Outreach programs are a great way to get nose to nose with small animals from the Audubon Center of the North Woods. The Audubon Center ’s mission is to instill a connection and commitment to the environment in people of all communities through experiential learning. The Audubon
Center’s vision is to provide a healthy planet where all people live in balance with the Earth. Their core values include: demonstrating respect, care and passion for the earth, all people and all living things; striving for excellence in everything we do through integrity, open communication and teamwork; individuals are valued, engaged and appreciated for their unique contributions; believing in life-long learning through positive shared experiences with the natural world; and encouraging others to recognize their interconnectedness with the earth through their actions. Horse-drawn wagon rides through prairie grasslands will start at noon and run about every half-hour. Each ride will take about 30 minutes, round trip. Sign up at the Wetlands Office early because rides will be given on a firstcome first-served basis. Each group will take a short bus ride from the office to the trail where the wagon starts. You will then be traveling in an
open wagon similar to how p i o n e e r s d i d y e a r s a g o. During the ride, you will have the opportunity to see a bit of North America’s most endangered ecosystem, the tall grass prairie. In July, the prairie looks like a sea of grasses and wildflowers. Riders may also be able to see waterfowl and other wildlife along the trail. The last wagon ride will be leaving around 2:30 p.m. Free Bird Houses: If you are interested in building a bird house, we will have all the supplies needed and people available to help guide you. Each family or group will be able to take at least one bird house home. House plans of all types, from chickadees to bats, will also be available. Staff and Friends will be able to help you find a suitable place to put your new bird house and answer any other questions you may have. Morning Sky Greenery: Located in the heart of the prairie region of west central Minnesota, Morning Sky Greenery is a nursery specializing in native prairie plants.
Tours of the Garden planned for PPD The Horticulture Display Garden is offering guided t o u r s o f t h e G a rd e n o n Saturday, July 12 as part of Prairie Pioneer Days. To u r s m e e t a t t h e Horticulture Display Garden
booth in East Side Park; transportation to and from the Garden will be provided by Morris Area Transit buses. Tour times begin at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
They have been growing native wildflowers and grasses since 1991. Morning Sky Greenery is dedicated to helping preserve this important part of our natural heritage. Morning Sky Greenery grows the vast majority of the prairie plants from seed. They take care to produce high quality native prairie flowers and grasses that adapt easily to harsh environmental conditions. Morning Sky Greenery is certified with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. They are a member of The Minnesota Wildflower & Grass producers Association, The Minnesota State Horticultural Society, and The Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association. Over the past several years, Sally Finzel has expanded the plant selection to include heirloom vegetables, and more trees to help meet more customers’ needs. Sally’s family (husband, Bart, children, Ray, Mitchell, and Augusta), as well as several dedicated employees, help with plant production, sales, and all aspects of the business. Regular hours are in May and June when Morning Sky is
open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Celebrating 56 Years of Bird Conservation It’s time to celebrate the success of the most important conservation program you’ve likely never heard of: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Small Wetlands Program uses money from the sale of federal duck stamps to permanently protect some of the most threatened and productive migratory bird habitat in the United States. Since its creation over 50 years ago, nearly 3 million acres of prairie pothole habitat have been protected forever across western Minnesota, the Dakotas, and parts of Iowa and Montana. Right here in Morris, our own local Fish and Wildlife Service office (the “wetlands office” to many, but properly called the Morris We t l a n d M a n a g e m e n t District) is part of this fantastic program to protect habitat to benefit both wildlife and people. T h e M o r r i s We t l a n d Management District is responsible for 244 federally owned waterfowl production areas in eight counties. This protected land is part of the most important waterfowl habitat in North America, the prairie pothole region. Fifty six years ago, in 1958, Congress responded to the alarm over intensified wetland drainage by directing the Fish and Wildlife Service to permanently protect prairie wetlands and associated
grasslands for the benefit of the American people. Today, the nearly 3 million acres protected so far provide habitat for waterfowl, grassland birds, and other wildlife, all while providing recreation, flood-control, and water quality benefits for people. Come celebrate 56 years of bird conservation during Prairie Pioneer Days events at t h e M o r r i s We t l a n d Management District with wildlife encounters, prairie wagon rides, live music entertainment, bird house construction , and gorgeous prairie wildflowers. T h e M o r r i s We t l a n d Management District office is located three miles east of Pomme de Terre Park on County Road 10 (the Mill Dam Road). Everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy the prairie. We have a 1.2 mile hiking trail starting and ending at the office which takes you around a prairie wetland. This hiking trail, together with our auto-tour road, is open sunrise to sunset seven days a week. Our wildlife photography blind, located adjacent to the hiking trail, is open year-round from dawn to dusk. The Friends of the Morris We t l a n d M a n a g e m e n t District, a non-profit community support group, will be supplying refreshments. They will also be sharing the great experiences they have had with the Wetland Office and the community. Come join us for a great, fun-filled afternoon on the Prairie!