Restoration Efforts Continue Brandon Clough, Natural Resource Specialist
Wildlife habitat restoration efforts are underway at Jennett Heritage Area! Jennett is a 171-acre property approximately three miles south of Nevada. Its diverse ecosystems and wildlife make this a truly special spot; it contains prairie remnants and reconstructions, riparian woodlands, wetlands, ponds, and two creeks (West Indian Creek and Grant Creek). In 2010, a plant survey revealed 277 native species – 65 of which were prairie species. In 2019, a bird survey detected 101 species – 29 of which are categorized as Species of Greatest Conservation Need. A grassland ecosystem of this size and quality is extremely rare in Iowa, which makes it critical habitat for a number of Iowa’s wildlife. The restoration efforts underway will further improve the habitat quality and reduce threats to these plants and animals. Currently, staff are concentrating restoration efforts along the northwest section of Grant Creek. Many of the tree and shrub species along the creek are not native to Iowa and/or are deemed invasive species and should be removed. Some of the targeted species include Siberian elm, black locust, buckthorn, honeysuckle, multiflora rose, white mulberry, and eastern red cedar. These undesirable species harm the native ecosystem in many ways. From a vegetative stand point, they are outcompeting native plants by rapidly growing in dense thickets. These thickets often expose bare soil underneath, which in turn leaves the area vulnerable to soil erosion and harms water quality downstream. These trees and shrubs are also starting to invade the nearby prairie remnant and prairie reconstructions. From a wildlife standpoint, they are breaking up the grassland into separate segments. Grassland birds in particular require large, contiguous suitable habitat. The trees also create perching sites and corridors for nest predators to thrive. You may notice staff removing brush in a variety of ways. Heavy machinery is used to mow shrubs and a tree shear can efficiently remove the easily-accessible trees. Staff will collaborate with Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa to chainsaw the less accessible trees and shrubs (thank you CCI!). Brush piles will be burned in a year or two once they have had time to dry. 3
