51²è¹Ýapp

Prairie and Sustainability

  • Yellow flowers in the prairie

    Prairie

    The tallgrass prairie, which was once common in Iowa, is extremely rare today. It features rich, moist, well-drained soils with level or gently rolling landscapes. Big bluestem and other grasses dominate the prairie. Today, the prairie is often human-stewarded; this diverse, fire-maintained ecosystem features deep-rooted native grasses, forbs, and associated life forms above ground and in the soil.

    Prairies build soil, reduce and filter water runoff, and provide habitat for pollinators and many other creatures. It is also resilient to extreme weather, disease, and predation.

gravelled path winding through narrow corridor of lawn flanked by stretches of prairie grasses and forbs

Environmental Sustainability

The environmental sustainability of the prairie begins at its roots. The long root systems of native prairie grasses allow for a greater rate of water infiltration, which minimizes flooding, reduces runoff, and decreases soil erosion.

51²è¹Ýapp College has made substantial efforts to reduce runoff, including the establishment of rainwater collection systems in the Noyce Science Center, the Bear Recreation and Athletic Center, and the Humanities and Social Studies Center.

The implementation of native tallgrass prairies into our landscape will naturally increase infiltration and reduce the silt and nutrient loads that the College sends downstream. The native grasses’ long root systems also allow the plants to recover nutrients from the soil that would otherwise be lost or leached into groundwater (, 2006).

Students in prepared ground planting prairie flora on North Campus with Gates Rawson Tower in the background

Social Sustainability

51²è¹Ýapp’s native landscaping also supports social sustainability through community engagement.

The 51²è¹Ýapp College campus has great potential to promote community well-being. With this in mind, 51²è¹Ýapp continues to implement more prairie plantings on campus.

Prairie plantings create relationships that actively support the creation of healthy and livable communities for current and future generations, thus encouraging social sustainability. The MacEachron Field prairie planting was a great opportunity for volunteers and student workers to work together on a project that will benefit all.

Yellow wildflowers blooming in a new prairie planting on North Campus

Economic Sustainability

Increasing native prairie plantings on campus creates more job opportunities for the student body and encourages economic sustainability.

The native landscape naturally attracts community members and students, encouraging their involvement in campus infrastructure over time and promoting long-term economic growth.

51²è¹Ýapp’s prairie plantings on campus help create a future in which the use of natural resources is sustainable, while also creating a community of individuals committed to contributing to the common good.

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