Prairie restoration pilot project underway

Dr. Casey Finnerty, Gary Borash and Marissa Wollak pause from sowing prairie seed to record the historic moment.

The SMU Biology Department now has its first prairie restoration pilot project underway —Led by Dr. Casey Finnerty; guided by Dr. Phil Cochran and Dr. Ray Faber of SMU, Dr. Bruno Borsari of WSU, and Bill Carter of Prairie Moon Nursery; and assisted by Saint Mary’s students and staff.

Two 25’ x 50’ plots located along Gilmore Creek on the north side of campus were prepared with the help of SMU’s Maintenance Department. One plot was tilled and the other sprayed with herbicide to see which method is substantially better for reducing competing weeds and establishing native plants. Seed from native prairie plants was donated by Prairie Moon Nursery and Dr. Borsari and his students at WSU.

Much of the seed needed to be milled by hand to release it from pods, and thanks go to Gary Borash, director of Outdoor Leadership, and students Paige Jenson, Matt Traxler and Marissa Wollak for assisting with this task. On Nov. 20, Borash, Wollack and Dr. Finnerty, assisted by Dr. Finnerty’s daughter, Grace, sowed the seed by hand onto the plots.

Information learned from this pilot project will be used to develop an outdoor learning laboratory for future students and will serve as a model for sustainable land use and conservation.