The restoration of native prairie and oak savanna habitat has always been a priority for Schmeeckle Reserve. In 2020, Schmeeckle received a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore about 14.5 acres to oak savanna. An oak savanna habitat is dominated by scattered oak trees with prairie grasses and forbs growing below. Fire is necessary to maintain the habitat. Oak savannas were once common in Wisconsin, but due to conversion to agriculture and reduced fires, they are now one of the rarest plant communities in the Upper Midwest.
Background
The one-acre Zimmerman Prairie adjacent to the visitor center parking lot, once a grassy backyard, was planted in 1986-1987. The 4.5-acre Berard Oaks was restored into an oak savanna habitat in 2000, although only a small portion of the area was planted.
In January 2020, Schmeeckle received a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue restoration efforts. The project is restoring about 14.5 acres by expanding the Zimmerman Prairie and Berard Oaks savanna, and planting native seed in the Zimmerman Prairie, Berard Oaks, and Lake Prairie. The expansions will occur in wooded areas infected and threatened by oak wilt disease.
The project was partially funded through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, coordinated by Brendan Woodall, USFWS Wisconsin Private Lands Biologist.
UW-Stevens Point students and Schmeeckle volunteers and staff assisted with all aspects of the restoration.
Continued management of the area includes periodic prescribed burns to maintain prairie, control of invasive species such as glossy buckthorn, and planting of additional deer-resistant native prairie plants.
Goals of the Restoration
The goal of this project is to restore and improve about 14.5 acres of prairie and oak savanna habitat in areas threatened by oak wilt disease. This was accomplished by:
- Cutting red oaks and other smaller trees and shrubs. The red oak trees in the project areas were susceptible to oak wilt disease and would likely have died in the next several years. The removal of trees and shrubs opened the canopy to create ideal conditions for prairie grasses and flowers to grow. Trees were marked by Forestry Professor Michael Demchik and his students. The trees were cut by Schmeeckle staff, volunteers, UWSP students, and Fish and Wildlife Service staff during the fall/winter of 2020 and 2021.
- Prescribed burns. In preparation for successful planting, the existing groundcover and detritus needed to be cleared, giving seeds a chance to grow. Prescribed burns were conducted by the student-led UWSP Fire Crew in November 2020.
- Herbicide existing ground vegetation. In the new prairie and oak savanna areas, the existing ground vegetation was removed through the application of herbicide. This was necessary to kill off any invasive and weedy plants that would otherwise take over the new habitats. Existing prairie plantings were left in place. Herbicide application took place in spring and summer of 2021.
- Planting seed. In November 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service planted the oak savanna areas with a native prairie seed mixture selected for the unique site conditions. Seed was also supplied by the Fish and Wildlife Service for overseeding the Zimmerman Prairie and Lake Prairie in October 2022.
- Education. The restoration project on campus is ideal for sharing with students and the public. Students and volunteers assisted with the initial restoration and will continue to maintain the site in the future.
Map of the Restoration Sites
View a PDF version of the map.
Support
The following groups have supported this restoration project through generous donations, funding, and volunteer assistance. For more information about supporting this and other projects, please visit our Support page.
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program grant ($6,650)
- Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve (volunteer support, funding grant match)
- Michael Demchik, Ph.D., Professor of Silviculture (providing technical assistance, coordinating student crews)
- UW-Stevens Point classes and student organizations (Restoration Field Techniques class, UWSP Fire Crew, UWSP Society for Ecological Restoration)
Photo Gallery
Click the button below to view photo galleries of cedar signs and benches that were constructed at Schmeeckle Reserve (external link to Flickr).
Oak Savanna Restoration Gallery