"study... species of... flora... the Fayette County Conservation board [FCCB]... a pristine ecosystem...
acquisition... the Clint and Ella Rush Farm, south of West Union... The "Clint and Ella Rush Prairie Wildlife Sanctuary," will offer unique opportunities to study the... native prairie - for school groups and university students... [Fayette County Conservation Director Rod Marlatt] said. This spring, the FCCB, with financial assistance from Fayette County Pheasants Forever and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, purchased a 25 percent interest in the 234-acre farm, at a cost of about $178,000. Owners retaining 75 percent ownership of the property, recently gave the conservation board a perpetual conservation easement and control over the full 234 acres of land. About 90 acres of the site is considered a native prairie with some wetlands. The remaining acreage will continue to be rented out and farmed. ... Among the more unusual plants identified, are the green orchid, and a Northern Prairie Fringed Orchid. The conservation director [Rod Marlatt] said it is the intent of the board to divide the 90 acres into 10 different management blocks and work to preserve one block at a time. The conservation board has been working to help preserve the Rush farm since 1993. Brush has been cleared along with fast-growing trees such as cottonwoods. In some of the Conservation Reserve Program filter strips, conservationists have seen a dramatic increase in native flora. Marlatt said native flora needs sunlight to grow and bloom. He expects to use controlled prairie burns to keep brush from overtaking the pristine prairie." URL : http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1896&dept_id=130713&newsid=19837281&PAG=461&rfi=9 ******************* Regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
