Background

Until the early 1840's, about 95% of Iowa was blanketed in native grasses and wildflower; a landscape known as the Tallgrass Prairie. This astonishingly biodiverse "verdant sea of grass" was home to millions of Indigenous peoples. With the arrival of Euro-American colonizers, the once rich and nutrient-dense soil was over-exploited through a combination of poor farming practices and industrialized agriculture. Today, less than 0.1% of the original Tallgrass Prairie remains in Iowa.

As a public institution serving the greater good, the UI is beginning to reverse the centuries-long degradation of the Tallgrass Prairie. The APLL is essential in this effort, by providing hands-on educational opportunities to UI students, faculty, and staff, UI is preserving and expanding a rare and endangered native landscape.

APLL Project Timeline

  • Planning Stage

    Winter 2018/2019

    Winter 2018/2019 - Former undergraduate, Megan Lenss & former instructor, Michael Fallon write the first proposal outlining the concept of a prairie reconstruction project which is now renamed Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory (APLL). 

  • prairie field

    Preparing the Land

    Spring - Summer 2019

    Spring 2019 - The UI Athletics Department gave the "green light" for a pilot 1.0-acre prairie reconstruction planting at the UI Ashton Cross Country Course.

    Summer 2019 - Tony Senio and crew mow and apply herbicide to the 1.0-acre pilot Ashton Prairie project area.

  • cold seed

    Starting the Prairie

    Spring 2020

    Spring 2020 - Students and volunteers prepare and hand-broadcast the native plant seed onto the 1.0-acre pilot Ashton Prairie project area in April. 

  • Man mowing field under blue sky

    New Growth

    Summer 2020

    Summer 2020 - Mike Fallon, Megan Lenss, Tony Senio, and the UI Athletics grounds crew mow the newly planted 1.0-acre pilot Ashton Prairie project area.

  • some sort of fan?

    Plans to Expand

    Winter 2020/2021

    Winter 2020/2021 - In December 2020, Dr. Brad Cramer, with the help of 22 other faculty and staff from a variety of departments, submits a proposal to install instruments from the bedrock to the atmosphere. This would enable classes and research to use the space and be a way to track the construction project. Making Ashton Prairie, Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory. 

    The UI Athletics Department gives the "green light" for an additional 7.5 acres at the UI Ashton Cross Country Course for conversion to prairie.

  • sign

    Making it More Official

    Spring 2021

    Spring 2021 - Tony Senio installs the new sign at the APLL site.

  • Preparing for Expansion

    Summer 2021

    Summer 2021 - Mike Fallon, Megan Lenss, Tony Senio, and the UI Athletics grounds crew mow the 1.0-acre prairie planting.

    The public joined researchers in collecting, observing, and recording biodiversity at the Ashton Prairie site in the 1st Annual BioBlitz, July 10, 2021.

    Tony Senio and crew mow, apply herbicide to, and rake the 7.5-acre APLL project area.

  • People in winter gear prepare buckets of prairie seeds outside

    More Seeding

    Winter 2021/2022

    Winter 2021/2022 - Mike Fallon, Blake Rupe, Elizabeth Mackenzie, students, and OSE staff hand-broadcast the native plant seed on to the 7.5-acre APLL project area.

Thank you to our partners

We owe special thanks to... 

tigerhawk

UI Athletics

For permission to construct prairie at the Ashton Cross Country Course. 

iowa native plant society logo

Iowa Native Plant Society

For a grant award to the design and manufacture educational signage.

usg

Undergraduate Student Government

For providing a grant to purchase native plant seed for the first prairie construction. Daily Iowan article about USG prairie funding.