2nd Sunday Speaker Series - Daryl Smith: “Nurturing Iowa Prairie”
Hartman Reserve Nature Center, Black Hawk County
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Black Hawk County Conservation staff are
honored to host Daryl Smith, Emeritus Professor of Biology and the Tallgrass
Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa, for the next 2nd Sunday
Speaker event. Daryl will present, “Nurturing Iowa Prairie,” on April 14 at
2:00 in the Community Room at Hartman Reserve. Daryl has played an integral part in prairie preservation,
management, and restoration in our state, including his leadership in the
development of a statewide program of utilizing native vegetation in Iowa’s
roadsides. In 2019, UNI tallgrass prairie that he planted in 1973 was
dedicated and renamed the Daryl Smith Prairie to honor his 50-plus years of
dedication to prairie education and preservation. Daryl co-authored The
Tallgrass Prairie Center Guide to Prairie Restoration in the Upper Midwest,
a comprehensive manual and essential companion for everyone interested in
planning, developing, and maintaining all types of prairie restorations and
reconstructions.
Daryl’s presentation at Hartman will include an introduction
to past Iowa prairie, and then move into retaining an aspect of Iowa prairie by
establishing and maintaining prairie patches and yards. This will include
steps for and benefits in creating prairie patches in yards: site selection and
design, preparing the site, selecting species for planting and seed mixes, how
to plant, and care after planting. No registration is required for this program and there is no cost to attend.
The main entrance for Hartman Reserve is at 657 Reserve Dr.
in Cedar Falls. The 2nd Sunday Speaker Series usually occurs on the
2nd Sunday of each month. Speakers present on topics related to
nature and our environment. If you or someone you know would like to be a
presenter for this series, please call 319-277-2187.