Join us in early June to walk in a local prairie on the Mike and Linda Meetz property located northeast of Ames in Story County. You will learn about Iowa’s Tall Grass Prairie Ecosystem and what is involved in a Prairie Reconstruction project. This is a follow-up to the Iowa’s Prairie Habitats; Remnants, Renovations, and Reconstruction course recently offered this spring.
You will want to take precautions to protection yourself from the sun, dress for the weather, and include drinking water as a part of your kit. Mosquitos, chiggers, and ticks are present in the prairie. Long pants, sturdy shoes, and repellents containing “deet” are recommended. Shorts, flip-flops, sandals, and open-toed shoes are not recommended.
Mike Meetz retired after 35 years from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. An amateur naturalist, Mike volunteers for numerous outdoor organizations, including the National Park Service, Iowa DNR, and Story County Conservation Board. In 1992, Mike and his wife Linda, reconstructed a 38-acre prairie, originally a tall grass prairie, that was converted for agricultural uses in the 1890s and row crop farmed for the next 100 years. They have received numerous conservation awards including the Lawrence and Eula Hagie Heritage Award presented by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in recognition of their efforts.