Why Prairie Matters

The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Schwartz Prairie in St. Clair County, an original prairie protecting more than 360 native plant species, including Geocarpon minimum, known from only 50 places on Earth. image: Kevin Sink
The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Schwartz Prairie in St. Clair County, an original prairie protecting more than 360 native plant species.
image: Kevin Sink

The Missouri Prairie Foundation recently released an educational video highlighting the significant role of prairies and the need to conserve and restore these vital landscapes:

Through increased prairie conservation, restoration, and outreach we can protect and create more wildlife and pollinator habitat, clean more water, sequester more carbon, and bring more beauty home in the landscaping of our communities.

Tallgrass prairie and other temperate grasslands of the world are the most threatened, least conserved major terrestrial habitat types on earth. Learn about the many benefits of native prairie and native plants in this beautiful video from the Missouri Prairie Foundation, with funding provided by Roeslein Alternative Energy, LLC.

Carrie Coyne, ASLA, SWT Design Senior Associate and Grow Native! Chair, is featured in the video, along with other experts in the field. “Why Prairie Matters” can be viewed on YouTube and on the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s website.

Still from the Why Prairie Matters video
Carrie Coyne, ASLA, in “Why Prairie Matters”

by Hunter Beckham, ASLA, Immediate Past PPN Council Chair and Sustainable Design and Development PPN Officer

Sustainable Design and ASLA Federal Priorities

Representative Carnahan receiving his ASLA Honorary Membership from Saint Louis Chapter Trustee, Hunter Beckham, in a SITES Pilot Project rain garden.
Representative Carnahan receiving his ASLA Honorary Membership from Saint Louis Chapter Trustee, Hunter Beckham, in a SITES Pilot Project.
image: STL ASLA

It’s true; Federal Representatives really do pay attention to us as Landscape Architects.

ASLA membership recently responded to a survey on Federal Priorities for 2011 and consistently ranked the following issues the most important to the profession:

  • Sustainable design
  • Water and stormwater management
  • Transportation design and planning
  • Parks, recreation, and active living issues

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