The prison, which is located in Appleton, Minn., began growing native prairie plants from seeds provided by the Refuge in its greenhouse and outdoor garden area within the prison yard three years ago. The Refuge staff works closely with the inmates and prison staff to establish plots containing native plant species, and quantities of seed that can be harvested by the inmates on an annual basis. The seeds are then provided to the Refuge for incorporation into seeding mixtures that are being planted within native prairie restoration sites. In 2004, the prison produced 41 pounds of pure wildflower seed (15 species) valued at approximately $4,000. This wildflower seed will be planted on the Refuge.

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge is located in west-central Minnesota and lies in the heart of the Northern Tallgrass Prairie. The prairie, which originally occupied millions of acres, is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States. Less than one percent of the original prairie remains intact. Since the refuge was established 23 years ago, its staff has worked diligently to restore native tallgrass prairie habitats. The Refuge has been successful in restoring about 4,300 acres of these former prairie areas to native prairie plant communities consisting primarily of four to eight different grass species. Restoration of these areas has been highly beneficial for a myriad of wildlife resources. However, the diversity of the native plant community structure in these reseeded areas has been deficient.

Past and present staffs have long recognized this deficient level of species diversity, but it hasn?t been possible to obtain the amount or variety of different seeds that are necessary to restore vegetative diversity resembling a native prairie. Remnant native prairies normally consist of at least 30 plant species and sometimes diversity levels reach over 100 species. The purchase of seeds for use in restoration sites has been cost prohibitive. The cost of native wildflower seed normally averages about $200 per pound (ranging from $15-$1,000 per pound). An alternative means of acquiring native wildflower seed was needed.

The prison inmates have exhibited outstanding initiative and interest towards their work on this project. They are readily acquiring the knowledge and skills that are necessary to produce native prairie grasses and flowers and are also collecting seeds from them. The garden plot that they have established in the prison yard contains approximately 17 different species of native prairie plants. In 2004, the prison expanded the garden plot (plot is approximately one half the size of a football field) and plans are currently being made to increase species diversity. The Refuge's goal is to increase the number of different prairie plants to 30 species.

The partners are looking forward to working together for many years to incrementally improve the diversity of native prairie habitats on an annual basis at Big Stone NWR. The enhancement of the native prairie habitats will be highly beneficial to native plant and animal populations, some of which are very rare. This project will also substantially improve wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available for the visiting public at the Refuge. In addition, once native prairies are restored on the Refuge, the prairies will be harvestable. The harvestable seed will be made available to other Refuges and Wetland Management Districts to enhance native prairie restorations in the Northern Tallgrass Prairie.

This partnership caught the interest of a Minneapolis based television station and the video footage was recently aired at a Corporation directors? meeting. They became immediately interested in promoting this partnership at other facilities. They are very dedicated to this project and are making plans to replicate the production program in at least seven other prison facilities. The Corporation currently has 61 prison facilities located throughout the United States and are interested in developing programs like this one to develop partnerships and to promote natural resource conservation efforts. Refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System that are working on different types of restoration programs, whether it is native prairie, woodland restoration, endangered species, or even restoring damaged wetlands by planting wetland plants that have prison facilities nearby, could benefit greatly from partnerships like this.

The inmates have shown great interest in learning about the plants and ways to produce them. They are dedicated, and take pride in their work which is evident when Service representatives come to their facility to see the work that they have been doing. The atmosphere is favorable right now to enhance restoration efforts and other projects via prison help across this country.

For further information contact: Kim Bousquet, Wildlife Biologist, at Big Stone NWR (320)273-2191. To contact the Prairie Corrections Facility: Prison Warden, Daren Swenson or Education Director, Jim Gentile at (320)289-2052.