Grassland Management
At the time of European settlement, grassland habitat dominated more than 50% of Illinois and nearly all of Iowa. Now less than one-tenth of 1% of the original tallgrass prairie exists in these states. Historic surveys indicate that grassland communities were once common within the Upper Mississippi River floodplain and included a mosaic of tallgrass prairie on drier sites and wet sedge meadows at lower elevations on wetter sites. Most of the original prairie and wet meadow within the floodplain was converted to agriculture. But some prairie and wet meadow communities have also shifted to forest or open water as a result of hydrologic changes resulting from the navigation system and flood control levees.
Where elevation, soils, water table, and flood regime are favorable and the cost is not overly prohibitive, large tracts of grassland and wet meadow habitat are being restored. Two such areas are located on Fox Island on Great River NWR, and Horseshoe Bend on Port Louisa NWR. Smaller tracts of grassland have also been established for maintenance purposes on levees, for protection of archeological sites, or for use in environmental education and interpretive programs.
Grasslands and wet meadows provide important habitat for many wildlife species of concern, including Henslow's sparrows, grasshopper sparrows, sedge wrens, upland sandpipers, and American woodcock. Fire played an important role historically in creating and maintaining these habitats. Prescribed burning on a periodic basis is essential to maintain plant diversity and habitat quality for wildlife.
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