Message from the President

IPN Committees Communications

Chair, Andy Asell

• NewsletterChair, Jen Nieland

EventsChair, Pam White

Finance $9,956.46(07/2015)Chair, Joyce Horstein

MembershipChair, Leesa McNeil

Welcome to the "Rising of the Phoenix" edition of the Iowa Prairie Network News!

IPN has broken its "dormancy", and we have been working to get back on track so we can fulfill our mission: "To learn about, teach about, enjoy and protect Iowa's prairie heritage", which is just as relevant today as it was when the idea of IPN was hatched 25 years ago!

The reorganization process hasn't been quick or easy, but we have been making progress!

Some of the things that IPN has accomplished during the past year include the revision and adoption of new by-laws, regular board meetings, the creation of a Policy & Procedures guidance document, completely rebuilding the IPN website, electing officersand filling all but one of our vacancies on the board. These tasks may not sound veryexciting, but it has all been important in the rebuilding of IPN. Currently we are in theprocess of renewing our status as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which lapsed during our "dormancy". But I'm happy to report that we are making progress, and hope to havethis issue resolved within the next few months.If your membership has also gone into dormancy, I invite you to renew for 2016! In the past year, IPN has funded prairie restoration efforts in the Loess Hills with the help of theConservation Corps of Iowa, continued its annual support of the Loess Hills PrairieSeminar, supported a Cyperaceae workshop held in Grinnell, and funding 11 scholarshipsto the Iowa Prairie Conference for students who volunteered at the pre-conference work day at Cedar Hills Sand Prairie.

Thank you for your support of IPN! Hope to see you out on the prairie!

“Prairie restoration, in the future, could be a major contributor to mending the dents in the fabric of our natural systems and aidingglobal conservation efforts.”-Daryl Smith, 2015 Iowa Prairie Conference

Glenn Pollock and Ann Stillman were honored during the IPN Annual Membership Meeting at the 2015 Iowa Prairie Conference which was held on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa on August 16. Ann served on the IPN board for ten years and had been aneffective advocate for Stinson Prairie when she lived in Algona. Glenn was at the originalmeeting at UNI during the North American Prairie Conference in 1990 and served as a IPNboard member for the next 25 years!Although Glenn lives in Nebraska, part of his prairie heart is in Crawford County, Iowa where he was raised. He has worked extensively with their Conservation Board in protecting remnant prairies. In addition to representing Region 4, he also served as president for a time, and he is 100% responsible for the update of the previouxly outdated website. A rebuild of the website had been desired for years, but no one had managed to do so until Glenn tackledit. Glenn has also compiled a list of pioneer cemeteries in several Midwestern states– ones with native prairie remnants. He has also initiated the designation of two naturalareas in Iowa as State Preserves, has led numerous field trips, and also led sessions at the Loess Hills Prairie Seminar.

Above: Glenn in a Prairie Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Ben Curtis,

Iowa DNR

IPN recognizes Glenn Pollock & Ann Stillman

President Anna MacDonaldannalynnmac@gmail.com

Fall Edition 2015

www.iowaprairienetwork.org

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Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)Submitted By: Tenlea Turner

The recent concern over declining numbers of Monarch butterfly populations has generated a number of community outreach programs designed to encourage people to plant, conserve, or restore native habitat essential for their survival. Much of these programs have focused towards the establishment of species such as Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa). They are big, bold, prairie species well-known by the general public. But there are approximately 74 species of Asclepias in the U.S., and 17 are native to Iowa. While diminutive in size compared to some of the more widely recognized milkweed species, Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) should not be overlooked as a valuable asset to your prairie or garden habitat. Whorled milkweed is the most widely distributed species of the milkweed genus in the U.S. The USDA Plants Database (http://plants.usda.gov) lists it as threatened (MA) and special concern (RI). It prefers full sun in mesic or dry areas and can spread aggressively in open or disturbed areas, spreading by both seed and rhizomes. But in a garden or prairie setting, it requires virually no maintenance and is "well-behaved". Whorled Milkweed can stand up to 2’ tall and has narrow, grass-like leaves approximately 1/8” wide by 3” long. It usually has a single stem topped with one or more clusters of about 20 white flowers blooming from May to September. It attracts a variety of bees and wasps for pollination purposes as well as Painted Ladies and Peck’s Skippers, among other butterflies and skippers, for nectaring. Monarchs also use the Whorled Milkweed as host plants. Whorled milkweed, while small in stature, can aesthetically make a big impact in a prairie or garden setting and at the same time, provide much needed habitat.

Resources: monarchwatch.org illinoiswildflower.info iowaplants.com usda.govTallgrass Prairie Wildflowers By Doug Ladd and Frank Oberle

IPN Board of Directors

Region 1Dianne Blankenship

Dotty ZalesRegion 2

Dave HansenDon Nelson

Region 3Daryl Smith

VacancyRegion 4

Kali Downs Kody Wohlers

Region 5Anna MacDonald

Mark Wilson Region Six

Tenlea Turner Pam White

Region SevenRay Hamilton

Jennifer NielandAt Large

Andy AsellJon Judson

Leesa McNeilJacob Pitzenberger

Ryan Schmidt Ed Sibley

Above: Monarch Caterpillar munching on Whorled Milkweed. Photos Submitted By: Tenlea Turner and Anna MacDonald

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Celebrate Iowa Prairie Heritage Week!

Upcoming Events – check the IPN calendar for updates!

September 13-19

Iowa Prairie Heritage WeekLocation: All Over Iowa!

September 20Noon-4pm

Monarch FestivalLocation: Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines, IAIPN will have a table and is looking for volunteers to help!

October 39:30am (Board)

11:00am (Membership)

IPN Board and Membership MeetingLocation: 5820 West Lincoln Way Suite 102, Ames, IA 50014Following the meeting, there will be an opportunity to help with seed collection at Marietta Sand Prairie in Marshall County.

2016Winter 2016 IPN Winter Meeting

Time & Location: TBD

July 17-21 North American Prairie ConferenceLocation: Illinois State University

Summer 2016 Iowa Prairie Network Annual MeetingLocation: TBD in Region 2

Iowa Prairie Heritage Week is celebrated during or near September 13-19 this year. The public is invited to events that are scheduled by various organizations, agencies, and individuals throughout the state. The activities increase awareness of our prairie past and present. Plan to honor our prairies by visiting a prairie on your own or with others at one of the many special events.

Iowa Prairie Heritage Week (IPHW) was first proclaimed in 1983 by Governor Branstad with members of Iowa’s State Preserve Advisory Board in attendance. IPHW disappeared in 1992 and was revived in 2008 by the Iowa Prairie Network, which now helps to publicize these prairie-related events.

Governor Branstad has signed the 2015 proclamation. It notes that Iowa’s soil was created by prairie; four-fifths of Iowa was once covered by prairie; prairies are irreplaceable sites of beauty and biodiversity; prairie species demonstrate their ability to protect topsoil, cleanse water, store carbon, and provide wildlife habitat; and researchers are just beginning to understand the potential value of the prairie ecosystem for making Iowa’s farms and cities more sustainable.

Visit the new Iowa Prairie Network website at www.iowaprairienetwork.org to view the calendar of events andgather details. There are several events that occur toward the end of September due to the importance ofcollecting prairie seed.

Daryl Smith’s Retirement Party was a well attended event at the Iowa Prairie Conference, July 15-

18th.

Inside this issue:

Message from the President

Map of Regions and Board Members

Spotlight on Whorled Milkweed

Upcoming Events

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Iowa Prairie Network4015 Sergeant Rd.

Sioux City, IA 51106-4013

www.IowaPrairieNetwork.org

www.facebook.com/IowaPrairieNetwork

Like us on Facebook! Join the group!We use our Facebook Page and Facebook Group Page to share prairie-related news and updates. Join our online community!

IPN is an official partner of Plant.Grow.Fly., the Blank Park Zoo's initiative to promote habitat

for our native pollinators, including bees and butterflies. You can help by registering your

backyard pollinator garden or prairie restoration at www.plantgrowfly.org