Start Date
11/06/2025
End Date
11/06/2025
Description
This presentation will explore how natural disturbances, such as grazing and fire, can be valuable tools in the establishment and maintenance of prairie ecosystems. We'll delve into how grazing by herbivores influences plant diversity and structure, while fire serves as a natural disturbance that promotes the dominance of grasses and prevents woody plant encroachment. By understanding these interconnected processes, we can appreciate their role in shaping vibrant, resilient prairies. The discussion will also touch on how these ecological forces contribute to soil health, biodiversity, and the overall sustainability of prairie landscapes. To conclude the program, Larry Weaner will join Chad to discuss ways to overcome the practical difficulties of incorporating these strategies outside of agricultural or ecological restoration settings. These will include the potential availability of new landscape services and equipment that can provide mechanized facsimiles of the processes described in the program.
Distance Learning
Yes
Course Equivalency
No
Subjects
Design-Build
Energy Conservation / Renewable Energy
Horticulture / Plants
Rural Landscape
Site Planning
Sustainable Development & Design
Health, Safety and Welfare
No
Hours
1.25
Learning Outcomes
Understand the ecological roles of grazing and fire: Learners will be able to explain how grazing by herbivores and periodic fires work together to shape the structure and composition of prairie ecosystems.
Identify the impacts of grazing and fire on plant and soil health: Participants will gain insight into how these processes influence plant diversity, soil fertility, and overall ecosystem resilience in prairies.
Recognize the significance of grazing and fire in prairie conservation: Attendees will understand the importance of these natural processes for maintaining prairie landscapes and how they can be integrated into modern land management strategies.
Instructors
Chad Bitler and Larry Weaner, FAPLD
Course Codes
Provider
New Directions in the American Landscape