Prairie Preserve

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“Yes,” I said, “Yes, I think you have to kill it.” As the blade of David’s machete came down on the snake, I realized it was a mistake. I still regret that decision, and now know that copperheads are extremely shy, avoid contact with humans and only strike if they feel under attack. 

Midlife rewards

At times in the last eight years, we have considered that a sports car might have been a much simpler way to scratch our midlife itch. We certainly had no idea the amount of money, physical effort and dedication the land would require of us. But we didn’t understand the magnitude of the rewards either.

Flowers blanket areas once dominated by invasive trees. Songbirds serenade us in the mornings. Barred owls and whippoorwills call to one another as we drift off to sleep at night. Quail, rabbits, turkey and other wildlife have increased in number each year since we started restoration work. A healthy population of the endangered Mead’s Milkweed is thriving.

We now understand what it means to feel connected to the soil beneath our feet, the tree branches above our heads and the stars that take our breath away on moonless nights.

We don’t know who will come after us, or whether they will see the importance of preserving this prairie in the same way. We can only hope that as people become educated about places like South Fork, awareness of how precious America’s diminishing natural areas truly are will increase. It’s our big hope for this little prairie, and for all the places where nature needs our help.

To visit South Fork Prairie online, go to www.SouthForkPrairie.com.

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