Native Pollinator & Prairie Field Day

Learn from the experts

The lineup includes four local leaders in conservation and land management:

• Natalie Grant, Stewardship Coordinator for Red-Tail Land Conservancy
  
  

• John Taylor, Ball State University
  
  

• Lais McCartney, Purdue University Extension Educator
  
  

• Kent Hanauer, Indiana DNR District Wildlife Biologist
  
  

Natalie and John will share practical knowledge about how property owners can establish prairies, both big and small. The pair will discuss land preparation, planting, and maintenance, as well as expectations for the first few years. 

Prairies, Natalie said, take time to flourish. 

“It really takes about three years for the prairie to come to fruition,” Natalie explains. “The first year you might not get a lot of things coming up, but that’s nothing to worry about. That’s to be expected.”

At Munsee Woods, attendees will see exactly what that looks like: a young prairie filled mostly with annual oats, which is a temporary cover crop that helps the prairie develop, and early bloomers like black-eyed Susans.

The legacy of Prairie Creek

The field day’s setting is fitting, because the area is rich in natural history. Before the reservoir and farming, this land was a complex of wetlands and prairies. 

While much of eastern Indiana was wooded, the landscape in this part of Delaware County was likely open, which is how Prairie Creek and Prairie Creek Reservoir earned their names. Red-Tail Land Conservancy has discovered a significant amount of remnant prairie plants in the area.  

“Prairie Creek, before it was dammed up and before European settlers got here, was a really large wetland area,” Natalie said. “It had fens—groundwater-fed wetlands that contain something like a prairie on them. There’s definitely evidence there was prairie here in the past.”

What you’ll experience

• Exclusive access to Munsee Woods: Normally closed to the public, this Red-Tail preserve will open its gates for the field day.
  
  

• Guided prairie walks: Tour two prairies, a smaller one at Munsee Woods and a larger one on nearby privately owned land, with experts who will explain what’s happening beneath the surface and why patience is key.
  
  

• Bigger picture insights: District Wildlife Biologist Kent Hanauer will explain why prairies are essential for pollinators, birds, and wildlife habitat.
  
  

• Extension expertise: Purdue’s Lais McCartney will share her perspective on how prairies fit into healthier landscapes and communities.

This is your chance to hear directly from conservation leaders, explore a preserve usually closed to the public, and see prairie restoration in action. Bring your curiosity—and leave with the inspiration and know-how to make a difference in your own backyard.