Establishing Prairie for Endangered Insects

Establishing New Prairie for Endangered Beneficial Insects on a Century Farm

In partnership with US Fish and Wildlife Service

Saturday, Sept. 7 | 10 a.m.-Noon

Location

2914 365th Ave. | Camanche, IA 52730

Host

Julie Martinez

RSVP

Speaker

Scott James – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Julie Martinez and her husband, Jon Kramer, own The Hardy Farm, a 127-acre corn and soybean century farm they lease out in Camanche, Iowa. Built at the end of the Civil War in 1865, Julie inherited the farm from her mother. In November 2023, Julie, along with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, seeded 110 acres into native prairie habitat using a 15-year Conservation Reserve Program contract. This new planting will someday provide critical habitat to several beneficial insect species, such as the imperiled American and rusty patched bumblebees.

Join Julie and Scott James, of the FWS, to explore alternative uses for cropland. They also discuss the process, look and feel of establishing new prairie, how to maintain it properly from one year to the next and funding options available.

Meal

Lunch will follow the field day.

See & Discuss

Various types of CRP funding options
An overview of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Prairie Partners Program
Assessing and preparing a site for establishing a new prairie, and first-year planting expectations
Managing a new prairie in years 1 to 3
Controlling weeds and reducing crop encroachment in new prairie
In-field identification of young and seedling prairie plants to aid in weed control
The plight and significant decline of bumblebee species like the American bumblebee and the endangered rusty patched bumblebee

Sponsor

Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance