Pair of grants continue efforts of enhancing La Riviere Park
Dennis Kirschbaum, volunteer naturaxlist at La Riviere Park, holds a new sign to be placed with money the park received from grant funding. The signage to be placed will help to explain geological and biological aspects of this part of the park. (Photos by Caitlin Bittner)
If you go to the park at the right time of the year, you might just see thousands and thousands of black-eyed Susans.
As a natural area, there is a myraid of wildlife that call the park home just like this deer.
Milkweed plants are very popular for people who wish to have butterfly gardens and there are many people who wonder what the seeds look like. “They come in pods like these,” explained Kirschbaum.
Another rare plant found within La Riviere Park is poppy mallow. The last recorded case of a natural poppy mallow growing in Crawford County was more than 100 years ago in 1870.
Queen Anne’s lace is an invasive species that grows in La Rivere Park, and without proper maintenance, Kirschbaum said it could easily overwhelm and choke out smaller plants.
This prickly pear cactus can be seen in a few areas of La Riviere Park. Although rare, cacti are able to grow in the sandy soil of this area of the park. Volunteer naturalist Dennis Kirschbaum hopes that more cacti will continue to grow in the area. (Photo by Dennis Kirschbaum)
By Caitlin Bittner
As a natural place where wild flowers and wildlife are abundant, La Riviere Park is a cherished part of the Prairie du Chien community.
Within the past year, La Riviere has received two different grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Upper Iowa Audubon Society.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant was for $1,000 and it assisted in the purchase of prairie plants seeds. The park received this grant as part of an initiative to help restore habitats for the benefit of federal trust species. Some of the species classified as federal trust species are monarch butterflies, lark sparrows, north flickers and field sparrows. According to Dennis Kirschbaum, a volunteer naturalist at La Riviere, butterflies, moths and birds may all benefit greatly from the initiative.
The planning for this grant was completed in December of 2014 by volunteers. These volunteers also planted approximately $300 of prairie seed harvested from the park itself. Selective mowing, maintenance and burning may all be necessary to care for the growing prairies. One of the rare species of the park, prickly pear cactus, is one of the subjects Kirschbaum hopes will start to spread.
“The original cactus prairie has been managed at La Riviere Park since the early 1990s,” explained Kirschbaum. “Approximately 3.2 acres of former marginal farm was involved in the expansion of the cactus prairie.”
The expansion is planned to more than double the size of the cactus prairie.
Poppy mallow is another one of the rare plants that will now be highlighted with help from the grants. The species had not been documented in Crawford County since the 1870s, but now the park boasts a plethora of the pink-flowered plants.
In a natural prairie, Kirschbaum said that the process of evolution goes from bare soil to grass to prairie, brush and trees. Burning and cutting can help hold the process at the prairie stage because they continually force the areas to start over, and maybe even come back stronger.
“A lot of prairie seeds require a burn to crack the seeds,” noted Kirschbaum, who added that it is important to leave the areas natural. “We try to keep everything as wild as it can be.”
The second grant from the Upper Iowa Audubon Society was awarded in February. The $500 grant will be used for maintenance of the prairie planting and for signage at the planting sites. “The signage will explain the geological and biological aspects of the property,” said Kirschbaum.
After receiving the grants, Kirschbaum said, “Grants like those received for this project will help the continuing efforts of enhancing, maintaining and protecting the natural resources of La Riviere Park.”
La Riviere Park covers 310 acres on the southeast side of Prairie du Chien on Vineyard Coulee Road. The park includes eight miles of equestrian trails and six miles of hiking trails. The equestrian trails and horse park are both cared for by the La Riviere Riders.
Aside from horses, visitors to the park may also see some wildlife. The park is home to turkeys, woodcocks, warblers, mockingbirds, yellow-breasted chats and indigo buntings among other birds. Kirschbaum advises any and all to be careful of the birds’ nests. “If you get too close, they’ll start scolding you,” laughed Kirschbaum, recalling a walk through the park. Other than the birds, deer, foxes, raccoons, possums and others inhabit the park.
