by: Emma Fleming
On Wednesday, August 21, 2019, the plants in the prairie restoration plot outside the U-wing were dug up for transplanting. Parkland decided to remove the plot, and organizations like Grand Prairie friends, which is a local non-profit conservation group and land trust, were contacted to save some of the plants.
Grand Prairie Friends and others were unable to remove every plant. As a result, the rest of the plants were mowed on August 30. Following this, the soil was raked, and straw was laid down on the plot.
Diane Wilhite, the volunteer coordinator for Grand Prairie Friends, spoke with the Prospectus about the plot. “I don’t know why this plot is being removed, really. Some employee at Parkland had been involved in planting and maintaining this plot,” Wilhite said. “We were contacted because she learned that the plot was going to be razed within a couple weeks. It’s not the ideal time to transplant but it was just the situation.” Wilhite informed the Prospectus that the plants that Grand Prairie Friends removed were taken to Bluestem Hall, which is a local event venue. The plants were transplanted right outside the hall.
After finding individuals who were willing to speak on this matter, a reason for why this plot was removed was provided. Michael Trame, Parkland’s Vice President for Student Services, was able to provide some clarity. “Considering where the plot was located, we just weren’t sure it was in the right place,” Trame said. “We saw some redundancy in having that plot because of the larger plots across the road. Parkland is committed to campus sustainability and is certainly willing to find new places for the pollinators.”
The prairie plot was located right outside the Student Life area, positioned against the building. Across Perimeter Road in this same area, there are extensive prairie plantings that cover several acres, according to Trame. “The plot was difficult to maintain and its proximity to the building was a challenge,” Trame said.
There are different viewpoints on whether the prairie plot should have been removed and for what purpose. Scott Siechen, Parkland’s Faculty Chair of the Natural Sciences Department mentioned that, “The front entrance to the college contributes significantly to the ‘first impression’ people have when they arrive on campus. Because of the nature of the prairie garden, there are many times of the year when the plants have an unkempt appearance with little or no blooming flowers. Biologically and naturally speaking, this is an important and necessary stage for the plants. However, there are those who were unable to appreciate the underlying beauty of these plants’ life stages and who wanted the entrance to maintain a more pristine, uniform and conventionally well-maintained appearance.” The plot, being prairie, goes through different stages and often takes on different appearances. A common comment about the visual appearance of the plot is that it appears to be “weedy.”
While the prairie garden was removed, there are plans for a new landscape to take its place. “The physical plant will put more of a standard, front door piece in that space. We want something that will be easier for [the] physical plant to maintain, as well as something that presents a different visual representation,” Trame said. There were various entities that maintained the plot, but it seems as though the physical plant and sustainability committee were responsible for most of the upkeep.
On the other hand, there are those that disagree with the idea of a traditional garden. “Sustainability means that you are using fewer natural resources than you might in order to accomplish whatever it is you are trying to accomplish,” Wilhite said. “The nice thing about native plantings is that you don’t have to water these plants, and you don’t have to use any pesticides because they evolve in this climate and environment. The resources you spend on maintenance are much less than if you plant a typical garden.”
According to a Parkland College press release, the Student Union was named a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Building last year, meaning that the college was commended for its wide range of sustainability efforts. Some of the practices that led to this certification are stormwater control, access to public transportation, community connectivity and water efficient landscaping. The prairie plot, being a water efficient landscape, could have contributed to this certification along with other landscaping outside the U-Wing. “The removal of the landscape is not an indication of the college’s commitment to sustainability,” Trame said. “Energy efficient lighting has been implemented, in which we have seen dividends in our electric bills; our cardboard waste is being baled and sold; the Sustainability Committee is always working to find sources of and eliminate water waste. It’s just that this particular location for the plot does not seem right.”
The prairie restoration plot also appeared to play an educational role on campus. “Several entities were responsible for the generation and maintenance of the prairie garden. The Sustainable Campus Committee played a strong and supportive role in procuring and placing signage in and around the garden. The committee also played a role in having the space certified as an official pollinator habitat by Monarch Watch,” Siechen said. “We had worked with the Champaign County Master Gardener and the horticulture program. Students in both BIO 104 and BIO 109 helped plant and maintain the garden. They also collected seeds for use in the classes and made observations of the pollinators inhabiting the garden.” On August 28, the garden was being used by one of the biology instructors. The instructor took his class to observe the remaining prairie plants before they were removed two days later.
“I think what we lost there is the message that these things are important as well as the opportunity to learn about the prairie”
When asked about what the removal of the plot means for sustainability, Wilhite responded that the loss was more of a symbolic gesture. “I wouldn’t say that the removal of the plot will affect the campus in the future partly because, when you look across the road, you see the large prairie plots that are still there, and that’s a good thing,” Wilhite told the Prospectus. “I think what we lost there is the message that these things are important as well as the opportunity to learn about the prairie. I mean learning is what a college is all about.”
Siechen wanted to make sure that the community and student body understand that Parkland played an important role in finding new homes for these plants. “Both the Grand Prairie Friends and Champaign-Urbana School Foundation Youth Workshop Graden programs took some of the plants,” he said. “While the Prairie Garden will no longer be part of the main entrance at Parkland, the college is taking great steps to maintain the best possible student learning opportunities, academic curriculum, community connections and environmental responsibly and sustainability.”
While there are plans to plant a typical garden in that space, the timeline of these events is uncertain. Steps have already been taken to prepare the plot for a new landscape, but no further information is available at this time.