Our Prairie
Prairies Save Water and Mitigate Flooding
If you drive by the Middle or High School, you’ll notice pockets of prairie grass and wildflowers growing around the buildings in the spring and summer.
The prairie around the two buildings helps replace the green space that the high school was built on, but it also plays a big part in stormwater management for the schools.
Prairies, thanks to their deep root systems, are thirsty. Some plants can extend their roots 14 feet underground!
Those deep roots create wells that hold rainwater and then slowly release it. The effect is that it absorbs and filters rainwater and helps reduce erosion, runoff, and flooding.
Prairies are also drought-resistant. The plants dry out more slowly in dry spells and are less combustible compared to other plants, providing some fire security to areas where they are planted.
Previous Burns
Controlled Burns Help Prairies Thrive
Prairies are fire-dependent ecosystems that rely on regular controlled burns to continue to thrive. In addition, the burns remove invasive plants from the beds and allow new seed to be spread.
For each burn, the District hires a licensed vendor and coordinates dates and emergency plans with the police and fire departments.
The short burns produce bursts of thick black smoke as they remove biomass from the prairie.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email info@sdsm.k12.wi.us or call 414-766-5000.
