Polk Soil and Water Conservation District

This area on the south side of Easter Lake has been overrun with multiple species of invasive plants for many years and may begin losing biodiversity if left unattended. The restoration project involves mowing the invasive brush layer, spraying re-sprouts of invasive species, and thinning the canopy to remove undesirable species and create a more healthy woodland dominated by oaks, hickories, and walnuts in the canopy with a healthy herbaceous layer below.  Polk County Conservation hopes to improve wildlife habitat as well as improved water quality of Easter Lake through this process as the understory layer re-establishes itself and can capture water runoff and excess nutrients during rain events. 

Easter Lake Timber Stand Improvement

Our project is located in the historic Ewing Park in southeast Des Moines along the Yeader Creek greenway. Our goal is to restore approximately 20 acres of parkland to its historic condition as a native prairie - oak savanna transitional zone.  Prior to initiating the restoration efforts, the project area's predominant land cover was a combination of open space with non-native cool season turf grass and undermanaged wooded areas that had overgrown into a forested condition. The restoration efforts were initiated in 2022 by reducing canopy cover and a native Iowa ecotype seed mix with over 90 species was seeded in 2023. 

Polk Soil and Water Conservation District

Iowa

2 chronologs managed by Polk Soil and Water Conservation District

Easter Lake Timber Stand Improvement

Ewing Park Native Prairie Establishment Project

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