Prairie Reclamation Project
This project seeks to continue our mission to educate and inspire a love of learning in our visitors out the front doors of our museum and onto the grounds of the park.
The Joplin History & Mineral Museum is excited to be collaborating with U.S. Fish & Wildlife and our community partners to boost the native Missouri ecosystem on museum grounds. We are beginning this project by filling our flower beds with native flowers and returning the areas on the north and south ends of our building to native prairie by integrating grasses, sedges, and a variety of flowers. The next phase of the project, to be continued in the coming years, will see our organization extend the native footprint into the Mining Machinery Yard, east of the museum, and scattered throughout the rest of Schifferdecker park.
Community Involvement Events
Our most recent Volunteer Gardener Day in January
Planting native is beneficial in so many ways!
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Reducing our amount of lawn space will decrease the ecological footprint we create by eliminating the need for pesticides, reducing needed resources for maintenance, and the man-power necessary for the upkeep
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Encourages native animals and essential insects to return to the park
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Reduction of erosion and increased water retention for our soil
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Absorption of air and soil pollutants improves air quality
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and many more...
Environmental and Economic Benefits of Native Plants
Ozark Glade Ecology and Restoration Methods
Our Community Partners
Our Plan
Phase 1
November - December
Parks to disperse mulch
December - February
Request edging funds from Historical Society
Purchase edging - Parks to install
Disperse compost
Seeds put in on north plot, south plot, fenced in north, center and south plots
Community Day for planting
April - May
Put in plugs and shrubs in north plot, south plot, fenced in north, center and south plots
Community Day for planting
September - October
Grass seed put in
Museum Staff for planting
Phase 2
May - July 2022
Spray 3 rounds of herbicide in machine yard
December 2022 - February 2023
Seed machine yard
Community Day for planting
April - May 2023
Put in plugs and shrubs in machine yard and interspersed in sunken garden
Community Day for planting
Possible Phase 3
2023
Incorporate accent clumps of native plants into other areas of the park
To accompany the reintegration of native life, we plan to incorporate educational materials, sculpture, and other artistic elements throughout the outdoor space to provide the opportunity for museum visitors to learn about Missouri wildlife, the importance of pollinators, and how they can add natives to their own garden spaces.
