Welcome to all whom share a reverence for the lost indigenous landscapes of Michigan. Prior to Euro-American settlement, my neighborhood was a mixture of open oak woodlands, small grassy prairies, various wetland communities, and small lakes.

Savannagain captures my personal journey toward the restoration, reconstruction, and rejuvenation of a small piece of the former oak openings with the wisdom and humility of the areas original inhabitants. The goal is to ultimately learn how to re-inhabit this endangered landscape, save the last of the local relic plants on the brink of local extinction, and leave this place better than when I found it.

Unit 1: Lily's Prairie (planted)


1996-2005: Lily's Prairie begins as the transition zone between hayfield and yard

1996-2005: Lily's Prairie begins as the transition zone between hayfield and yard

2006-2007: Mowing is suspended in old hayfields allowing vegetation to mature


Spring 2008: Old goat & chicken pen is removed

Spring 2008: Creation of the "Experimental Wedge"

Summer 2008: Several plugs planted from native plant sale: Great Angelica, Tall Tickseed, Woodland Joe-Pye Weed, False Sunflower, Yellow Coneflower, Cup Plant, Wild Senna, Golden Alexander and this clump of Big Bluestem


Spring 2009: First Angelica to bloom

Summer 2009: Autumn olive cleared during road construction


Fall 2009: First controlled burn of Lily's Prairie followed by intensive seed planting


Spring 2010: Several more plugs from native plant sale are planted including; leadplant, purple coneflower, compass plant, giant sunflower, redbud, prairie nine-bark and western sunflower


Summer 2010: Lily's Prairie is mowed twice this growing season to help seeded areas develop, but avoiding plugs like this western sunflower


Fall 2010: Lily's Prairie after final mowing


Spring 2011: Despite mowing late last season, there's still enough fuel for a spring burn


Summer 2011: Nice development of quick bloomers like black-eyed susan and daisy fleabane

Summer 2011: Cup plant and blue vervain develop nicely in the swale along the road


Summer 2011: Experimental wedge looking great during 4th growing season


Spring 2012: Great mid-spring burn to help setback the smooth brome that's still dominant here


Spring 2012: Mid-spring burn conducted to setback smooth brome which is still dominant in this unit




Early Summer 2012: Smooth Brome is stunted allowing wildflowers to flourish including wild lupine and golden alexander



Summer 2012: Excellent wildflower development



Summer 2012: Excellent wildflower development



Summer 2012: Experimental wedge is starting to become choked with Canada goldenrod; mechanical thinning required



Late Summer 2012: Good wildflower development despite a hot dry summer



Fall 2012: Nice fall color on the farm



Early Spring 2013: Autumn olive cleared along roadside unit, exposing grove of wild plum and pin cherry trees

Early Spring 2013: Several new bird houses are installed throughout the prairies along White Lake Road



Spring 2013: Lily's Prairie burn conducted on April 21st to suppress Smooth Brome




Early Summer 2013: Lily's Prairie is expanded to the powerlines trail with a single treatment of glyphosate followed by a light surface tilling and heavy seeding of primarily warm season grasses including big bluestem and indian grass



Summer 2013: A huge milestone is reached with the first Compass Plant to bloom in one of our restoration areas!!



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