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Pioneer Cemetery, Hull, Iowa
James_Woodworth_Prairie_Preserve
Native tallgrass prairie at James Woodworth Prairie Preserve, Illinois

Cemetery prairies are remnants of native North American prairie that survive on land set aside by settlers as burial grounds. These places were thus left unplowed and largely undisturbed, such that the cemeteries became de facto nature preserves.[1] Natural prairie grasses are often perennial species that regrow from the roots after ruminant grazing or grassfire; plowing destroys the root system and eventually the ecosystem.

Native prairie is now vanishingly rare, so any surviving patches are considered precious. According to prairie researcher John Madson in 1974, "Most surviving tallgrass prairie preserves are relatively small. In Iowa or Illinois, as much as a square mile of virgin tallgrass prairie would be a huge and immensely valuable tract."[2] Iowa is estimated to have 200 to 300 relic cemetery prairies[3] totaling about 1,000 acres (400 ha; 1.6 sq mi; 4.0 km2),[4] which is thought to be less than 0.1 percent of the state's original native grassland.[5] Missouri has approximately 60,000 acres (24,000 ha; 94 sq mi; 240 km2) of original prairie, which is a larger absolute area but nonetheless still less than 0.5 percent of the prairie extent pre-settlement.[6] Only about 2,300 acres (930 ha; 3.6 sq mi; 9.3 km2)[7] of original prairie are left in Illinois, the Prairie State.[8] Fifty of those Illinois acres are found within 29 historic cemeteries.[7] In addition to cemetery prairies, other remnants of original prairie persisted on sand ridges and rocky hillsides unsuitable for agriculture, and along railroad rights-of-way.[9]

Remnant cemetery prairies are valuable control groups or points of comparison for scientific studies of degraded or restored grasslands.[9][10] The genetic material preserved in these remnants[11] can be drawn upon for larger ecological restorations.[12] Scientists also use cemeteries, generally, to measure topsoil erosion.[13] One cemetery prairie in Plainview, Illinois stands at least 1 ft (30 cm) above the surrounding cornfield, illustrating the difference in soil retention rates of perennial versus cultivated annual vegetation.[9]

Some cemetery prairies have been abandoned over time, and some remain active community burial grounds. In both circumstances, maintenance, management and local politics are often ongoing challenges to preservation.[5][14][15] Similarly, roads and paths that once led to the cemeteries may have disappeared over time, which simultaneously proffers a measure of security through obscurity and as a practical matter somewhat hinders preservation efforts.[16]

History and ecology

Prairie was generally found "east of the 100th meridian and north of the 35th parallel—within that great sprawl of country generally north of Tulsa, south of Winnipeg, west of Indianapolis, and east of Bismarck."[2] Broader definitions of the Plains Grassland ecoregion put the northern extent in Alberta and the southern bound in Chihuahua.[17] As The New York Times explained in 1970, "To the east the grass was tall, to the west, short. Only an occasional cottonwood or grove of burr oak, usually by a stream, broke the sea of grass."[9]

Wildfire and use of the land as forage for herd animals strengthens rather than weakens a healthy, intact prairie grassland.[18]

...the prairie had two strings to its bow. Fires thinned its grasses, but they thickened its stand of leguminous herbs; prairie clover, bush clover, wild bean, vetch, lead-plant, trefoil, and Baptisia, each carrying its own bacteria housed in nodules on its rootlets. Each nodule pumped nitrogen out of the air into the plant, and then ultimately into the soil. Thus the prairie savings bank took in more nitrogen from its legumes than it paid out to its fires. That the prairie is rich is known to the humblest deermouse; why the prairie is rich is a question seldom asked in all the still lapse of ages.[18]

— Aldo Leopold, 1942

Native plant persistence in cemetery prairies is highly variable, as one 1970s-era survey of Illinois and Indiana prairie cemeteries detailed:[19] "In each cemetery, certain prairie indicator species were sought, especially the warm-season grasses, such as big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash). These grasses often persisted around tombstones and in fence rows, even in those cemeteries which had been heavily mowed. In many cases, the entire cemetery was still prairie. In others, prairie vegetation was to be found only in relatively undisturbed sections, such as areas along the perimeter."

Tallgrass prairie is highly biodiverse grassland; more than 150 species of plant on any given native prairie site would be typical. Researchers observing Rochester Cemetery Prairie in Rochester, Iowa—one of the best-studied and most notable cemetery prairies—have found 360 plant species.[5][15] Most cemetery prairies are smaller than Rochester and have commensurately lower plant counts, but a survey by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources found an average of 114 native prairie and savanna species per site.[20]

Some of the plant species that may be found in undisturbed cemetery prairie include Indian grass, big bluestem, little bluestem, compass plant, wild indigo,[1] New Jersey tea, shooting star,[5] blazing star, wild strawberry,[3] bird's-foot violet, daisy fleabane, false dandelion, prairie phlox, golden Alexander, black-eyed Susan,[4] leadplant, prairie rose, Canadian wild rye,[12] white prairie clover, purple prairie clover, grassy death camas,[14] aster simplex, cord grass, stiff goldenrod,[21] grama, switchgrass,[22] sand milkweed, sky-blue aster, white wild indigo, Indian plantain, Hill's thistle, yellow lady slipper, alum root, slender-leaved pinweed, wood lily, eastern prickly pear, wild quinine, wild petunia, showy goldenrod, slender ladies'-tresses, porcupine grass, goat's rue,[15] silphium, purple gentian,[9] showy tick trefoil, prairie dock, rattlesnake master, spiked lobelia, et al.[7]

Partridges, badgers, turtles, coyotes, beaver and all manner of birds find their way into a prairie.[21][8]

In a 2012 study of moth biodiversity on Illinois biofuel plantations growing maize, miscanthus or switchgrass, cemetery prairies were two of the three exemplars of native prairie used for comparison. Native prairie had the highest alpha diversity of the four types of field; the researchers found evidence that "large-scale conversion of acreage to biofuel crops may have substantial negative effects on arthropod biodiversity both within the cropping systems and in the surrounding landscape...In general, [related] studies have borne out the hypothesis that agricultural landscapes that offer a diverse flora of native perennials will harbor a higher diversity of beneficial arthropods than will extensive monocultures of annual plants such as corn and soybean."[23] A similar message about cemeteries as useful biodiversity reservoirs for farm businesses was published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1921.[24]

Prairie cemeteries may also shelter valued introduced species such as naturalized asparagus, a favorite of foragers.[21]

Restoration ecologists owe much to such preserved consecrated lands; their cultural place in our psyche has assured continuity of minimally disturbed ecological communities. Ironically, though, it is the neglected sacred places, those without the constant care needed to maintain carpets of lawn, as found in typical cemeteries, which have served as refuge to the native flora.

— Domenico D'Alessandro, "Sacred Space and Restoration Ecology"[16]

Maintenance

The Prairie Conference notes, "Natural vegetation management of pioneer cemeteries is typically done by people with a great deal of experience in prairie and savanna restoration but with little knowledge of caring for material culture." Prairie cemetery managers must preserve the historical integrity of grave markers and respect the socio-cultural and archeological value of a burial ground in addition to the usual considerations of maintaining a more typical natural area.[20]

St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, outside of Atchison, Kansas; photographed in the late afternoon sun in June 1974 for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

According to conservation managers, prairie needs the right combination of "care and neglect" to survive. Natural-resources specialists have found that cemeteries that are burned or cleaned once a year have the best chance of survival.[1] Periodic controlled burns prevent tree seedlings and invasive species from overwhelming the indigenous grassland.[25] Per the North American Prairie Conference, "While burning is very important to maintaining the historic vegetation, managers need to consider the protection of the stone markers. Excessive fuel (especially brush piles and downed trees) should be removed from the site and away from any markers to prevent heat damage. Fire-retardant chemicals or wetting agents should never be used on grave stones."[20]

Non-native plants found in cemetery prairies typically fall into two categories: the usual suspects (opportunistic pioneers that thrive on disturbed ground, which is to say, weeds) and historically significant grave plantings and landscape trees. With grave plantings, especially, prairie stewards must strike a careful balance in ecological versus historical management.[20] Invasive brome and red clover, which outcompete native plants, can be removed by annual spring burns followed by a cool-season grass herbicide, allowing the native seed bank in soil to gain a foothold for recovery. Unwanted trees can be girdled; the resulting snags are beneficial to wildlife.[21]

List of cemetery prairies

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
  • Bigelow Cemetery Preserve, Ohio[2]
  • Brown School Road Cemetery, St. Joseph, Michigan[26]
  • Brownlee Prairie Cemetery Nature Preserve, Illinois[27]
  • Calvary Catholic Cemetery, St. Louis[28]
  • Clay Prairie, Allison, Iowa[26]
  • German Methodist Cemetery Prairie State Nature Preserve, Lake County, Indiana [29]
  • German Settler Cemetery, La Paz, Indiana[26]
  • Goewey Township Cemetery, Osceola County, Iowa[14]
  • Harrison Cemetery Prairie, southwest Michigan[26]
  • Hess Cemetery near Eagle Point, Illinois[25]
  • Horton Township Cemetery Prairie Preserve, Osceola County, Iowa[14][30]
  • Johnson Cemetery, Hillsdale County, Michigan[26]
  • Loda Cemetery Prairie, Illinois[7]
  • Mount Hope Cemetery, Barry County, Michigan[26]
  • Munson Township Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, north of Cambridge, Henry County, Illinois[31]
  • Pellsville Pioneer Cemetery, Butler Township, Vermilion County, Illinois[7]
  • Prospect Cemetery State Preserve[32]
  • Queen Anne Prairie Cemetery, Woodstock, Illinois[26]
  • Rochester Cemetery, Cedar County, Iowa,[5][4] established 1830s on 13.5 acres (5.5 ha; 0.055 km2) of hills in sand prairie-savanna grassland near the Cedar River[15]
  • Smith Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve,[2] Darby Township, Madison County, Ohio[33]
  • Sumnerville Cemetery, Cass County, Michigan[26]
  • Tomlinson Cemetery, Champlaign County, Illinois[12]
  • Weston Cemetery Prairie, Yates Township, McLean County, Illinois

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Johnson, Eric (August 25, 1985). "Old Cemeteries Harbor Remnants of Once Vast Prairie". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 23. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d Madson, John (2009). Where The Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie. University of Iowa Press. ISBN 9780877458616. OCLC 794701545. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Project MUSE.
  3. ^ a b "Ex-resident's advice on saving prairie". The Humboldt Independent. August 30, 1975. p. 9. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c Wallbaum, Mary (July 4, 1976). "Prairie Grass Obstacle at First". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. p. 144. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e Samuels, Sam Hooper (July–August 2009). "Hallowed Prairie" (PDF). Iowa Outdoors. Photographs by Clay Smith. Iowa Department of Natural Resources. pp. 29–35.
  6. ^ Missouri Department of Conservation; Missouri Prairie Foundation. "Public Prairies of Missouri Interactive Story Map".
  7. ^ a b c d e Borrelli, Christopher (August 6, 2017). "A Little History on the Prairie: Pioneer Cemeteries show Us what Illinois Looked Like before European Settlers". Chicago Tribune. p. 1. ProQuest 1926287833.
  8. ^ a b Starr, Douglas (April 5, 1992). "A Prairie's Boon Companion In Illinois, one man's dream of a field grows bigger every day". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 76, no. 13. pp. 7–unk.
  9. ^ a b c d e Wilford, John Noble (October 18, 1970). "Prairie Partisans Move to Save Grasslands". The New York Times. pp. 1, 72. ProQuest 118836380. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Gustafson, Danny J.; Gibson, David J.; Nickrent, Daniel L. (November 2002). "Genetic Diversity and Competitive Abilities of Dalea purpurea (Fabaceae) from Remnant and Restored Grasslands". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 163 (6): 979–990. doi:10.1086/342709. ISSN 1058-5893. S2CID 55179493.
  11. ^ Gustafson, Danny J; Gibson, David J; Nickrent, Daniel L (April 2005). "Using Local Seeds in Prairie Restoration Data Support the Paradigm". Native Plants Journal. 6 (1): 25–28. doi:10.2979/NPJ.2005.6.1.25. ISSN 1522-8339. S2CID 83748942.
  12. ^ a b c "Pioneer Graveyard Site of Champaign County's Best-Preserved Prairie". The Times. Munster, Indiana. November 30, 2001. p. 20. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Geleta, S. B.; Briand, C. H.; Folkoff, M. E.; Zaprowski, B. J. (2014). "Cemeteries as Indicators of Post-Settlement Anthropogenic Soil Degradation on the Atlantic Coastal Plain". Human Ecology. 42 (4): 625–635. doi:10.1007/s10745-014-9665-5. ISSN 0300-7839. JSTOR 24013866. S2CID 254544845.
  14. ^ a b c d ""Efforts Underway to Resore Forgotten Horton Township Cemetery"". Sioux City Journal 30 Jul 2001, page 4. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c d "Cemetery Politics: Iowa Town Divided Over Cemetery Mowing". The Muscatine Journal. Muscatine, Iowa. November 4, 2006. p. 8. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Domenico (Fall 2010). "Sacred Space and Restoration Ecology". Erigenia (24). Illinois Native Plant Society: 3–4.
  17. ^ "A Guide to North American Grasslands" (PDF). Desert Plants. 29 (2). University of Arizona for the Boyce Thompson Arboretum: 41–54.
  18. ^ a b "From the Archives: Aldo Leopold's Odyssey". Audubon. June 12, 2013 [May–June 1942]. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  19. ^ Betz, Robert F.; Lamp, Herbert F. "Species Composition of Old Settler Savanna and Sand Prairie Cemeteries in Northern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana" (PDF).
  20. ^ a b c d Moorehouse, Angella; Hassen, Harold (January 1, 2004). "Protecting Pioneer Cemetery Prairies: Balancing the Need to Preserve Cultural and Natural Heritage Values". Proceedings of the North American Prairie Conferences.
  21. ^ a b c d Vanderhill, Dietrich (July 8, 2003). "Life and Death: Citizens work to preserve history, prairie habitat of country cemeteries". Sioux City Journal. p. 2. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "The Gazette 08 Jan 1978, page 33". Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Harrison, Terry; Berenbaum, May R. (July 13, 2012). "Moth diversity in three biofuel crops and native prairie in Illinois: Moth diversity in biofuel crops and prairie". Insect Science. 20 (3): 407–419. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7917.2012.01530.x. PMID 23955892. S2CID 20544336. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  24. ^ McAtee, W. L. (January 26, 1921). "Community Bird Refuges". Farmers' Bulletins. No. 1239. U.S. Department of Agriculture. pp. 12–13. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via National Agricultural Library.
  25. ^ a b "The Tall Grass Prairie Abounds at Eagle Point". The Rock Island Argus. June 6, 1984. p. 17. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h Pleznac, Christine (1982). R. Brewer (ed.). "Michigan cemetery prairies and their flora" (PDF). Proceedings of the Eighth North American Prairie Conference. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Western Michigan University: 130–132.
  27. ^ "Mercer County Prairie Hike Set May 19". The Rock Island Argus. May 12, 1985. p. 10. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Pristine prairie at Calvary Cemetery thrives amid urban landscape". Archdiocese of St. Louis. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  29. ^ "German Methodist Cemetery Prairie". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  30. ^ "Horton Township Cemetery Prairie Preserve". Watchable Wildlife Sites in Northwest Iowa. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  31. ^ "Prairie tour will be today". Quad-City Times. June 26, 1994. p. 64. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Midwest Wilderness Connections - Prospect Prairie Cemetery State Preserve". sites.google.com. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  33. ^ Sidoti, Liz (October 15, 2000). "Prairie Could Return, State Aims to Add 3 Patches". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 28. Retrieved January 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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