Conservation efforts in Highland will save soil, pollinators and tax dollars, expert says

Elizabeth Donald
·2 min read

Highland will be expanding some of its conservation practices to new areas in the coming months, hoping to boost natural resources in the area.

Highland currently has 15-20 acres of natural grasses and native pollinator plants under management at Silver Lake and conservation areas north of I-70. These are areas that previously were farmed or regularly mowed, according to natural resource manager Ryan Hummert, and have been repurposed for pollinator plants and native grasses to provide a habitat for butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other animals.

“It’s a great source of habitat and thermal cover for our native wildlife,” Hummert told the city council on Monday. “As the decline in pollinator populations continue, it is more important than ever that we plant, manage and maintain these native areas in our urban landscape.”

To that end, the city will introduce more of these native ecosystems into areas around the sewer treatment plant, water treatment plant, Spindler Park and other areas. The areas would undergo a natural transformation beginning in late winter and early spring, seeding the ground with grass and flowering pollinator mixes. The area is then mowed only once in the year, prior to the spring bloom season. This helps the seeds to be naturally deposited without tillage or chemicals, Hummert said.

“These areas are filled with lush native grasses and beautiful flowers which will provide a great addition to the natural landscape around the city,” Hummert said.

Native grasses also have a fibrous root system that will help prevent erosion on steep slopes, Hummert said, and increase water infiltration.

Not only does the plan benefit pollinators, Hummert said, but it decreases the staff, equipment and fuel needed for weekly maintenance. Buffer mowing will continue around the edges and along fences.

Council member Peggy Bellm said she was glad the plan included signage indicating a natural prairie restoration in progress, so that people would understand there was a reason the grass isn’t being mowed.