FIELD NOTES BLOG
Elliot Update: March 2026
As many of you know, Severson Dells
acquired the former Elliot Golf Course in the fall of 2024, and we are excited to have begun rewilding efforts! We kicked off this year by seeding the first 50 acres, both with help from the community during our Fore the Prairie event, and a commercial seeder. 1,380 pounds of native prairie seed were spread across the site, including the seed of more than 120 species of native prairie grasses and wildflowers!
If you visit the site this summer, however, you might be surprised to not see a prairie right away. Prairie restoration is a long-term process, and it can take several years to begin to see prairie establishment. This is because the majority of native prairie plants are perennials, which means that they spend their first years exerting their energy growing underground. Although perennial seeds will germinate the first year they are planted, the young seedlings’ root growth is 2 to 3 times their above-ground growth. For this reason, many prairie plants won’t flower until the second or third year after planting. Even though we are not seeing much on the surface, these plants are busy developing deep root systems that can reach up to 15 feet or more into the soil!
You may also notice that much of the former golf course has been planted in corn and soybean, and not yet prairie. Don’t be alarmed, this is actually an important step in the restoration process! Decades of mowing and golf course maintenance left the soil full of turf grass seed. If we seeded prairie across the entire property immediately, these invasive turf grasses would quickly outcompete the slower-growing native plants. By temporarily farming portions of the site, we encourage those turf seeds to germinate, essentially “emptying” the seed bank before prairie planting begins. For more information regarding our use of conventional agriculture, please visit our website!
Over the coming years, our community will begin to see the landscape change. The short-mown fairways will gradually become prairie, providing habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, while simultaneously improving soil health, water infiltration and carbon sequestration. We’re grateful to everyone who has volunteered, attended events, and supported this project so far. Restoration takes time, but each season will bring new plants, new wildlife, and new reasons to visit. We can’t wait to watch this prairie grow with you!
If you are interested in receiving periodic updates about the progress of the restoration, please sign up for this project specific email list at https://www.seversondells.com/growing#ContactUs
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