Prairies are powerhouses of diversity, and that diversity on the landscape is vitally important to clean air, clean water and healthy soils—things we all depend on for survival. While climate change can be a difficult topic, this episode may bring you some hope about how the prairie is already making a difference in helping us to adapt.

Climate change resiliency through grassland restoration

Whether you are contemplating a small container garden, a backyard design, or converting larger acreages, planted prairie restorations can play a key role in helping connect the native prairies we have left. Today, we're going to put our heads together and share our personal stories of our own pocket prairies and how you too can experience the joy of native plants in your own home!

How to plant a pocket prairie

When we think about the prairie, there are so many things that catch our eye. Sights, sounds, touch — it's an overwhelming sense of wonder to describe just what it's like to finally discover the prairie. And as in life, we all have a favorite. What better way to celebrate the diversity of experiences and favorites than by having a whole episode dedicated to some of our favorite things about prairie?

These are a few of our favorite things—about prairie!

We're featuring many special guests and people of the prairie to showcase their stories of connection, diversity, and learning as they pass on their experiences. Thinking of prairie as a tradition is at the heart of our conservation efforts. We all work so hard together because prairie isn't just a thing that's out there on the land living, it is a place where we belong and our memories are shared as the moments we spend become legacies we leave. It is a legacy that connects us through the sounds, sights, smells and memories for all who stop and take notice. On this #prairietuesday, we hope you enjoy the voices of people who share our passion and take a moment to laugh, cry and lose yourselves for a little while in the stories of what prairie offers us: mystery, discovery and hope. We hope these prairie stories warm you up and remind you of golden prairie days outside over the winter ahead.

Prairie: Seasonal Stories Bonus Episode

One of the hardest things to quantify is how much things like clean air, drinkable water, flood control, and healthy soils are worth. How do you quantify the benefit of these ecosystem services and what is the cost when we lose the land that provides them? Arguably, even harder to quantify are the intangible benefits like mental health and well-being, spiritual connections, and a sense of peace one can derive from the prairie. From pheasant hunting to an improved quality of life, we've done the math to help you make dollars and ‘sense' out of the prairie.

Prairie: what have you done for me lately? (Prairie Economics 101)

We're getting our feet wet in Minnesota's shallow lakes. Coming in at depths under 15 feet these permanent and sometimes semi-permanent water bodies are a critical habitat component for Minnesota's wildlife.

Deep thoughts on shallow lakes and prairie

Prairie landscapes are renewable energy rich with all the wind and sun our prairies experience, and renewable energy development can have a big footprint in these landscapes. Today we discuss an emerging trend to develop pollinator-friendly solar energy facilities that also support local agriculture through sheep grazing.

Sheep, solar, and satisfied pollinators

Featuring places near and dear to our hearts: Minnesota State Parks and Trails! We are joined by park managers and naturalists to share the special prairie places in the parks they love. Hear insider tips from the people who know the parks best.

Let's go explore: Prairie tour of Minnesota's state parks

We often talk about diversity above-ground in prairie ecosystems, but this week we'll be going underground to uncover the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the success of prairie reconstructions.

There's a fungus among us: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their role in prairie reconstruction success

With the tallgrass prairie landscape reduced to just under 2% of its historic range in Minnesota and less than 1% of its range in North America, it is the most endangered ecosystem on this continent. Luckily, practitioners, scientists, and landowners are putting their heads together to come up with solutions to help keep our prairies genetically fit and diverse.

Sow what? Seed scarcity and how to make prairie reconstruction more diverse

The prairie pod podcast brings the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan to life. It highlights the work of the Minnesota prairie conservation partnership to conserve and protect the prairie landscape. The podcast engages natural resource professionals, land managers, landowners, and prairie enthusiasts in the latest prairie-related science and practical experience related to prairie restoration and conservation. You'll hear discussions from a variety of experts, tackling the complexity, challenges, and beauty of Minnesota's prairie landscape. For resources and more details related to today's episode, find us on the web at mndnr.gov/prairiepod

Predators sometimes get a bad rap because they, well, eat the critters we admire. But it's important to understand that they play pivotal roles in the prairie ecosystem. Predators are a key ingredient of prairies.

Whats for lunch? Prairie predators

On today's podcast, we're featuring people of the prairie to showcase their real life work in the fight to save a landscape that hangs on with just under 2% left in the state. Their special connections show us the joy and power of prairie.

Holiday Bonus Episode!

Hosts Megan and Mike take the prairie pod on the road and come to you live from the Minnesota State Fair. They share the importance of prairie, what they love about it, and four special places you can discover the prairie after the Fair!

Live from the Minnesota State Fair

We've been reminded this season that there's wisdom in the land itself. What it's telling us if we're willing to listen. The lesson of diversity there is ever-present and we talk a lot on this show about how plant diversity makes a prairie stronger and more resilient.  We can use basically the same logic to show how human diversity can make prairie conservation stronger and more resilient.

Seeds of Wisdom from the Prairie: how listening to stories from a diversity of cultures perfects our prairie understanding

On today's podcast, we're talking Climate Change Consequences: how the weather will determine how your prairie weathers. Climate change is a bigger topic than ever today—we're seeing evidence of it around us all of the time—6” rain anyone?  No longer can we talk about climate change strictly as a future phenomenon: it's happening now.

Climate Change Consequences: how the weather will determine how your prairie weathers

Today's podcast is talking about the importance of prairie structure with our very special guest, The Nature Conservancy's Director of Science and Prairie Ecologist, Chris Helzer. Diversity, restoration planning and design, and management choices, all play a role in how we achieve different prairie structures to benefit a wide variety of wildlife species.

Beyond the walls of grass: the importance of structure in a prairie (Restoration Series)

Today's podcast is talking about the legacy of restoration in Minnesota. We have two very special guests, Dr. Gina Quiram (DNR Restoration Evaluation Specialist) and Dr. Sue Galatowitsch (Professor, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota) who have been actively working to evaluate reconstructions. We know they've got the goods on lessons learned, common mistakes, and the future of restoration in Minnesota.

The legacy of restoration in Minnesota (Restoration series: common mistakes and lessons learned)

Kentucky Bluegrass

Today's podcast is part 2 of our invasive species support group. If you missed last week's episode go check it out so you can be caught up on how to manage the struggle with smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass.

Invasive species support group Part 2: how to cope with Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome

Today's podcast is continuing our mental health theme and featuring an invasive species support group. Have you ever struggled with smooth brome or Kentucky bluegrass in your prairies or reconstructions? Well, help is on the way!

Invasive species support group Part 1: how to cope with Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome

On today's podcast we'll be chatting with Verónica Jaralambides, DNR's Marketing Consultant with the Division of Parks and Trails as well as local medical doctor, Ann Vogel where they share with us prairie's importance as a mental health refuge. Need a brain break? This is just the ticket.

Prairie's importance as a mental health refuge

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Thanks for the podcasts and your efforts/dedication! Keep up the great work

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The prairie pod podcast brings the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan to life. It highlights the work of the Minnesota prairie conservation partnership to conserve and protect the prairie landscape. The podcast engages natural resource professionals, land managers, landowners, and prairie enthusiasts in the latest prairie-related science and practical experience related to prairie restoration and conservation. You'll hear discussions from a variety of experts, tackling the complexity, challenges, and beauty of Minnesota's prairie landscape. For resources and more details related to today's episode, find us on the web at <a href="http://mndnr.gov/prairiepod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mndnr.gov/prairiepod</a>

Minnesota DNR Prairie Pod

This week, we'll talk pheasants, grassland birds and the fall hunting season.

Pheasants, Feathers and Guns

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