On November 1st, Thrive Allen County board members and Lehigh Portland Trails trail stewards Randy Rasa and Don Burns presented a short program to Iola third-graders, then led the kids on a field trip to Lehigh Portland Trails, where the students learned about prairie restoration work on the property, and helped plant native grass and wildflower seeds on a portion of Stonewall Glade currently being rehabilitated after cedar tree removal. The children also learned a bit about Kansas geologic history and hunted for fossils in the limestone rocks along the quarry lake.
This collaboration with USD 257 is part of an ongoing effort to utilize Lehigh as an educational resource, get kids excited about nature, and to highlight the health benefits of spending time outdoors.
Seeds used in the prairie restoration were collected in Allen County by volunteers, and during the recent Anderson County Seed Collecting Events hosted by the Grassland Heritage Foundation and Thrive Allen County.
