Union Park Prairie Restoration

Before the neighborhood was developed my man portions of the park contained native prairie. The Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department is attempting to create a mesic prairie in the lower drainage area of the park. Prescribed burning is a technique used to restore prairie. Fires return nutrients back to the soil and promote species diversity by controlling invasive woody shrubs and trees. They burn dead vegetation and stimulate new plant growth by allowing sunlight to warm the soil and foster plant germination.

Union Park last used a prescribed burn in 2009-10 as shown in the aerial view below.

The small and easily accessible prairie provides a great educational opportunity for all to learn about prairie ecology and land preservation.