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The Big Prairie Desert:
Michigan's Dust Bowl - page 3


A Michigan tall grass prairie that became a desert
by Big Prairie Publishing

      Today the Big Prairie Desert is almost completely covered by federal tree plantations containing Red Pine (or Norway Pine), Jack Pine, and Scotch Pine trees. Only a few small areas of the desert are left on private property near the tree plantations. When visiting the Big Prairie Desert it is obvious what is federally owned land as there are straight rows of closely planted pine trees there. Little of the original native plant life can be found where the trees were planted. However, when driving around near the tree plantations, one can still find healthy masses of turkey foot and little bluestem grasses growing along the roadside.

Red Pine Plantation at the Big Prairie Desert
Pine Plantation - Copyright 1998 Big Prairie Publishing

      There is a strange surreal quality to the tree plantations. The fresh pine scent is like Christmas in July when walking among the pines during the summer. When driving down the two-track logging trails, one can become somewhat claustrophobic at times because of the closeness of the trees and the narrowness of the trails. The sand can still bog down a four-wheel drive in some sandy clearings. In the plantation areas, there are small moss and lichen-covered hills which are the old desert dunes covered by pine trees and their needles. The rows of pole straight pines can be disorienting when walking twenty or so yards from the two-track trails. The difference in appearance between pine stands is apparent where they meet on the plantation. The deathly pale and gnarled-looking jack pine stands (also known as gray or scrub pine) create a strange alien landscape that abruptly changes to tall, straight red pine trees. Occasionally a large old oak or white pine tree is found among the rows of identical pines. Here and there one can find the bones of whitetail deer that have been taken by hunters.

      Without the tree plantation the Big Prairie Desert could have become the Michigan dust bowl. If it was left unplanted, it could have become a more serious and costly problem than it did. The pine trees there are living monuments to the efforts of the federal government and the local people. The tree plantation is also a testament to the power of people to destroy their environment and bring it back to a productive state. However, like most prairie areas in our state and others, the original prairie grass habitat has been lost and wildlife like the prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse is no longer found there. Despite these losses, there are efforts to restore this type of habitat. In 1996 the National Forest Service acquired 19,165 acres of tallgrass prairie land around 50 miles southwest of Chicago where the Service plans to restore the original prairie grasses and create the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Plans include planting native grasses (mainly big bluestem grass) and eventually bison and elk may be reintroduced.

Regrowth of grasslands near the Big Prairie Desert tree plantation
Grassland near the Big Prairie Desert - Copyright 1998 Big Prairie Publishing

      In Newaygo County, those small prairie areas that were left undisturbed are naturally growing over with trees and becoming even smaller. Without fires to keep the trees in check and with interference from a diversity of land uses, the original prairie habitat is fragmented and unhealthy. On prairie land altered by human activities, prairie grasses struggle to retake their former range. Without fires to stimulate the prairie grasses and the poor land quality of remnants, plant species in most of these areas can't reach their potential. The healthiest prairie remnants are usually found on private property that has never been farmed or hasn't been planted with trees. Few prairie remnants contain most of the prairie plant species that would have been common to them. Many prairie plant, insect, and animal species are rare or endangered.

      The prairies in Newaygo County are not lost yet. A few small areas are given help in regenerating the lost habitat. There is the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Area near the south end of the former Big Prairie area where the U.S. Forest Service does some restoration work. Brooks Township, southwest of Big Prairie, has some public and private prairie projects as well as some high-quality, undisturbed prairie remnants. These prairie remnants are "not out of the woods yet" so to speak. Recreational uses such as 'two-tracking' in four-wheel drives and all-terrain vehicles are tearing up the fragile habitat and causing damage that may take a century or more to heal. Many local people use the federal lands as dumping grounds which destroys the habitat and costs the Forest Service (and taxpayers) money to clean up. Most remnants on private property are being developed for housing and are being replaced by well-cut lawns.

The Wildlife Habitat Improvement Area south of the Big Prairie Desert Wildlife Habitat Improvement Area - Copyright 1998 Big Prairie Publishing

      Although prairie and oak barren remnants are hard to identify and even harder to find, there is still an abundance of prairie grasses and plant species in the former prairie areas. Many prairie wildflowers and plant species can be found along roadsides, on easements, and on public property all over Newaygo County. When traveling around Newaygo County and looking at open grasslands, it would be better not to ask yourself 'Is this a prairie or just a field?' but 'How much of this field is a prairie?' Comment about this article on the Epress Forum Board .

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(Areas in dark and light green represent land open to the public)

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