Grassland habitats across the United States have been on a sharp decline over the past 30 years, with some researchers suggesting a loss of nearly 62% of historic native ecosystems as of 2023. To combat this, a Clarksville, Tennessee organization is working to hopefully halt the rapid rate of biodiversity loss across the south.
Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute focuses on the identification, preservation, and restoration of native grassland ecosystems. The organization recently announced one of its largest projects in its history. The $10 million project will focus on the conservation of around 2,500 acres of native grassland throughout middle Tennessee.
Gus Rasich is SGI’s Native Seed Collections Program Manager, and oversees the collection and management of native seeds for the organization’s various projects like the one announced in late February. He recently led a group of volunteers as they prepared incoming seeds from the surrounding region for storage in SGI’s native seed bank, where Rasich said they won’t stay long.
“Our goal whenever we collect seed is for it to go back out into the environment as soon as possible. We’re not so much trying to just hold on to things or collect for the sake of collecting, I want to actually use them,” Rasich said.
Preparing the seeds involves sifting and scraping off unneeded protective leaves called chaff. If left on, Rasich said it would cause complications with moisture in storage, and also prevent soil access to the whole seed when it is reintroduced into an ecosystem.
Darla Adams is a regular volunteer with SGI who attended the March seed cleaning event. She said she enjoys sharing her time because she thinks it’s critical to preserve and learn about regional ecosystems.
“To me, it’s unbelievably important. Because so many of us don’t realize how everything depends on everything else in nature… and it’s amazing how much there is to learn about [the] things you live with every day,” Adams said.
In addition to seed cleaning, Adams said she has been able to participate in nearly every stage of the land conversation process.
“We go on seed gathering outings where we go out into prairie like fields and gather specific seeds to bring back… then those seeds are cleaned and stored,” Adams said. “Then we go out and we actually pull up invasive species in the prairies.”
Volunteers like Adams will likely play a key role in the project, not only helping to care for the native seeds, but also making sure that the future spots where those seeds will be planted are properly prepared.
Just a few miles away from the team of seed cleaners, SGI Volunteer Coordinator Laura Hunt oversaw a group working in a dry field at Dunbar Cave State Park.
The group was clearing invasive species from the field, giving seeds previously planted by SGI the chance to thrive.
Hunt said the work done by these volunteers is vital, because without it the native vegetation would continue to be outcompeted by invasive plants such as wintercreeper and japanese honeysuckle.
“It’s out of a sense of futility that we do this, and it means everything to me when this many people show up to participate, because they’re getting the experience. They’ll know it the rest of their life.”
Along with the firsthand experience gained, Hunt said being in nature with a purpose gives volunteers and staff a feeling of accomplishment.
“You’re not only getting something achieved that needs to be done, but it’s a great excuse to stay [outside] longer,” said Hunt. “They know how they’re helping conservation, and it’s just a good feeling for everybody.”
Although SGI’s volunteer opportunities are frequently centered around the middle Tennessee region, the organization has numerous projects extending as far as Oklahoma and Virginia.
This story was produced by the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, a collaboration between West Virginia Public Broadcasting, WPLN and WUOT in Tennessee, LPM, WEKU, WKMS and WKYU in Kentucky and NPR.
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