Prairie Visions
Prairie Visions is a cooperative venture of four cities in Mower County, Minnesota: Adams, LeRoy, Rose Creek, Taopi
Prairie Visions was established in 1990 by a Joint Powers Agreement to preserve the area's natural and historic resources while creating a diverse, sustainable economy based on agriculture, tourism, and small business.
Prairie Visions was established in 1990 by a Joint Powers Agreement to preserve the area's natural and historic resources while creating a diverse, sustainable economy based on agriculture, tourism, and small business.
Purpose
The purpose of Prairie Visions was to cooperate in promoting and improving this area of Mower County which has common goals and interests and an attitude that realizes by working together more can be accomplished than having each city go on its own. Through such cooperation, each city could enjoy the benefits of shared attributes of the other communities and increase the value of all cities and the area. Committees were established to focus on housing, economic development, education, recreation and tourism. However, for most of the organization's 25 years, only recreation and tourism have received much actual interest. This has resulted in excellent achievements: the designation of the Shooting Star Scenic Byway and the Shooting Star Recreational Trail.
Awards
Prairie Visions Focus
For 25 years the main activity has been in supporting the Shooting Star Trail and the Shooting Star Scenic Byway both of which follow long-abandoned Milwaukee Road right-of-way along MN highway 56 near the Minnesota-Iowa state line southeast of Austin.
Why Try to Do Native Prairie Preservation?
Much of the railroad right of way was sold to farmers who plowed up the land for farming. However, not all was plowed up. It is these remnants of the original "tall grass prairie" and woodlands that once covered all of Southern and Western Minnesota that are being preserved so future generations can visit examples of what the settlers found 150 years ago when their wagons crossed these vast expanses.
Prairie soil had been built by centuries of prairie plants; a hundred distinctive species of grasses, herbs, and shrubs; by the prairie fungi, insects, and bacteria; by the prairie mammals and birds.
25-Year History of Prairie Visions
Located in Mower County, SE Minnesota In 1990, a "joint powers agreement" by the communities of Leroy, Taopi, Adams, and Rose Creek, along with Mower County, Minnesota created Prairie Visions. The same year, prairie lovers from around the Midwest celebrated the designation of 17 miles of Highway 56 as Minnesota's first state wildflower route. The general area is known as "The Southern Oak Barrens" and is a transitional zone - a patchwork quilt of woodlands, wetlands, and a tree-dotted prairie known as an oak savanna. Along the shared right-of-way between Highway 56 and an abandoned rail line is a "strip prairie" long recognized by local wildflower enthusiasts as a rich ribbon of native plants.
The most significant historic and native grasses still found in this region are Big Bluestem and Indian grasses, which can grow over six feet high. Colorful native wildflowers such as Prairie Coneflowers, Black-Eyed Susan, Wild Ginger, Blazing Stars, Showy Goldenrod, Butterfly Milkweed, and of course the Shooting Star can be found. At least a dozen other native species can be found, a few of which are extremely rare, perhaps near extinction.
In 1994, the 29 miles of Highway 56 between I-90 and Highway 63 just north of the Iowa border were designated one of Minnesota's first scenic byways and named the Shooting Star Wildflower and Historic Route. Along this route are the four towns dating back to the 1800's plus Lake Louise State Park believed to be the oldest continuous park in the state. Hikers and bikers can enjoy all of this on the Shooting Star Recreational Trail, and one of Minnesota's last remaining segments of native prairie and oak savanna near Taopi.
The purpose of Prairie Visions was to cooperate in promoting and improving this area of Mower County which has common goals and interests and an attitude that realizes by working together more can be accomplished than having each city go on its own. Through such cooperation, each city could enjoy the benefits of shared attributes of the other communities and increase the value of all cities and the area. Committees were established to focus on housing, economic development, education, recreation and tourism. However, for most of the organization's 25 years, only recreation and tourism have received much actual interest. This has resulted in excellent achievements: the designation of the Shooting Star Scenic Byway and the Shooting Star Recreational Trail.
Awards
- May 1996 - Certificate of Commendation by Governor Arne Carlson in recognition of the partnership efforts of Prairie Visions.
- May 1999 - Certificate of Commendation by Governor Jesse Ventura and Directors of Partnership Minnesota for successful partnership efforts.
- May 2001 - National Environmental Excellence Award for Shooting Star Scenic Byway / Wildflower Route presented by Federal Highway Administration
Prairie Visions Focus
For 25 years the main activity has been in supporting the Shooting Star Trail and the Shooting Star Scenic Byway both of which follow long-abandoned Milwaukee Road right-of-way along MN highway 56 near the Minnesota-Iowa state line southeast of Austin.
Why Try to Do Native Prairie Preservation?
Much of the railroad right of way was sold to farmers who plowed up the land for farming. However, not all was plowed up. It is these remnants of the original "tall grass prairie" and woodlands that once covered all of Southern and Western Minnesota that are being preserved so future generations can visit examples of what the settlers found 150 years ago when their wagons crossed these vast expanses.
Prairie soil had been built by centuries of prairie plants; a hundred distinctive species of grasses, herbs, and shrubs; by the prairie fungi, insects, and bacteria; by the prairie mammals and birds.
25-Year History of Prairie Visions
Located in Mower County, SE Minnesota In 1990, a "joint powers agreement" by the communities of Leroy, Taopi, Adams, and Rose Creek, along with Mower County, Minnesota created Prairie Visions. The same year, prairie lovers from around the Midwest celebrated the designation of 17 miles of Highway 56 as Minnesota's first state wildflower route. The general area is known as "The Southern Oak Barrens" and is a transitional zone - a patchwork quilt of woodlands, wetlands, and a tree-dotted prairie known as an oak savanna. Along the shared right-of-way between Highway 56 and an abandoned rail line is a "strip prairie" long recognized by local wildflower enthusiasts as a rich ribbon of native plants.
The most significant historic and native grasses still found in this region are Big Bluestem and Indian grasses, which can grow over six feet high. Colorful native wildflowers such as Prairie Coneflowers, Black-Eyed Susan, Wild Ginger, Blazing Stars, Showy Goldenrod, Butterfly Milkweed, and of course the Shooting Star can be found. At least a dozen other native species can be found, a few of which are extremely rare, perhaps near extinction.
In 1994, the 29 miles of Highway 56 between I-90 and Highway 63 just north of the Iowa border were designated one of Minnesota's first scenic byways and named the Shooting Star Wildflower and Historic Route. Along this route are the four towns dating back to the 1800's plus Lake Louise State Park believed to be the oldest continuous park in the state. Hikers and bikers can enjoy all of this on the Shooting Star Recreational Trail, and one of Minnesota's last remaining segments of native prairie and oak savanna near Taopi.