A look at what could be…

Posted by: Nate
Posted: Tue, June 29 2010 at 9:49am

I was fortunate in late May to be able to be part of a trip of fellow biologists to a wonderful piece of property in southern Iowa.  As a private lands prairie biologist in Nebraska we aren’t often treated to vistas resplendent with oak savannahs.  For those who are unfamiliar an oak savannah it is a very rare and highly endangered habitat type that is the continuum between oak woodlands and tallgrass prairie.  What it ends up looking like is a sparse woodland with an abundant understory of grasses and prairie flowers.  The reason this habitat type is so endangered is that it is a fire maintained habitat – without fire these areas yield to trees and become oak woodlands. 

There is a growing conservation interest in oak savannahs throughout the Midwest as science begins to better understand this habitat type.  There are still a lot of questions to ask but there are many more answers available today than just a few years ago.  The questions we sought on our trek to southern Iowa were: what does it take to restore an oak savannah and how long before a landowner can see the results of their labors? 

In quest for this answer we sought out a tiny treasure near the town of Leon, Iowa; a gem called Timberhill Savannah.  The beauty of this property is incredible beyond belief; steep wooded draws and and creek channels lush with hundreds of species of grasses, sedges, and flowers galore.  It is an incredible place with an incredible story.  The landowners discovered, almost by accident, that the property they purchased back in the mid 80s was in fact a degraded bur oak savannah.  As time went on they got several pieces of advice from various people before deciding on their management strategy.  Much of it was conventional woodland management that would ultimately yield more woodlands.  A single voice gave them hope; suggesting burning and thinning to open the tree canopy and get more sunlight to the ground.  They dared to dream; wondering what could be. 

They began clearing some of the smaller understory trees, and most importantly, began an annual regimen of dormant season burning in the fall.  Little by little things began to change.  Shortly after they purchased the property they found 100 species of plants there.  As the years went on, as the natural processes were put back in place, they found more and more plants, many of them very rare.  Today they can count 460 species of plants on their property; almost all of them are native species, many of them are exceedingly rare, and it all combines for a beautiful sight.  So, we were able to discover a few answers: putting fire back on the landscape can indeed have an incredible effect on the land.  As we came to learn, the landowners worked for a decade before they began to see major changes – a span of time that most aren’t willing to commit to.  But it gives us cause for hope.

As I walk the prairies and woodlands of southeast Nebraska I pull out this kernel of knowledge now and then to consider what this area could look like if we took the time and put forth the effort. 
At this point you may be wondering what this has to do in relation to a C-Leg and amputees.  Well, I see an analogy to the story of this amazing habitat and my life.  I am a decade past the point where the real work began and I too have seen some very amazing results.  As I look back on the early days and all the hard work that I had to do just to get by, I smile.  My grin takes hold as I consider that I can now traipse the hills and valleys with my colleagues, participating in the discussions and hikes as we learn more about the landscapes of the Midwest.  I don’t have to be the stereotyped “handicapped guy” who always has to sit out of the physical parts of the job.  I jump right in with both feet and interact as a part of the team. 

I am thankful for the technology that allows me to participate in my life.  I know I have written about this in the past but I am constantly reminded of how much more difficult things could be and how I would have much greater challenges on a different prosthesis.  I also see other amputees who have reached the end of the capability given to them by their prosthesis.  They have hit the glass ceiling of their disability and cannot see how to get any higher.  Having been there I can empathize; being where I am now I can dream – because I have hope and I consider what could be.

Otto Bock HealthCare pays Nate a small fee for his essays.