THE WAR ON WEEDS CONTINUES AT BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK: FOCUS ON PLANT DIVERSITY WEEK

During the week of July 27 through August 2, 2003, Badlands National Park is conducting its third annual Focus on Plant Diversity Week. Why focus on native plants? The native flora of the Northern Great Plains provide for an incredibly complex and diverse prairie ecosystem, providing food for humans and forage for wildlife and livestock.

A special exhibit will be posted in the Ben Reifel Visitor Center that explores the importance of the native prairie ecosystem. One of the focal points of this exhibit will be on non-native or invasive plants. Non-native plants, which are often introduced from Europe or Asia and therefore have no natural predators, spread uncontrollably and negatively impact the diversity of the native prairie. Some effects of non-native plant proliferation include reduced grazing opportunities for wildlife and livestock, increased fire frequency, and an overall reduction in native plant species. Efforts to reduce populations of non-native plants within the Badlands National Park is part of a nationwide public/private program to restore native plant diversity to parks, communities, farms and roadsides.

For more information, contact the Focus Week Coordinator Kimberly DeFord at (605)433-5246 or visit the Ben Reifel Visitor Center during July 27 through August 2.