Prairie Roots Project at Franklin Avenue Library
A new permanent display at Des Moines Public Library’s Franklin Avenue branch will educate library visitors on and spread awareness of the importance of native perennial plants in rural and urban Iowa landscapes.
Through a partnership with Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department, Franklin Avenue Library received a large prairie root specimen from the University of Northern Iowa’s Tallgrass Prairie Center. Tallgrass’s Prairie Roots Project grows and preserves these plant specimens and distributes them, via grants, to nature centers and educational organizations in Iowa and beyond.
The specimen now at Franklin Avenue Library, 5000 Franklin Ave is the first to ever be installed at a public library. The large preserved root specimen, an intertwined prairie rose and switchgrass root system, sits inside a custom-built 11-foot-tall enclosure inside the library’s main reading room.
Franklin Avenue Library will highlight the display and the importance of prairie preservation with new books, displays, nature kits for kids and adults, and free public programs for all ages.
A kickoff program at 6:30 PM Thursday, June 22, Discover, Explore, Create: Iowa’s Native Prairie, will teach families all about native prairie locations around central Iowa. At the event, families can also pick up a Native Prairie Passport, which lists native prairie sites to visit around central Iowa. Those who visit at least six of the sites and return the passport to Franklin Avenue Library receive a special gift and a chance to win a grand prize.
Joel Van Roekel, Environmental Education Supervisor with Des Moines Parks and Recreation, had long been interested in the Prairie Roots Project and approached Franklin Avenue Library to collaborate on a grant proposal due to the library’s high foot traffic and native prairie landscape that surrounds the building and the nearby Glendale Cemetery.
Prairie ecosystems were a part of Iowa’s natural heritage for thousands of years, at one point making up 80 percent of land in what is now Iowa. Today, prairie makes up only one-tenth of 1 percent of Iowa land.
“We have lost the plants we need for animals to survive and live here,” Van Roekel, who has hosted library programs on topics like these for 10 years, said. “That’s why this display is so important – to educate people on a topic they don’t know about, and hopefully that information spreads to others.”
Native prairie plants benefit Iowa land with its deep, dense roots that absorb rainfall, reducing flooding, keeping waterways clean, and providing healthy ecosystems for plants and animals. Reintroducing these plants creates more sustainable environments and habitats.
Van Roekel said the city plants native prairie plants in its parks, including areas at Gray’s Lake, Ewing Park, McHenry Park, and more. In addition, neighborhood association flower programs are required to include native and pollinator-friendly plants.
More at Franklin Avenue Library
Community Roots events:
- Discover, Explore, Create: Iowa’s Native Prairie: 6:30 PM, Thursday, June 22 (Passport Program runs through October 23)
- You, Me, and Nature: 6:30 PM, Thursday, June 29
- Prairie Strips in Iowa Farms: 6:30 PM Thursday, July 27
- Stephanie Badsoldier Snow - Prairie Talk: 6:30 PM, Monday, September 11
- Prairie Program: Overview of the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge: 6:30 PM, Thursday, September 28
*The library will also host several passive programs for kids and families, including crafts and scavenger hunts. Visit Franklin Avenue Library to learn more!
Community Roots in our collection:
Adult nature kits:
Children’s nature kits:
Recommended book lists:
See the Display
WHERE: Franklin Avenue Library, 5000 Franklin Ave.
WHAT IT IS: The large preserved prairie rose and switchgrass root system was awarded to the library via a grant from the University of Northern Iowa's Tallgrass Prairie Center. The display is a partnership between Des Moines Parks and Recreation and the Des Moines Public Library's Franklin Avenue branch.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT: Prairie ecosystems were a part of Iowa’s natural heritage for thousands of years, at one point making up 80 percent of land in what is now Iowa. Today, prairie makes up only one-tenth of 1 percent of Iowa land. Reintroducing these plants creates more sustainable environments and habitats.
