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| Home Photo Essay: Wildflowers of Remnant Tall Grass Prairie |
| Wildflowers Along the Byway Photos by Margie Meier | ||
| Shooting Star Scenic Byway and the Shooting Star Trail are just above the Iowa-Minnesota state line in SE Mower County. For the benefit of travelers, this clipping from a standard road map will help locate the byway and trail. | |
Funding for the Scenic Byway and the Trail comes from US, State and County sources. Volunteers from the area's 4 small towns have worked tirelessly for over two decades to get the funding and to help maintain facilities. Prairie Visions is an unusual "joint powers agreement" between the cities of Le Roy, Taopi, Adams and Rose Creek, all in Mower County. Each city contributes an annual sum based on its population and this provides the small amount of funds for the volunteers. Monthly meetings are always attended by 15-25 people. For all the folks who love native wildflowers, check out the Photo Essay "Wildflowers of Remnant Tall Grass Prairie" by Lorrie Meier with many original photos by the late Margie Meier of Adams. | The Shooting Star Scenic Byway is 30 miles of the southern end of Minnesota Highway 56 which begins at the junction with US63 just above the Iowa - Minnesota state line. MN56 closely parallels the now-abandoned route of an important branch of the Milwaukee Road from Decorah Iowa to Austin MN. Portions of the right away of MN56 contain vigorous remnants of the original tall grass prairie flowers and plants. More and more sections are being nurtured by MN Dept of Natural Resources and by area volunteers all along the Byway. Especially helpful are the volunteer fire crews from the cities of Adams, Rose Creek and LeRoy who help with prescribed burns to limit brush and weeds. These burns simulate the occasional prairie fires of yesteryear that naturally did the same thing. Because natural tall grass prairie plants tolerate the burns they are able to resist the intrusions of forest plants or foreign introductions. |
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