Submitted by Richard Stoll
Article submitted by Richard Stoll who is a Board member with Oak Heritage Conservancy
(LAWRENCEBURG, Ind.) – When we purchased our home with 5 acres in Dillsboro Indiana, the first thing we noticed was the Burning Bush and Rose of Sharon bushes which had been planted in the yard years ago.
Both of these plant species are non-native and of little value to wildlife, butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects so they had to go! A quick cut with the chainsaw and dab on glyphosate on the cut stumps, problem solved!
A year later we decided spending hours mowing the lawn was simply a waste of precious time with so many other projects pending. While we do find it relaxing doing some mowing with the tractor and the wife mowing with her zero-turn, mowing several acres every week or so was just becoming a chore.
We had to make a change. So what was our plan to cut down on all this lawn mowing yard maintenance? “Rewilding” of course!
So what is Rewilding? There are a number of interpretations for what Rewilding means. To us, Rewilding is a conservation strategy, aimed at restoring and protecting the land to benefit both nature and the well-being of us humans. This contrasts with traditional urban landscaping, which often involves high maintenance and the use of non-native plant species.
The process involves supporting nature to re-establish the conditions that would exist had human impact not occurred. It could mean simply letting the yard go and see what happens. However, we prefer a more hands-on approach by reintroducing native plant species and allowing them to grow and spread naturally.
The ultimate goal is to re-establish a self-sustaining yard with no need for lawn fertilizers, fewer mowings, where plants, pollinators and animals can thrive without much human intervention.
As our Rewilding project consisted of several acres of front, back and side yards, we consulted the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for Ripley County.
Both agencies were eager to help and supported our vision of planting native shrubs to provide privacy from the road, act as a sound\wind barrier and provide nesting, food and escape cover for birds and other wildlife. Most of the acreage will be planted with native prairie grasses and wildflowers to create a beautiful meadow.
The DNR assisted by first killing the lawn of its fescue and crabgrass followed by disk and rototilling to create a good weed free soil surface. See photo. The NRSC provided sources for native shrubs and wildflower seeds and recommended a mixture of shrub and prairie grass\wildflower seed species.
I’m currently in the process of ordering the shrubs for planting in Spring of 2025 and prairie grass\wildflower seeds which will be frost seeded this winter. Once established, we hope our neighbors will be pleased with the brilliant wildflower colors and enjoy seeing beautiful butterflies foraging for nectar in our yard turned meadow.
Stay tuned for future articles reporting the progress of our Rewilding project!
Richard Stoll is a Board member with Oak Heritage Conservancy. For more information about Oak Heritage, follow us on Facebook or visit: OakHeritageConservancy.org
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