Have you ever wondered why so many things are named “Prairie” around here? What’s with Prairie Point and Prairie Towne Center? There are over 10 acres of prairie within the Junction Ridge Neighborhood limits, including two lovely ponds.
Seasonal Beauty: Different plants take the lead during different seasons. Walk through the prairie now and you’ll see summer-blooming native plants, including Echinacea (Cone Flower), Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan), Oenethera biennis (Evening Primrose), and Monarda (Bee balm). Unfortunately, Queen Anne’s Lace is also in full bloom. It’s a beautiful flower, but it can out-compete our native flowers and take over large areas. Our JRNA volunteers work to eradicate it by removing the flowers before seeds form.The largest of our five prairie tracts runs behind Blackwolf Dr in an area bordered by the Condos at Junction Ridge and some Prairie Point homes on Samuel. It includes two rainwater retention ponds that host a variety of water birds—ducks, Canada geese, even great blue herons.
Man-made Nature: The surprising thing about this prairie and the ponds is that they were created about 20 years ago by Madison’s Engineering Division. City Engineering determined that the area behind Blackwolf Drive is the lowest point in the entire neighborhood, so they created a rainwater management system there. There may have been a natural prairie here at some point in history, but for well over 100 years, this area was farmland. By the time the neighborhood was developed, it was just weeds. Engineering cleared the area, dug a channel, and excavated two ponds. They filled the channel with native plants that are known for their ability to filter water. The channel directs rainwater to the smaller pond, which traps sludge and plant matter. The muck sinks to the bottom and the clean water passes through culverts to the larger pond. Both ponds are surrounded by trees and shrubs that control erosion.
How to Get There: There are three access points to the prairie. One path enters from Blackwolf Drive, to the right of the last Prairie Point house. Another path enters from Samuel, between Prairie Point and the Condos at JR. There is a third path, actually a gravel road, off of Reid Dr, just across from McGuffey. From the end of this road, you have a beautiful view of both ponds. JRNA volunteers maintain a walking path along the south side of the prairie. It is wide enough for someone using a walker or for two people walking side by side. It is not paved, so expect the ground to be a bit uneven. The path is only about 1/10th of a mile (each way).
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