Restored prairie plant community thrives with haying, but species composition shifts.
A restored prairie plant community at Johnson County Community College was monitored for changes after haying. The goal was to establish a diverse plant community, but the expected species did not all grow. Some seeded species were missing, while others not in the original mix appeared. Total cover of all grasses increased, and native grass species significantly increased. However, some problems were identified, such as the need for additional restoration methods to support missing species and control invasive weeds. Burning may help encourage native species growth.