Select plants native to your region that are suited to the soil, moisture, and light conditions of your school yard. Then develop a plan that allows continuous bloom and takes into consideration wildlife needs for food, water, and shelter at different life stages. Prairie flowers attract a diversity of pollinating insects. Grazing insects such as grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and butterfly larvae feed on prairie grasses and forbs. These insects form the base of the food web, especially for birds.
Birds also feed on the highly nutritious seeds produced by prairie plants.
Tall and short grasses provide cover and nesting. A few selected woody plants located outside the prairie area provides optional habitat needs for butterflies and hummingbirds that forage for nectar on prairie flowers. See bibliography on opposite page. Introduction Plant composition in the ecosystems of North America has changed since European settlement and the introduction of non-native plant species from other parts of the world. Restorationists, land managers, and homeowners spend millions of hours and dollars removing many of these exotic plants.