Belwin finds balance in land management preservation while respecting and cooperating with adjoining community leaders and owners of neighboring properties. Working collaboratively with a range of environmental specialists, Belwin safeguards the natural environment – air, water, land, native flora and fauna through outreach activities is teaching others to respect it.

Belwin is engaged in land restoration initiatives including prairie planting and management, and removal of exotic species such as buckthorn. These efforts include using local genotype seed—prairie plants that exist in local ecosystems, rather than using seed imported from prairie seed farms in Nebraska or Illinois. Collecting and using local genotype seed ensures appropriate restoration that will truly benefit local wildlife, insects and the land itself.

Prairie restoration takes a long time and requires patience. Prairie plants typically have extensive root systems, which allow them to find moisture in drought conditions. They spend the first few years of their lives growing root systems and being very stingy with growth above ground. This causes many people to look at a new prairie, see only weeds and assume the planting was a failure.

The tools of prairie restoration are proper seed sources, proper equipment, periodic burning and vigilance in dealing with exotic species which attempt to invade the prairie.

Belwin initially relied on others for seeds. As the size and the scope of the restoration of the prairies grew, it has been able to generate many of the necessary seeds from its own restored and remnant prairies. Belwin acquired equipment to do both its own planting and harvesting.

Belwin has done a remarkable job of restoring large areas with prairies. At the same time, there is still plenty of native plant diversity within the prairies that is missing. And ultimately, time is needed to allow plantings to expand to appropriate areas.

In addition to the nearly 500 acres of prairie restored by Belwin over the past 25 years, Belwin is actively engaged in restoring the extensive forest lands, wetlands and streams it owns. Many forest species have been severely impacted with the invasion of buckthorn and the elimination of fire as a force to rejuvenate the land.

The wetlands and streams have also been impacted by invasive species and alterations in hydrology dictated by land use practices prior to Belwin ownership.

Belwin will be working with a team of scientists, as well as our neighbors, to develop management schemes that will restore the natural diversity of these sites.