The Southeastern Grasslands Initiative is a project of Austin Peay State University’s Center for Excellence in Field Biology. Executive Director Dr. Dwayne Estes, the “Prairie Preacher,” is raising awareness about the threatened and disappearing grassland ecosystems in the Southeastern U.S., recruiting partners, and obtaining grant funding for land acquisition and restoration work.
As one of the project partners, Swan Trust assists with identifying, monitoring, and managing or restoring grassland remnants in our area, such as The Farm Community’s Prairie Barrens Preserve. The successful August 2019 bio-blitz, a joint event with the Tennessee Native Plant Society, attracted 30 participants, including 6 experts in plants, insects, butterflies and moths, birds, reptiles and amphibians.