Biological Sciences: Ninnescah Reserve

The Ninnescah Reserve came to Wichita State from Ms. Louise Powell as two separate gifts. The initial 69.6 ha (171.9 +/­ acres) were acquired in 1984, with the remaining 65.1 ha (160.8 +/­ acres) in 1985. The late Ms. Powell’s generous donation came with the request that the property be restored to a prairie ecosystem and utilized for research and education. Through the tireless efforts of dedicated faculty, especially D.A. (Doc) Distler, the property now consists of nearly 80% restored and native prairie while about 20% of the property is comprised of riparian and woodland habitats.

The site consists of about 332 acres of which, 66 acres of native mixed grass prairie and more than 200 acres of restored tall and mixed grass species, riparian and road border woodlands, wetlands, and stream tributary sites along a mile of the Ninnescah River. The entire area is fenced, except along the river, and has been divided into 33 permanent ten acre plots marked by steel poles. The geology, depth of ground water, and archeological sequence of the site have been determined. Burning, mowing, and haying are the major management practices on the prairie segments. As a result of recent BioBlitz activities and ongoing research, more than 530 species have been recorded for the Ninnescah Reserve: 289 vascular plants, 168 birds, 33 mammals, 16 fish, 17 reptiles, and 7 amphibians.