We had great news last week that the Prairie Garden Trust (Prairie Gardens Charitable Foundation), was approved as a 501 (c)3, tax-exempt organization.

The Board is composed of myself (Lorna Domke), Henry Domke and Willis Marshall. Technically, the land is the 180 acres of the original PGT, but we’ve been managing as one the total 500 or so acres that also includes the surrounding land owned by Henry and me and owned by Will. Our intention is to eventually have the whole place available for the public to use to enjoy the beauty of nature.

The land management efforts have been going on for years, but we’re ramping that up now that I’ve retired from the Conservation Department and Henry is focused on creating nature art for health care facilities. He takes photos mostly from where we live, so the beauty found here will become future funding for the PGT. It makes a nicely sustaining cycle. We’ll be interviewing for a second groundskeeper in the next few days so we can make even more progress on enhancing all the land.

It’s great fun to develop a real, long-term nature garden that could be here long after we’re gone. The tax-emempt status will make it easier for others to help us do it.