Gislason Lake NGTP Upland Prairie Restoration

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) acquired 1,132 acres in 2005 and beginning in January 2007 took over the full land use/management of the property. This property better known as Gislason Lake was acquired as a portion of the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge (NTGP & NWR). This NTGP tract will is on the last final stages of being fully restored. Gislason Lake NTGP is managed similarly to a Waterfowl Production Area(WPA) and will be open to all compatible public uses including waterfowl, upland game and big game hunting, bird watching, photography and environmental education activities. Currently, there are 180 acres acres of the upland on Gislason Lake NTGP that is in agricultural row crop production which will require restoration into a native grassland community. Quality, diverse grassland plant communities are essential on this property for secure nesting of waterfowl and upland game birds. Flowering native forbs will enhance insect populations needed for pollination and as a food source for young ducklings, pheasants and grassland dependent non-game birds. Small mammal populations will be greater thus providing primary food sources for larger predators and lessening pressure on grassland bird nests. This restoration is the final stage of the complete restoration for Gislason Lake NTGP. Other key restorations on this property included wetland restorations of various types. A range of temporary, seasonal and semi-permanent wetland habitats were created on this property for the waterfowl pairing, breeding brood rearing and migration requirements within this wetland/prairie grassland complex. The wetland restorations were a complement to the existing 147 acre Gislason Lake, once a premier canvasback and redhead duck brood marsh. Presently, there are 30 restored wetlands on the Gislason Lake NTGP property.