Importance of Habitat Structure in Prairies

Presented by: Chris Helzer, Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science in Nebraska.

The recorded Zoom meeting is available on the Videos page.

Chris Helzer, Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science and Prairie Ecologist, will talk about the importance of habitat structure in prairies. Every animal has its own individual preferences for habitat structure, including short/sparse vegetation, tall/dense, or a patchy mix of those. Some animals need access to multiple types of habitats. Providing for the needs of animals (including invertebrates) means providing the widest possible range of habitat types. Chris will discuss various approaches to creating those habitats at both large and small scales.

Presenter Bio:  Chris Helzer is the Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science in Nebraska. Chris’s main role is to evaluate and capture lessons from the Conservancy’s land management and restoration work and share those lessons with other land managers. Chris works to raise awareness about the value of prairies and prairie conservation through photography, writing, and presentations. Chris is the author of two books published by the University of Iowa Press, “The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States” and “Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter.”