Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and The Nature Conservancy have teamed up to turn invasive trees and shrubs into a win-win situation for the organizations
NEED TO KNOW
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and The Nature Conservancy are working together to tackle a woody encroachment at Iowa’s Folsom Point Preserve
- The encroachment, full of invasive trees and shrubs, is negatively impacting the natural grasslands of the preserve and its animals
- The Henry Doorly Zoo helps The Nature Conservancy cut down the damaging plants, which are then fed to the zoo’s large animals
The animal residents of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium are doing their part to keep the whole planet healthy.
Giraffes, elephants, and other animals at the Nebraska zoo have added invasive tree and shrub species to their diets through a mutually beneficial partnership between Henry Doorly Zoo and The Nature Conservancy.The partnership was formed to address the invasive trees and shrubs encroaching on the natural grasslands in TNC’s Folsom Point Preserve in Iowa, which is located just over 12 miles from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. While more plants may seem beneficial, TNC points out that the tree and shrub takeover is damaging to the natural grassland ecosystem present in the preserve.
According to the nonprofit, when trees and shrubs take over grasslands, groundwater and prairie streams get depleted, soil health is compromised, and the bedrock below the grasslands is altered. Additionally, the invading trees and shrubs also compete with prairie plants for light, water, and space, often pushing the grassland plants out of the way and diminishing the habitat options available to animals that depend on native plants…