Mead's 1999 Nebraska Community Improvement Program Submission

1999 NCIP Project Summary Statement   

Name of Project: Everything is coming up Native Grasses

Project Lead: Joan Swanson 

SPECIAL Award Nomination - Community Development Parks, Recreation and Forestry 

This project is truly deserving of such a submission! It was carefully planned during the 1997 - 1998 NCIP reporting year. Some of the initial ground work and funding was actually accomplished then. But this year the planning payed big dividends in beauty that greets everyone entering our community with the lovely native grasses. The community has voted to support beautification in our previous town hall meetings and has expressed a desire to provide youth leadership opportunities to our kids. Both items have been addressed in this project. The town board supports the efforts and has supplied some of the funding with other monies being provided via grants written by Joan Swanson.

Goal Statement:: To improve and create green spaces in the community using volunteers and statewide agencies.

Connection of Project to Community Goals: The 1996 town hall meeting identified community wide beautification and clean up as a long term goal. The town board has expressed a strong desire to support that effort with funding.

Project Summary and Goal Achievements: This has been a very successful year for growing in Mead. Joan Swanson, lead "green thumb", during last year's reporting period, applied and received funding for 2 projects from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. While the project started last during last year's NCIP reporting period - we feel that this year things have really GROWN.

The Town Median:  The entry of the community is our first chance to make a nice impression and this it exactly what the median now accomplishes. Joan presented the idea of planting native grasses to the town board this spring. Their vote of approval was needed for Joan to apply for the necessary funding to turn the small strip of otherwise nondescript land into a colorful display of low maintenance plants. Applying in March 1998, approval was granted in May and the planting was completed in July 1998. Local volunteers prepared the soil and planted the area. Total grant amount was $880. Project cost was $922.63. The project cost was an 80% / 20% split between grant funding and town support.

That was last year - but this NCIP reporting year found the MY (Mead Youth) kids pulling weeds. Anneke Gustafson, Co-Chair for NCIP this reporting year, developed a schedule of volunteer students to maintain the nicely landscaped entrance into town. Really this year the town was able to appreciate the beauty of the native grasses.

Soaker hoses were utilized during the summer of 1998, irrigating the area once a week, and a heavy layer of wood chip mulch helped retain moisture. Grasses and seed heads were allowed to remain during the winter, the little blue stem being particularly attractive against the snow. In the spring of 1999, all dried plant material was cut down or mowed and most of the perenials returned with new growth. A few of the original plants were lost, but the area has filled in with others that self seeded. Weeding has been done periodically as needed. NO Supplemental watering has been necessary.

UPDATE: A hard surfaced patio and additional sidewalks were put in during the spring of 1999 behind the library. The area will be used in the fall and spring by story hour children when the weather permits and will be enjoyed by the public on a regular basis. Plans to landscape the area have been put on hold due to the demolition and burning of a building north of the library that will be replaced by a new village office facility. Heat from the burning and possible damage from construction crews were considered potential hazards to new plant materials and the landscape plan itself may be modified to include access from the new building. Therefore an extension of the grant was requested and accepted by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and actual planting will be delayed until next spring.

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