What Prevents Erosion, Purifies Water & Beautifies Landscaping – Naturally?

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Jan. 14, 2014 - PRLog -- Can you name something that absorbs rainfall like a sponge then filters and stores the water while preventing soil erosion and fertilizer run-off into streams and rivers? In a new video, the Missouri Prairie Foundation reveals how native prairie plants can protect soil, improve water quality, and address other environmental problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gwVEnq20Mc

Through breathtaking images and insightful expert interviews, the short video demonstrates the bountiful ecological, wildlife, and economic benefits native prairie provides, including:

·       Native plants are cost-effective tools for containing water run-off to alleviate flooding pressures and reduce soil erosion.

·       Significant amounts of agriculture chemical and fertilizer run-off can be prevented by strips of native prairie planted within row crops and along streams.

·       In recognition of the many benefits of native plants, there is a real movement toward the use of native plants in residential and commercial landscaping, driven by interest in sustainable building project initiatives

The Missouri Prairie Foundation video makes the case that realizing these and many other environmental benefits requires restoring more land with native plants and conserving the remaining 90,000 acres of original native prairie in the state.

"Like so many things in life, we are beginning to realize the benefit of the prairies now that they're nearly all gone," Dr. Peter Raven, President Emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden, said in the video. "They are disappearing very rapidly. And that really changes the whole natural balance of the whole Northern hemisphere."

The video is offered as a resource for media and interested groups to explore in greater depth the benefits of prairie and other native plants. To learn more about the Missouri Prairie Foundation and its events and activities, visit http://www.moprairie.org. To arrange interviews, presentations, speaking engagements or more information, contact Carol Davit, Missouri Prairie Foundation executive director at 573-356-7828.

Funding for the Missouri Prairie Foundation video was provided by Roeslein Alternative Energy LLC, whose visionary goal is to restore 30 million acres of highly erodible land to native prairie in 30 years by developing an economic and ecological model for truly sustainable energy production.