The Grassland Heritage Foundation is offering a tour to educate the public on how Free State High School and Kansas University instructors and students turned an unused football practice field into a prairie restoration site. The Free State Prairie project includes a demonstration prairie with more than 40 species of plants that FSHS students grew from seeds.

“The demonstration prairie can give the public an idea of what native Kansas prairie looks like, as well as some information about the types of plants,” said FSHS biology and environmental science instructor Julie Schwarting, who helped lead the project.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Free State High, 4700 Overland Drive. The tour will include information about the project’s history, the research occurring there and a plant walk through the restoration area. Identification and species specialists will provide information about some of the plants and prairies in general, Schwarting said.

“This is the first time the public has been invited,” she said. “I think it’s a great opportunity.”

Starting in 2013, participants from KU, Free State and the Lawrence community collaborated on the restoration projects on the FSHS campus, which include the demonstration prairie as well as an experimental area with 18 plots, Schwarting said. The goal was to create natural areas that are easily accessible to K-12 students. The areas provide opportunities for students from both KU and Lawrence schools to learn about the natural heritage of Kansas and be involved in hands-on ecological research.

“What we’re trying to do is do real science with ordinary people, and make that available to people in the community, so they can go and observe,” Schwarting said, noting that the area is open to the public.

Schwarting led the project along with Helen Alexander, a KU ecology and evolutionary biology professor. This project received financial support from the Elizabeth Schultz Environmental Fund, as well as assistance from several organizations, including Applied Ecological Services, Douglas County Conservation District and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

To reach the site, park on the west side of Free State HIgh, walk through the gates to the athletic fields and follow the sidewalk around the back of the football stadium. When the sidewalk ends, head northwest across the grass, and the prairie sites will be obvious after a short walk.