When Dr. Richard James was hired by the College of Business & Economics in 1978, he brought with him his Kansas roots. He was thrilled to find the University’s prairie just a short distance from his Fremont Street home. The prairie provided him a place to exercise his Brittany spaniels, get up pheasants, and appreciate the flora and fauna.
Soon he involved his students in reclaiming the prairie. They would be invited to cut invading bushes and woody plants. James call the project “Give Something Back” and included the geography and biology departments on campus in his efforts.
In 1999, James’s efforts were reported in the Whitewater Register and Janesville Gazette. The project took off to reconstruct the prairie. A kiosk was built and funds were raised. Today, classes can enjoy what the prairie has to offer. And, given the pandemic, more and more people are walking the prairie where they can socially distance and get some exercise.
Wes Enterline, the Sustainability Coordinator for the University, organized a tree planting in James’s honor on October 8. A burr oak tree was planted; a plaque, designed by James’s wife Marcia, was affixed to large rock. Dr. David Graf, a 1964 UW-Whitewater graduate and donor to the prairie talked about the role of the trees. Pastor Jerry Wendt gave a tree blessing. Since the gathering was limited to 10 people, interested viewers can go to FaceBook and click on the videos tab: https://www.facebook.com/uwwnaturepreserve.
