Dayton International Airport Kept Its Prairie
Rockford isn’t the only city that has conflicts between its airport and a prairie. Compare our Bell Bowl Prairie to the 140-acre Paul E. Knoop Jr. Prairie in Dayton, Ohio.
The Dayton prairie is located on airport land, which is also considered part of the city of Dayton. But in contrast to Bell Bowl Prairie, a virgin remnant prairie, the Dayton prairie is restored from farm fields. Bell Bowl Prairie Is valuable because it preserves a native Illinois prairie, while the Dayton prairie was created to provide safety by attracting song birds instead of large geese that menace planes taking off. Bell Bowl Prairie is endangered by economic goals of airport expansion while the Dayton prairie was endangered in 2019 by the economic goal of selling land for commercial use.
The City of Dayton decided to not only preserve its prairie, but to make it the centerpiece of a sustainability plan including recycling, protection of water purity, renewable energy, and reducing the impact of climate change.
2:28 minute Sustainability video
Dayton International Airport’s Mission Statement:
At the crossroads of innovation and sustainability,
Dayton International Airport will strive
to preserve our natural resources,
operate efficiently,
enhance our passenger experience,
and serve as a valuable asset to Southwest Ohio and beyond.
See the focus of Dayton International Airport’s website:
https://flydayton.com/recycling-sustainability/#planes-and-prairies
Mention Bell Bowl Prairie in conversations with your friends. We have more to gain by using this prairie to encourage sustainability in our airport’s expansion design.
Submitted by Teresa Wilmot