Koester Family History
How Koester Prairie Started
Members of the Koester family moved to Northfield township in 1865, and lived in the area for five generations.
In 1940, Walter and Florence Koester purchased a remnant prairie that consisted of steep hills, which had never been cultivated. They used it as grazing land, and during the next ten years acquired additional land around it, including the oak savanna. To enhance the land's value for grazing, some of the cropland was seeded back into grass.
From left to right: Florence, Barbara, Richard and Walter Koester (1950)
Grazing in central valley of the prairie (1950)
Cattle Grazing
From 1952 to 1999, Walter and Florence's son Richard and his wife Gloria continued to preserve the land for cattle grazing. That again was unusual, because changing agricultural economy encouraged many to plow up remaining grassland for crops or turn it into housing sites. The land continued to be managed in the same way by their four children, who formed the Koester Farm Partnership.
Dust Bowl and Conservation
That effort was unusual at the time. The 1930s brought about the Dust Bowl, an intense drought that affected south central United States by blowing away topsoil from vast stretches of prairie plowed for cultivation.
Though Minnesota was not as severely affected as areas further south, heat extremes were widespread, and the Koester family decided that preserving and expanding grassland was beneficial for cattle and important for conservation.
Conservation
In 2008, the Koester family initiated contact with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to consider conservation options for the site. Staff members from the DNR and the Carleton College Arboretum began documenting native plant and bird species. In 2011, the northern section of the site was placed in the Native Prairie Bank, marking the beginning of prairie and savanna restoration.
The Trust for Public Land became a key partner in the conservation efforts in 2013. Through their efforts with the support of the Outdoor Heritage Fund, the land was brought under DNR auspices. The result is the Prairie Creek Wildlife Management Area, established in 2014.
to hear an audio recordings of Craig's childhood activities, projects and work on the land, and adulthood.
Members of the Koester family at the dedication of Koester Prairie in 2014.
