Over the last decade or so there has been an awakening, much like the blossoming of life that happens every spring, in the understanding and appreciation of the value prairie communities had, and still have, on our Iowa landscapes. It's really quite amazing. People with many different backgrounds and agencies at many different levels have all been working toward a common goal - restoration of native prairie. For one of these agencies, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), the focus has been directed toward roadsides, and using prairie vegetation to enhance their ecological value.