b'She knows what to do. Pushing those ancient trees downstream, bobbling along the white capped rapids, then quietly hustled over the flat but fast-moving waters with all the flotsam until each reaches a destination of her choosing. She aligns and positions her big wood in such a way to provide for her future needs. Each angle and direction is determined by the floodwaters natural energy and the weight, shape and size of the logs. They serve like boulders to break the velocity and forces of future floods. Next time the river sends a torrent of water down, these hulks of ancient big wood are still there. Plants will re-establish on the backsides of these huge, protective, waterlogs. Sometimes they create deep pools behind them, where fish can grow and thrive. Sometimes they redirect and turn the flow of her waters, allowing the river to meander and adapt as she will. And all those drifts and piles of smaller bits andUpland Prairie Spongepieces ? All the live and dead plants, sticks, leaves and ground-up tree bark; gravel, silt, and sands arePrecious few hillsides are part of her plan, too. Thats her way of spreading goodcovered with little bluestem, Indiangrass and sideoats. compost that quickly converts to organic soil. Those are her special homegrown seeds. Native plants naturallyOur deep-rooted prairies being spread out in special ways along her banks. on the hills and plateaus used to help catch every Thats just what rivers do. raindrop to feed the aquifers, which feed the springs, But, what is it that people do? which feed the rivers. photo Jim RichardsonEverything we do on the land is eventually reflected in a river.Thats why its so important to think about the whole landscape, how big & little pieces fit together~ Sky Lewey'