The Tallgrass Prairie Center restores native vegetation for the benefit of society and environment through research, education, and technology.

Dave Wiiliams, Prairie Institute


Education: B.S., Fishery and Wildlife Biology,
Iowa State University, 1985
M.S., Biology, University of Northern Iowa, 2002

Employment: Tallgrass Prairie Center since 2001. Dave Williams is the Prairie Institute Manager at the Tallgrass Prairie Center. Williams is responsible for a number of research projects in partnership with the Iowa Department of Transportation to access best practices in right-of-way prairie reconstructions. Williams has been actively engaged in a number of prairie reconstruction and restoration projects over the years, including the Big Woods Prairie in Black Hawk County, the Cedar Falls Tourism Center native landscaping project, the sod salvage project in Okoboji and various native plantings on the UNI campus. Williams co-facilitates a wide array of workshops at the Tallgrass Prairie Center on such topics as seedling identification of native plants, Prescribed Burning, Native Plant Propagation, Native Seed Harvesting, and Native Seeding. Previous experience includes positions as director, park ranger, and assistant roadside biologist with various county conservation boards (Audubon, Linn, Clinton, and Cerro Gordo).

Recent Publications:
Williams D, Smith D, Lensing R, Schultz K. 2010. Effects of mowing on abundance and
persistence of tallgrass prairie forbs seeded into an established stand of prairie grasses:
10 years after sowing. In Press: Proceedings of the 22nd North American Conference.
Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Williams D, Butler B. 2010. The tallgrass prairie center guide to seed and seedling
identification in the upper Midwest. University of Iowa Press. Iowa City, Iowa.

Williams D, Smith D. 2008. The effects of annual rye on native plant establishment when
seeded as a nurse crop in a prairie reconstruction. Borsari B. Mundahl N. Reuter L. Peters
E. Cochran P. (editors). Proceedings of the 21st North American Prairie Conference.
Winona State University. Winona, MN.

Williams D, Jackson L, Smith D. 2007. Effects of frequent mowing on survival and persistence of forbs seeded into a species-poor grassland. Restoration Ecology 15(1): 24-33.

Williams D, Smith D. 2004. Growth and reproduction of local ecotype and cultivated varieties
of Panicum virgatum and Coreopsis palmata grown in common gardens. Egan D. Harrington
J. (editors). Proceedings of the 19th North American Prairie Conference. University of
Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, Wisconsin.

Smith D, Williams D, Houseal G, Henderson K. 2010. The tallgrass prairie center guide to
prairie restoration in the upper Midwest. University of Iowa Press. Iowa City, Iowa.

Email: dave.williams@uni.edu | Phone: 319-273-7957