The Tallgrass Prairie

"Large ranges of grasses seven to eight feet tall once covered 170 million acres of North America from Canada to Texas, from Indiana to Kansas.  Most of the prairie has been converted to farmland and grazing pasture. Tallgrass prairie is the most altered ecosystem in North America.More than 95% of it is gone. The largest remaining tallgrass reserves are in the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma. There is a growing movement that could restore parts of the tallgrass prairies. Protected corridors could link reserves and private lands, creating a “buffalo commons” where herds of bison and other wildlife could move through a sea of grass again."

- The Nature Conservancy & USGS

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Promote native plant and wildlife diversity by supporting invasive tree removal, prescribed burning, and sustainable grazing practices.

• Support conservation groups working to protect and restore remaining tallgrass prairie.

• Plant native prairie grasses and wildflowers to expand habitat for pollinators and grassland birds.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Tallgrass Prairie Center (University of Northern Iowa)

• The Nature Conservancy – Tallgrass Prairie Programs

• Native Prairie Association of Texas (NPAT)