A Sea of Grass: Kansas' Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Less than four percent of America's 140 million acres of prairies remain.
STRONG CITY, Kan., July 11, 2010— -- In the days when pioneers drove their wagons west, tallgrass prairies covered over 140 million acres of the United States, spanning from Canada to southern Texas. Today, less than 4 percent of these grasslands remain. Most of the land was plowed for farming or developed as populations grew.
But nestled within the rolling Flint Hills of Kansas, almost two hours from Kansas City, lies Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, one of the last pure examples of this unique ecosystem.
"The prairies became the bread basket to America and the world. We've certainly benefited from that, but we've lost the vast majority of the tallgrass prairie," explains Allan Pollom, Kansas State Director of The Nature Conservancy. "I like to think that what we're preserving here today is very much as my great-grandfather saw it when he first settled in Kansas back prior to Kansas being a state."
Tallgrass prairies are comprised of grass species, some of which can grow as tall as an average person in full maturity. Birds, animals and lizards make their homes in these grasses and wild flowers.
Efforts to restore the prairies to their original condition are ongoing. In October 2009, 13 bison were brought into the preserve from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. The staff hopes that a calf born on Mother's Day is just the first of many additions to the growing herd.
Bison herds were so large at one time that some early settlers reported their wagons were delayed up to two days as they waited for the huge herds to pass.
"It's an icon species, so to just have the bison here, it represents bringing the prairie back," says Wendy Lauritzen, superintendant of Tallgrass Prairie National Park.
Large limestone rocks found throughout the Flint Hills made this area unsuitable for farming. Cattle ranchers recognized the value of the grasses for their livestock, and this combination spared the prairies from being plowed under.
"This is a very productive grass system. It's been very beneficial to the livestock industry, and the ranchers have helped keep this open and free," Pollom says. "They realize that it helps them prosper."
