Tallgrass prairie map

Temperate climate with hot summers and cold winters. Generally broken into short, mixed, and tallgrass prairie regions. Together, the prairie is also commonly known as the Great Plains AKA the Breadbasket of the World. Map shows historical ranges of prairie, as well as other grassland types in North America. Background Photo by Rachel Roth

Prairies are large areas of mostly treeless grassland found all over the world including North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. This biome is characterized by moderate temperatures, moderate rainfall and vast stretches of fl...Vistor Map. Seasonal Information. Hunting Safety . Safety for Hunters. Check weather reports before your visit. ... Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Prairie Supervisor's Office and Welcome Center. 30239 S. State Route 53 Wilmington, IL 60481 Phone: (815) 423 - 6370 Fax: 1-815-423-6376. Trails.Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, north of Strong City. The preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Of the 400,000 square miles (1,000,000 km 2) of tallgrass prairie that once covered the North American ... Mapping out your route before you hit the road can save you time, money, and stress. Whether you’re planning a long road trip or just a quick jaunt to a store in the next town over, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your dr...Purple Prairie Clover Stiff Goldenrod Wild Bergamont Yellow Coneflower. Invasive Species. Black Locust Canada Thistle Smooth Brome Grass Spotted Knapweed Eastern Redcedar . Explore the plants of other plant communities Visit a Restored Prairie. Cenaiko Lake, Etter Creek, Sixth Avenue Greenway, City of Hastings, Coldwater Spring (NPS) Visit a ...Nebraska Plants. Nebraska’s nearly 1,500 species of native plants occupy habitats ranging from eastern Nebraska tallgrass prairies to Sandhill wetlands to dry rocky outcrops in the Panhandle. Though many of these species are common and widespread, many are restricted to unique habitats such as Sandhill fens and alkaline marshes.The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was established in 1996 by the Illinois Land Conservation Act. Legislation identified four purposes for use of the land: To manage the land & water resources in a manner that will conserve & enhance the native populations & habitats of fish, wildlife & plants; To provide opportunities for scientific ...

North American prairie is drier in the west, bordering desert, and the type of prairie that occurs there is called “shortgrass prairie.” In the moister eastern half, adjoining deciduous forest, there is “tallgrass prairie.” Ohio is not usually thought of as a prairie state. Here are two maps from authoritative publications.The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was established in 1996 on the former Joliet Arsenal. It is the first national tallgrass prairie in the country. Midewin represents a major effort to restore 20,000 acres of farm and industrial land to a unique American landscape and the complex ecology of the prairie. This also makes Midewin the largest ...Morris State Park. Tallgrass prairies once covered more than a third of Missouri; today, less than 1% remains, much of it preserved at Prairie State Park. Visitors to the park see panoramic vistas of swaying grass and ever-changing wildflowers. They also may spot the park’s resident bison herd. The park’s Regal Tallgrass Prairie Nature ...Tallgrass prairie once covered more than 170 million acres, from Canada through Texas and as far as Indiana in the east. Rich prairie soils made the region prime for agricultural development. Most of the tallgrass prairie has been converted to cropland making this once expansive landscape one of North America’s most altered ecosystems.Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, north of Strong City.The preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Of the 400,000 square miles (1,000,000 km 2) of tallgrass prairie that once covered the North American continent, less than 5% remains, primarily in the ...

For the prairie grass study, scientists surveyed sections of the Konza Prairie Biological Station, an 8,600-acre tallgrass prairie reserve co-owned by Kansas State University and the Nature ...This tallgrass prairie preserve is set among low rolling hills of limestone strata that cover layers of sandstone, flint and chert. The headwaters of the South Fork Cottonwood River run through the preserve that was purchased in 1972 and 1973. Public access trails were opened in 2023. This preserve contains healthy populations of big bluestem ...Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge. Length: 1.6 mi • Est. 32m. This is a lollipop trail that goes along Beaver Creek and along Quartzite Bluffs. There are wildflowers and the trail is a wide Mowed grass and has few visitors. This is an easy lollipop style trail that gives you views of Beaver Creek and circles around close to ...Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Home; Trailheads; Downloads ... HUNTING MAP WESTSIDE 2020. ... MAPS Prairie InfoSee the maps below to zoom in on the various loop trails and the visitor center area. The Tallgrass Prairie regional map (150 kb) zooms out to show the park’s location in …Mapping out your route before you hit the road can save you time, money, and stress. Whether you’re planning a long road trip or just a quick jaunt to a store in the next town over, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your dr...

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With scarcely 2% of native tallgrass prairie remaining today, it is imperative that we wisely manage what little remains to conserve prairie-dependent plants, pollinators, other animals and ecosystem processes. Two commonly used methods of prairie management are prescribed fire and conservation grazing.Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is located in eastern Kansas, just north of Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. The adjacent map shows an overlay of the original survey map of Township 19 South, Range 8 East from the GLO . The survey was completed on May 6th, 1857, by Deputy Surveyor John L. Street. The preserve is primarily located in sections five ...Fire is one of the important ecological drivers of vegetation patterns globally and has shaped the emergence of the grass-dominated biomes (e.g. Bond and Keeley, 2005).The tallgrass prairie (TGP) ecosystem located in central North America (Fig. 1, Fig. 2), for instance, is a mesic ecosystem that has been confirmed to be “fire-dependent” …Where is the best place to hike in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie? According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is Henslow, Group 63, and Group 63 Spur Loop, which has a 4.1 star rating from 359 reviews. This trail is 3.6 mi long with an elevation gain of 52 ft.

Description. The Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve at 39,650 acres is the largest protected piece of tallgrass prairie left on earth. Urban sprawl and conversion to cropland have left this once expansive landscape, originally spanning across 14 states from Texas to Minnesota, at less than 4% of its original size.Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Strong City, Kansas. 14,394 likes · 613 talking about this · 9,550 were here. Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America. Today less than...The tallgrass aspen parkland is a mosaic of prairie and sedge fens (wetlands fed by ground water) accented by groves of aspens or scattered bur oaks. It is a place where plants and animals well adjusted to harsh winds, extreme temperatures, and dry conditions thrive. This appropriately named “parkland” seems designed to please the human eye ...Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Home; Trailheads; Downloads ... HUNTING MAP WESTSIDE 2020. ... MAPS Prairie InfoSee the maps below to zoom in on the various loop trails and the visitor center area. The Tallgrass Prairie regional map (150 kb) zooms out to show the park’s location in …The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Originally spanning portions of 14 states and covering over 142 million acres, the tallgrass prairie was one of North America’s major ecosystems. It was a complex landscape, harboring a rich diversity of plants and animals, that was shaped by the natural forces of climate, fire, and grazing.True stars of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, over 2,100 American bison make up one of the largest herds in the country. These iconic bison can often be photographed and observed from the road. Drive the 15 miles of road through the bison unit and visit the preserve headquarters and gift shop.The Central Tallgrass Prairie ecoregion, the heart of the tallgrass prairie, is the iconic North American prairie, with grasses up to 3 m tall on the best soils (though around 1 m is more typical), waving in the wind over root systems just as long or sometimes longer. It occupies a large area west of the Central US Forest-Grasslands Transition ...Tallgrass Prairie National preserve allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and the customary and traditional use. The preserve regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner that avoids unacceptable impacts to park resources. Three preserve ponds are open to the public for catch and release fishing under the ...Abstract. Contents Part 1: Ecology of the Tallgrass Prairie Part 2: Plants of the Tallgrass Prairies: Checklist of Prairie & Grassland Plants of Nebraska; Relative Frequencies of Grasses, Spring Creek and Nine-mile Prairies; Twenty Most Abundant Fall Forbs, Spring Creek and Nine-mile Prairies; Typical Shrubs, Forbs, Grasses & Sedges of Eastern Nebraska Tallgrass Prairies; English: Latin Name ...The primary distinction between a prairie and a savanna is the climate. Savannas, or tropical grasslands, cover almost half of the African continent and prefer warm or hot climates. Prairies, or temperate grasslands, prefer temperatures tha...Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge. Length: 1.6 mi • Est. 32m. This is a lollipop trail that goes along Beaver Creek and along Quartzite Bluffs. There are wildflowers and the trail is a wide Mowed grass and has few visitors. This is an easy lollipop style trail that gives you views of Beaver Creek and circles around close to ...

The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Northeast Oklahoma is a reestablished portion of the prairie by the Nature Conservancy. Educational programs that include controlling invasive plants, controlled burns and better grazing practices help continue the ecosystem. The reintroduction of bison to the prairie has also helped to maintain the prairie.

You might know where you're going but do you know where you came from? Here are 10 tips for mapping your family history from HowStuffWorks. Advertisement My brothers and I have 30 first cousins, many of whom have children and even grandkids...Besides tallgrass prairie, characteristic plant communities include aspen parkland, bur oak savanna, and rough fescue grassland. Only 8% of the Northern Tallgrass Prairie ecoregion is protected and less than 1% of habitat remains outside protected areas. Priority conservation actions for the next decade are: 1) protect and expand existing ...Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center is an 1,160-acre tallgrass prairie nature preserve located 20 minutes southwest of Lincoln, Nebraska. (Download driving directions to the Center below.) Visitors can enjoy miles of walking trails (download trail map below or link to our new online trail map), nearly 850 acres of native (never plowed) tallgrass prairie, …Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but within a generation most of it had been transformed into farms, cities, and towns. Today less than 4% remains intact, mostly in the Kansas Flint …With the Openlands Get Outside Map, discover places and ways to enjoy nature in the Chicago region. ... Tallgrass Prairie is one of the best natural treasures in ...The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie ( MNTP) is a tallgrass prairie reserve and similarly preserved as United States National Grassland operated by the United States Forest Service. The first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the U.S. and the largest conservation site in the Chicago Wilderness region, it is located on the site of ...Hunting at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is available in designated hunting zones and sites - please see hunting maps under "Quick Links". Midewin is managed by the USDA Forest Service and is a federal facility. State hunting laws as outlined in the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations are enforced at Midewin in addition to ...

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Aug 12, 2022 · Grasslands in various forms historically covered 40% of the world’s land area. In the Great Plains, our prairies are divided into three sub-divisions. Tallgrass prairie, which covers a small area of the eastern Dakotas and Nebraska, stretches east to Illinois and Ohio. Mixed grass prairie covers the central part of the states and stretches ... Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie. Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but within a generation most of it had been transformed into farms, cities, and towns. Today less than 4% remains intact, mostly in the Kansas Flint Hills. Established on November 12, 1996, the preserve protects a nationally significant ...Today, the most fertile and well-watered region, the tallgrass prairie, is less than 4% of its original area. This makes it one of the rarest and most endangered ecosystems in the world. The rocky Flint Hills of Kansas remains the largest region still unplowed. This geologic region averages 60 miles wide and stretches from the southern Nebraska ...Tailgrass Prairie National Preserve. Kansas. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Tallgrass Prairie Hiking Trails. You can explore the preserve while hiking on over 40 miles of trails. Enjoy catch and release fishing, viewing wildflowers and animals, and watching the night sky. Park trails are open 24 hours a day, year-round,I very much enjoy working with others and am particularly interested in collaborative projects, both field work and writing. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have an idea for project we could work on together. Sincerely, Contact information. Phone: (785) 864-1529. Email: [email protected]. Mailing address.Description. The Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve at 39,650 acres is the largest protected piece of tallgrass prairie left on earth. Urban sprawl and conversion to cropland have left this once expansive landscape, originally spanning across 14 states from Texas to Minnesota, at less than 4% of its original size.Tallgrass prairie once covered more than 170 million acres, from Canada through Texas and as far as Indiana in the east. Rich prairie soils made the region prime for agricultural development. Most of the tallgrass prairie has been converted to cropland making this once expansive landscape one of North America’s most altered ecosystems.The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was established through the Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995. Two years later, the Army transferred the first 15,080 acres of former arsenal lands to the U.S. Forest Service. Later transfers and acquisitions brought Midewin to its current size of 18,500 acres, with an ultimate goal of approximately ...Mar 26, 2020 · This is one of the last remnants of American prairie. In Oklahoma’s Osage County, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve safeguards herds of bison, flocks of birds, and breathtaking grassland. At least ... ….

The tallgrass prairie, with moderate rainfall and rich soils, were ideally suited to agriculture so it became a productive grain-growing region. The tallgrass prairie ecosystem covered some 170 million acres (690,000 km 2) of North America. Besides agriculture, much of the shortgrass prairie became grazing land for domestic livestock.2412 West 27th Street Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0294 Phone: 319-273-3836. View map and get directionsImportant sport fish species known to inhabit waters in western Minnesota and northwest Iowa include: walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, bullheads and yellow perch. Contact the refuge at 320-273-2191 for more information on where there may be fishing opportunities.A Kansas State University-led study has found that reintroducing bison — a formerly dominant grazer — doubles plant diversity in a tallgrass prairie. The research involves more than 30 years of data collected at the Konza Prairie Biological Station and was recently published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of …Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS) is a 3,487 hectare native tallgrass prairie preserve jointly owned by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University. KPBS is located in the Flint Hills of northeastern Kansas (39°05’ N, 96°35’ W), a grassland region of rolling hills overlain by shallow limestone soils unsuitable for cultivationUpland tallgrass prairie is dominated by big bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass, and Canada wild-rye. Tallgrass prairies also include hundreds of species of wildflowers and other forbs. Native woodlands also are found extensively along the Missouri River Valley, which includes species such as Cottonwoods, willows, boxelders, and American elms.An Ancient History. The Flint Hills is a unique tallgrass prairie ecosystem found in central North America centered on Kansas and northern Oklahoma (where they are known as the Osage Hills). It is a tallgrass prairie, a type of temperate grassland, marked by few trees but abundant forbs and grasses that can grow up to 10 feet tall. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Prairie Supervisor's Office and Welcome Center. 30239 S. State Route 53 Wilmington, IL 60481 Phone: (815) 423 - 6370 Fax: 1-815-423-6376. Trails. Open year-round Mon - Sun: 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Welcome Center. May - National Bison Day (first Saturday of November)Temperate climate with hot summers and cold winters. Generally broken into short, mixed, and tallgrass prairie regions. Together, the prairie is also commonly known as the Great Plains AKA the Breadbasket of the World. Map shows historical ranges of prairie, as well as other grassland types in North America. Background Photo by Rachel Roth Tallgrass prairie map, Tallgrass prairie: Periodic field trips only: Blackland Prairie : Parkhill Prairie: Blue Ridge: Public – Collin County Parks: 52/436ac: Public Park: Blackland Prairie: White Rock Lake Prairie: Dallas: Public – Dallas Parks ~250ac: Tallgrass prairie, limestone/chalk prairie: Public park: Blackland Prairie: Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary: …, By 2004, the preserve’s private partner had run into financial difficulty, to the extent that it appeared portions of the land would be sold to satisfy debt and other liabilities. The Nature Conservancy came to the park's aid by purchasing the preserve and partnering with NPS to jointly manage this remnant of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. , Tallgrass prairies once covered more than a third of Missouri; today, less than 1% remains, much of it preserved at Prairie State Park. Visitors to the park see panoramic vistas of swaying grass and ever-changing wildflowers. They also may spot the park’s resident bison herd. The park’s Regal Tallgrass Prairie Nature Center offers exhibits and interpretive programs …, The primary distinction between a prairie and a savanna is the climate. Savannas, or tropical grasslands, cover almost half of the African continent and prefer warm or hot climates. Prairies, or temperate grasslands, prefer temperatures tha..., Powered by. Prairies are enormous stretches of flat grassland with moderate temperatures, moderate rainfall, and few trees. When people talk about the prairie, they are usually referring to the golden, wheat -covered land in the middle of North America. The Great Plains, in the United States and Canada, has some of the world's most valuable ..., We predicted that grassland area and fragmentation would influence tallgrass prairie birds in one of four possible ways: (A) fragmentation has no effect, such that only grassland amount affects species occurrence ... Map of our study area and the 75, 30-point (23.2-km) transects we surveyed for tallgrass prairie birds in eastern Kansas, …, Not a single tree was recorded on original land survey maps in some Iowa counties. This diverse ecosystem once covered 170 million acres of North America and 14 states in the Midwest, including more than 80% of Iowa. ... Even though the tallgrass prairie had survived and thrived for thousands of years, much of it was lost within 1-2 generations …, An Ancient History. The Flint Hills is a unique tallgrass prairie ecosystem found in central North America centered on Kansas and northern Oklahoma (where they are known as the Osage Hills). It is a tallgrass prairie, a type of temperate grassland, marked by few trees but abundant forbs and grasses that can grow up to 10 feet tall., Tallgrass Prairie National preserve allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and the customary and traditional use. The preserve regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner that avoids unacceptable impacts to park resources. Three preserve ponds are open to the public for catch and release fishing under the ..., The Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska is the largest protected area of tallgrass prairie in the world, spanning 40,000 acres. Tallgrass Prairie is a complex environment harboring a rich diversity of plants and animals. , We want to help you plan your special visit! With nearly 11,000 acres of Mother Nature, see wide open space, beautiful vistas, wildflowers, wildlife, bison herd, a historic …, Created Date: 8/30/2018 9:39:26 PM, Find out where to see what remains of Minnesota's iconic tallgrass prairie. Less than two hours west or south of the Twin Cities, you can reach remnants of rolling and pancake-flat prairie, where summer winds ripple grasses and flowers like a sea. Minnesota’s pioneers persistently carved up most of the state’s prairie into 40-acre farms that have grown and merged with each generation. The ..., Owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is the largest tract of tallgrass prairie left in the world. Located in the Osage Hills / Southern Flint Hills of Osage County, Oklahoma, over ten thousand visitors come here each year to hike and experience the prairie as it existed for hundreds of ..., The latitude and longitude coordinates (GPS waypoint) of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie are 41.3767177 (North), -88.1121279 (West) and the approximate elevation is 640 feet (195 meters) above sea level. If you have visited Illinois's Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Will County before, please share your experience with a comment below., Besides tallgrass prairie, characteristic plant communities include aspen parkland, bur oak savanna, and rough fescue grassland. Only 8% of the Northern Tallgrass Prairie ecoregion is protected and less than 1% of habitat remains outside protected areas. Priority conservation actions for the next decade are: 1) protect and expand existing ..., Switzerland: Springer. Kindscher, K. 1992. Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence. Contains 203 native species, illustrated with line drawings and maps. Kindscher, K. 1987. Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence., Tallgrass Prairie National preserve allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and the customary and traditional use. The preserve regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner that avoids unacceptable impacts to park resources. Three preserve ponds are open to the public for catch and release fishing under the ..., The Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve at 39,650 acres is the largest protected piece of tallgrass prairie left on earth. Urban sprawl and conversion to cropland have …, Scenic Overlook Trail 3.2 miles one-way (gravel surface) Dog Friendly Trails Bottomland Nature Trail 0.5 mile and 0.8 mile Southwind Nature Trail 1.9 miles Fox Creek Trail, Z Bar Spur 5.1 miles. Other trails Add distances on map (mowed grass surface) No driving, biking, or drones on the preserve. Hiking Only. Legend., Missouri Department of Conservation Interactive Story Map. Missouri Prairie Foundation Properties ... The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, located in Osage County, Oklahoma near Foraker, Oklahoma, is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. It is protected as the largest tract of remaining tallgrass prairie in the world. The preserve contains …, An Ancient History. The Flint Hills is a unique tallgrass prairie ecosystem found in central North America centered on Kansas and northern Oklahoma (where they are known as the Osage Hills). It is a tallgrass prairie, a type of temperate grassland, marked by few trees but abundant forbs and grasses that can grow up to 10 feet tall. , Find out where to see what remains of Minnesota's iconic tallgrass prairie. Less than two hours west or south of the Twin Cities, you can reach remnants of ..., General directional map of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve area. NPS Image Car The preserve is in northern Chase County, Kansas, 2 miles north of intersection U.S. Hwy 50 and Flint Hills National …, Tallgrass Prairie Bison Thrive 30 Years After Reintroduction. The nearly 2000 bison living on the 25,000 acres of Osage County's Tallgrass prairie preserve are being herded to smaller and ..., 9-Day / 8-Night Tallgrass Prairie Tour with Ed & Sil Pembleton. $2350, from Wichita. Airport is Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National (ICT) Join Naturalist Journeys on this tallgrass prairie tour to investigate world-class wetlands and grasslands as we explore the amazing prairies of central Kansas and the Flint Hills ecosystem., Tallgrass Prairie National preserve allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and the customary and traditional use. The preserve regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner that avoids unacceptable impacts to park resources. Three preserve ponds are open to the public for catch and release fishing under the ..., Click on the image below to download a printable brochure and map. Take a virtual tour of the Tallgrass Prairie Center through this StoryMap, or tour the inner workings of our …, Sep 2, 2023 · The Flint Hills National Scenic Byway along highway K-177 is a 47.2-mile drive with incredible views of the prairie landscape. A pull-over scenic overlook lies south of Cottonwood Falls with interpretive waysides about the tallgrass prairie. Tune your radio to 1680 AM while driving from Cassoday to Council Grove through the heart of the ... , There are many different types of printers available for computers. More expensive printers offer direct network connectivity, while others must be directly connected to an individual computer with a USB cable. You can map a printer whether..., Tailgrass Prairie National Preserve. Kansas. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Tallgrass Prairie Hiking Trails. You can explore the preserve while hiking on over 40 miles of trails. Enjoy catch and release fishing, viewing wildflowers and animals, and watching the night sky. Park trails are open 24 hours a day, year-round,, Go bird Nebraska. Wherever you are in Nebraska, amazing birding is not far away. Explore the eastern tallgrass prairie, the Central Platte Valley where over a half a million Sandhill Cranes congregate each spring, the Sandhills where Greater Prairie-Chickens display, and the shortgrass prairie and unique topography in the west., The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Originally spanning portions of 14 states and covering over 142 million acres, the tallgrass prairie was one of North America’s major ecosystems. It was a complex landscape, harboring a rich diversity of plants and animals, that was shaped by the natural forces of climate, fire, and grazing.