All midcontinental grasslands were subjected to the human will to some degree, but agriculture ruled supreme in the tallgrass prairies, where rich soils and abundant rainfall provided ideal growing conditions. The greatest quantity was destroyed in Iowa, the tallgrass heartland, the state with the most prairie to lose.

The transformation has been called the most rapid and complete ecological conversion of a major biological system in Earth’s history.

Prairie habitat, which declined precipitously from the 1830s until around 1900, has continued to dwindle ever since.

… in the entire state, a bit over 0.1 percent of Iowa’s original prairies likely remains.

 Mutel, Cornelia F. The Emerald Horizon. Iowa City, IA:  University of Iowa Press, 2008. Pages 114 – 115.

Not everyone has an acre or more of land to convert to prairie. However, anyone who wishes to landscape a yard or redesign a garden can easily do this with plants native to their area whether their area was once a prairie or another native landscape.

Urbanization has fragmented and transformed ecologically productive land with monoculture lawns and exotic ornamental plants. Native plants can provide birds, pollinators, and other wildlife exactly what they need when they need it. Does your area provide the basics:  food, water, and shelter? What is missing?

Bird feeders provide supplementary food, but also consider planting some fruit-bearing native trees or native shrubs which can hold their fruits through the winter. A common birdbath can provide a good water source and an area of brush, or a hedge can provide an area for nesting, secluded perching, or cover for an escape. Plan for a variety of shapes, sizes, and kinds of plants to provide a vertical structure. Focus on plants that support high variety and quantity of bird food.

In addition to providing food and habitat, the use of native plants will reduce the need for watering, fertilizing, mowing, and spraying a lawn or other exotic ornamental plants. Investing a little time and planning effort can provide some long-term monetary benefits in addition to providing habitat for native birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.

Be sure to check with local zoning regulations before beginning such a project. Some neighborhoods may be welcome to the use of exotic ornamentals but might be reluctant to accept the use of native plants, i.e., “weeds”. Please check local zoning regulations and your neighbors.

Native Plants:

Organizations:

Grasslands: