Prairie

Two hundred years ago, 85% of Iowa was covered with prairie. That percentage represents 30 million acres of tallgrass prairie! Today, only 0.1% of Iowa’s original prairie remains. Iowa’s landscape has been dramatically altered in a short amount of time.

Many cities, organizations, and private citizens are working to reintroduce prairie areas—large and small—back to our state because of the tremendous benefits prairies provide. Prairie grasses and native wildflowers help grow Iowa’s rich soils, provide wildlife habitat for hundreds of species (including pollinators), and are extremely beneficial in protecting water quality.