Prairies generally within the Interior Plains
The protected grasslands of North America consist of prairies , with a dominant vegetation type of herbaceous plants like grasses, sedges , and other prairie plants, rather than woody vegetation like trees. This ecosystem was generally dominant within the Interior Plains of central North America but was also present elsewhere. The protected areas include public nature reserves managed by American, Canadian and Mexican wildlife management agencies, Native American tribes and Canadian First Nations , state wildlife management agencies, non-governmental organizations , and private nature reserves.[1]
Generally speaking, these regions are devoid of trees, except for riparian or gallery forests associated with streams and rivers. 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 km2 ) of North America. Besides agriculture, much of the shortgrass prairie became grazing land for domestic livestock . Short grasslands occur in semi-arid climates while tall grasslands are in areas of higher rainfall. Although much of the grasslands are in the Great Plains ecoregion , protected grasslands can be found in other areas of Canada, Mexico and the United States . Desert (arid) grasslands are composed of sparse grassland ecoregions located in the deserts and xeric shrublands biome . Temperature extremes and low amount of rainfall characterise these kinds of grasslands. Therefore, plants and animals are well adapted to minimize water loss.[2] Shrub-steppe is also a type of low-rainfall natural grassland . While arid, shrub-steppes have sufficient moisture to support a cover of perennial grasses or shrubs, a feature which distinguishes them from deserts . The shrub-steppes of North America occur in the western United States and western Canada, in the rain shadow between the Cascades and Sierra Nevada on the west and the Rocky Mountains on the east.
The expanses of grass once sustained migrations of an estimated 30 to 60 million American bison which maintained grazing pressure as a keystone species . Once bison could be found across much of North America. While they ranged from the eastern seaboard states to southeast Washington , eastern Oregon , and northeastern California , the greatest numbers were found within the great bison belt on the shortgrass plains east of the Rocky Mountains that stretched from Alberta to Texas .[3] Grazing is important to soil, vegetation and overall ecological balance. The indigenous peoples of the Plains occupied the land, hunting bison and pronghorn . The expansion of the United States onto the frontier decimated the population of the indigenous people and the bison.[4]
The plowing of the tallgrass prairie to plant crops destroyed the natural habitat . Less than 4 percent of the prairie is left according to most estimates.[5] Studies estimated in 2018 that grasslands in the U.S were being lost at a rate of more than one-million-acre per year (0.40×10 ^ 6 ha).[6] Bison occupy less than 1% of their historical range with fewer than 20,000 bison in conservation herds on public, tribal or private protected lands as listed here. The roughly 500,000 animals that are raised for commercial purposes are not included unless the entity is actively engaged in conservation efforts.[7]
Protected areas with bison herds [ ]
American Prairie
Montana
American Prairie Foundation
800+
Antelope Island State Park
Utah
Utah State Parks
200
Badlands National Park
South Dakota
National Park Service
1000
Banff National Park
Alberta
Parks Canada
36
Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks
10
Bear Butte State Park
South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks
small
Bear River State Park
Wyoming
Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites
10
Bison Range
Montana
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
500
Blue Mounds State Park
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
100
Iowa
The Nature Conservancy
200
Caprock Canyons State Park
Texas
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
150
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Oklahoma
National Park Service
3
Nebraska
Crane Trust
50+
Chippewa Cree Tribal Buffalo Pasture
Montana
Chippewa Cree
11
Cross Ranch Nature Preserve
North Dakota
The Nature Conservancy
200
Custer State Park
South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks
1500
Colorado
Denver
30
Elk Island National Park
Alberta
Parks Canada
315
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Illinois
U.S. Department of Energy
28
Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge
Nebraska
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
350
Fort Peck Indian Reservation
Montana
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
400
Fort Robinson State Park
Nebraska
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
150
Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
30
Genesee Park
Colorado
Denver
33
Grand Teton National Park/National Elk Refuge
Wyoming
National Park Service
1000
Grasslands National Park
Saskatchewan
Parks Canada
300
Hay-Zama Lakes Wildland Park
Alberta
Alberta Parks
400
Henry Mountains
Utah
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources , Bureau of Land Management
400
Hot Springs State Park
Wyoming
Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites
11
Innoko National Wildlife Refuge
Alaska
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
94
Janos Biosphere Reserve
Chihuahua
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources
138
Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Oklahoma
The Nature Conservancy
2500
Kankakee Sands
Indiana
The Nature Conservancy
90+
Konza Prairie Biological Station
Kansas
The Nature Conservancy , Kansas State University
300
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
U.S. Forest Service
50
Maderas del Carmen
Coahuila
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources
19
Maxwell Wildlife Refuge
Kansas
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
150
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Illinois
U.S. Forest Service
50
Minneopa State Park
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
30
Nachusa Grasslands
Illinois
The Nature Conservancy
100
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Iowa
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
50
Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area
Saskatchewan
Nature Conservancy of Canada
115
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Florida
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
10
Prairie State Park
Missouri
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
100
Prince Albert National Park
Saskatchewan
Parks Canada
400
Riding Mountain National Park
Manitoba
Parks Canada
40
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Colorado
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
150
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
15
Sandsage Bison Range & Wildlife Area
Kansas
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
51
Soapstone Prairie/Red Mountain
Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado and Larimer County
100
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Kansas
The Nature Conservancy , National Park Service
small
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Oklahoma
The Nature Conservancy
2000
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota
National Park Service
800
Vermejo Park Ranch
New Mexico and Colorado
Ted Turner
1200
Wolakota Buffalo Range
South Dakota
Rosebud Economic Development Corporation
100
Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Saskatchewan
Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority
12
White Horse Hill National Game Preserve
North Dakota
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
20
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Oklahoma
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
650
Wind Cave National Park
South Dakota
National Park Service
400
Wood Buffalo National Park
Alberta and Northwest Territories
Parks Canada
3000
Yellowstone National Park
Idaho , Montana , Wyoming
National Park Service
4800
Commercial herds are not included. Listed herds remove excess bison on a regular basis which may be slaughtered for commercial purposes.
Other protected areas [ ]
Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge
Oregon
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Big Basin Prairie Preserve
Kansas
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Black Kettle National Grassland
Texas
U.S. Forest Service
Bonham State Park
Texas
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Buena Vista Wildlife Area
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
Arizona
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Buffalo Gap National Grassland
South Dakota
U.S. Forest Service
Carrizo Plain National Monument
California
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Catoosa Wildlife Management Area
Tennessee
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Cayler Prairie State Preserve
Iowa
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
Minnesota
University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences
Cimarron National Grassland
Kansas
U.S. Forest Service
Clymer Meadow Preserve
Texas
The Nature Conservancy
Comanche National Grassland
Colorado
U.S. Forest Service
Conrad Savanna Nature Preserve
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Cosumnes River Preserve
California
The Nature Conservancy , Bureau of Land Management, Ducks Unlimited, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Water Resources, Sacramento County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the state Wildlife Conservation Board
Crooked River National Grassland
Oregon
U.S. Forest Service
Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Minnesota
Three Rivers Park District
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
Alberta, Saskatchewan
Alberta Environment and Parks and Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport (Saskatchewan)
Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge
Iowa , Wisconsin
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Dunbar Cave State Park
Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Elk Cove Meadow
Oregon
U.S. Forest Service
Fort Pierre National Grassland
South Dakota
U.S. Forest Service
Gaviota State Park
California
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Gensburg-Markham Prairie
Illinois
The Nature Conservancy , Northeastern Illinois University , the Natural Land Institute
Gitchie Manitou State Preserve
Iowa
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Golden Prairie
Missouri
Grand River National Grassland
South Dakota
U.S. Forest Service
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Colorado
National Park Service
Great Valley Grasslands State Park
California
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Hayden Prairie State Preserve
Iowa
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Homestead National Historical Park
Nebraska
National Park Service
Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve
National Park Service
J. T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve
Oklahoma
The Nature Conservancy
Oregon
Kiowa National Grassland
New Mexico
U.S. Forest Service
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Florida
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Las Cienegas National Conservation Area
Arizona
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge
Montana
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland
Texas
U.S. Forest Service
McClellan Creek National Grassland
Texas
U.S. Forest Service
Mead Wildlife Area
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Missimer Wildflower Preserve
California
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Texas
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Oglala National Grassland
Nebraska
U.S. Forest Service
Ojibway Prairie Complex
Ontario
Windsor, Ontario , Ontario Parks
Pawnee National Grassland
Colorado
U.S. Forest Service
Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Phil Hardberger Park
Texas
San Antonio
Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site
Colorado
U.S. Army
Point Reyes National Seashore
California
National Park Service
Rita Blanca National Grassland
Texas
U.S. Forest Service
Rocky Prairie
Washington
Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge
Oklahoma
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge
Arizona
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex
California
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Spirit Mound Historic Prairie
South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks
Stone State Park
Iowa
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Thunder Basin National Grassland
Wyoming
U.S. Forest Service
Turkey River Mounds State Preserve
Iowa
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
Nebraska
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Willamette Floodplain
Oregon
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Whorehouse Meadow
Oregon
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Zumwalt Prairie
Oregon
The Nature Conservancy
See also [ ]
References [ ]
^ Tarnow, Anna (February 18, 2019). "More than just grass: US prairies make a comeback" . Christian Science Monitor . Retrieved 2021-02-26 .
^ "Deserts and xeric shrublands | Biomes | WWF" . World Wildlife Fund . Retrieved 2020-05-20 .
^ Wuerthner, George (2020-09-03). "Bison ecology, ecological influence, behavior, and decline" . The Wildlife News . Retrieved 2021-07-09 .
^ Tutton, Mark (November 27, 2019). "How bison are bringing life back to the prairie" . CNN . Retrieved 2021-02-26 .
^ Berger, Joel; Beckmann, Jon (May 1, 2020). "America's Native Big Open Was Anything But Lonely Or Empty" . Mountain Journal . Retrieved 2020-09-28 .
^ McBride, Bekah (2018-11-15). "Grasslands among the best landscapes to curb climate change" . UWMadScience . University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved 2020-10-05 .
^ Akcakaya, H. Resit (November 7, 2019). "To Save Species from Extinction, We Must Consider More than Just Numbers" . In These Times . Retrieved 2020-11-04 .