Tallgrass Prairie Facts
Prairie arose in the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains, and once covered 400 million acres over the center of the U.S. from Saskatchewan to Texas. Prairies are diverse communities dominated by grasses and wildflowers.
Tallgrass prairie, with three-fourths of its biomass
underground, created some of the most productive
soils in the world. Prairie thrives amid drought, fire,
and grazing due to root systems up to 15 feet deep.
Only 1% of the native tallgrass prairie remains today due to fire suppression and intensive crop production, making it a globally endangered ecosystem. Remaining prairies now include the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma and small remnant prairies, such as The Prairie Center in Olathe, Kansas and GHF's Snyder Prairie, Leadplant Prairie, and Roulund-Wagner Prairie.
Only 1% of the native tallgrass prairie remains today. . .
News
GHF, KU's Kansas Biological Survey, and the Lawrence Public Library brought Chris Helzer, director of science and stewardship at The Nature Conservancy Nebraska to Lawrence in 2024. Use the links below to view recordings on YouTube.
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Watch "The incredible beauty, diversity, and complexity of prairies (and why you should love them)"
Join a community of prairie protectors
You can directly support prairie land management, land protection, and education in northeast Kansas as a GHF member and donor.
GHF provides hands-on prairie restoration opportunities, academic scholarships, and workshops on prairie management, native plant gardening, and prairie ecology.
Members receive the GHF newsletter, discounts on fee workshops, discounts at GHF's annual native plant sale, and workshop & event notifications.
What you can do to protect prairie
Visit and enjoy prairies with friends.
Add native plants to your garden. They are needed by native pollinating insects, they reduce erosion, and they use less water.
Apply for a scholarship to advance our understanding of prairie ecology and restoration.
Encourage your city, county, and state to include prairie remnants and native plants in park and landscaping plans.
Keep exotic invasive plants out of your yard, parks and plant nurseries.
Events
Native Gardening for Backyard Birds
Learn which Kansas native plants are most likely to attract birds to your backyard and are best for formal/maintained landscapes with GHF's presentation at Lawrence Bird Alliance. All members of the public are welcome!
Baker Wetlands Discovery Center
Monday
March 24, 2025
7 pm
Groundhogs at Snyder Prairie
Join Groundhogs volunteers as we complete various stewardship activities at GHF's Snyder Prairie. Email Nicole at grasslandheritage@gmail.com for further information.
Snyder Prairie, Mayetta, KS
Saturday
April 12, 2025
TBD
13th Annual Spring Native Plant Sale
Join us on the courtyard of Trinity Episcopal Church in Downtown Lawrence, KS for our 13th Annual Spring Native Plant Sale! We will have around 65 different species of native Kansas wildflowers and grasses available for sale. We will once again offer pre-orders exclusively for GHF members. Further details will be forthcoming on our Native Plant Sale webpage; stay tuned for updates!
Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vermont St., Lawrence KS 66044
Saturday
May 10, 2025
10 am - 1 pm
Native Plant Sale at the PAROC
The Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center (PAROC) and GHF are pleased to announce that they will once again host a Native Plant Sale for the community in and around Emporia. Join us at the PAROC on May 17, 2025 from 11 AM to 1 PM for in-person shopping, educational activities for youth, and information on how native plants will add beauty and habitat for birds, pollinators, and more!
Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center
Saturday
May 17, 2025
11 AM - 1 PM
National Prairie Day & Workday at Prairie Park
Celebrate National Prairie Day with GHF at Prairie Park! Learn about prairies, pollinators, and how to support this diverse ecosystem. Volunteer to help support the prairie restoration by removing invasive plants. All ages and levels of experience are welcome. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
Prairie Park- 2811 Kensington Road, Lawrence, KS, 66046
Saturday
June 07, 2025
9 am to 12 pm
Groundhogs at Snyder Prairie
Join Groundhogs volunteers as we complete various stewardship activities at GHF's Snyder Prairie. Email Nicole at grasslandheritage@gmail.com for further information.
Snyder Prairie, Mayetta, KS
Saturday
June 14, 2025
TBD
Fall Native Plant Sale
GHF will once again be hosting a Native Plant Sale this fall at Cottin’s Hardware Farmer’s Market! We will have approximately 25 species of Kansas native wildflowers, grasses and sedges. Fall is arguably THE best time to plant our beloved native prairie plants, as they get to spend all winter growing their root systems without expending precious resources on flowering. This means more robust plants in the spring with even more flowers to enjoy!
1832 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044
Thursday
September 2025
4 pm to 6:30 pm
Contact Grassland Heritage Foundation
PO Box 394
Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201
Send us a message