Before people began to settle here, Iowa was a vast land with
marshes, forest, and tall grassland prairies. Out of all these
things, the tall grass prairies disappeared the most. The
prairies used to cover 30 million acres, or about 80 percent of
Iowa. Today, only one tenth of one percent remains.
Many
ask “why did settlement ruin the prairies?” Actually, humans
need places to live. They need land to build houses and
businesses, and also to grow crops or personal gardens. Since
most of the land was prairie, they would use the vast assortment
of plants. They would use things like the tall grasses for
their houses.
The
prairies where home to many animals. When the prairies where
destroyed, so were those animals homes. Then animals would have
to go out and find a new food source, a place to raise young,
and a home. That would cause them to go out and become a
nuisance.
There
are many people, groups, clubs, and organizations that are
trying to preserve and replant. The DNR (department of natural
resources) is always creating days and events to get people to
help replant the prairies. |
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