Saturday, June 4, 2016

Changes on the Prairie---- Prairie Days

Every year on the first Saturday in June the prairies of North America are given a bit of attention. The prairies have been blessed with one of the richest ecosystems on the face of the earth that is quickly disappearing. 


Prairies are pleasant in North America with a large flat grassland running from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan down to Texas. Wild life is abundant on the prairie. Prairie dogs, prairie chickens, buffalo, bison, elk, deer, rabbits, hawks and foxes are all present. The prairie offers plantings year round to help feed, shelter and create nesting materials for the habitat.



The prairies has changed over the years. The 170 million acres has been reduced in the last 150 years to 1 percent of habitat. The species that once thrived in the fertile soil have now been planted with crops of wheat, sorghum , flax , rye and oats.



The loss of this ecosystem is contributing to extinction of native birds, pollinators, insects and wildlife. The prairie that once served as a living ecological and native American cultural research station has changed. National Prairie Day is a chance to educate the public on the preservation, conservation and restoration of the land. The history, wildlife and habitats of the prairie are all disappearing.


The prairie is breathtaking when in its peaceful place with its natural beauty. The grasslands that were once present have been replaced with the "amber waves of grain". Art work from Harvey Dunn in South Dakota, poetry from Walt Whitman and books from Laura Ingalls Wilder all demonstrated the beauty of life in the prairie.





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3 comments:

  1. Photos by StanJune 5, 2016 at 6:52 PM

    That topmost scene is absolutely eye-popping!! The lighting, color, composition and texture are all superb. I just wish you would have excluded the watermark or whatever that is...still, kudos..

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  2. Melbourne Australia PhotosJune 8, 2016 at 9:31 PM

    Many thanks for taking part in the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

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  3. DeniseinVAJune 9, 2016 at 11:43 AM

    Hi Annie, I enjoyed your post very much, not only for the beauty that you captured of the Prairie, which included that very cute Prairie Dog, those gorgeous blanket flowers(?), along with that glorious field of wheat, but for the very important message it contained. Thank you so much for sharing with Today's Flowers, and I wish you a very happy day :)

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