About the Blackland Prairie
The original prairie is a diverse unplowed ecosystem of mainly native grasses and flowering plants (forbs). The type of prairie called Blackland once stretched from the Red River to the Gulf Coast. The bands of dark alkaline clays grow especially robust stands of tallgrass prairie grasses such as big and little bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, and sideoats grama. These prairies, once home to herds of buffalo, provide habitat for a rich diversity of birds and animals.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, less than 1% of the original blackland prairie remains, lost forever due to development, row-crop agriculture, and overgrazing. It is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the U.S. The vestiges are in public and private hands, with some of the acreage in need of being rehabilitated.
The blackland prairie is a part of our history and the landscape of our pioneer heritage. It is the original unchanged land that the ancestors of our community walked upon. We must cherish and preserve our living history for generations to come.
1 Comment
Tommy Tolson · July 14, 2022 at 1:08 am
Any plant that photosynthesizes will emit no GHGs. The plant makes sucrose from the carbon and stores it, so the carbon becomes harmless and the plant emits oxygen. Tall grass does it best, probably because of its massive root structure.
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