The Great Plains of North America were once covered by a rich prairie ecosystem, which extended from western Ohio to the Rocky Mountain foothills. Today, most of the grasslands have been replaced by cropfields and ranches, significantly diminishing the natural diversity of this region.
Even before the prairies were lost to the farmer's plow and the cattleman's herds, riparian (stream-side) communities were vital to the Great Plains ecology, providing food, shelter, nest sites and natural highways for the varied wildlife of this vast and open country. Now that cropfields cover much of the region, these streams, with their associated woodlands and wetlands, are critical ribbons of natural habitat across an altered landscape; nevertheless, riparian habitats are among our most threatened natural communities, often falling victim to stream diversion and pollution.
Prairie streams concentrate the wild residents of the Great Plains and offer attractive settings for wildlife observation. A wide variety of grassland birds and mammals roost, nest and den along these valleys, which also attract the raptors and carnivores that prey on them. During the spring and fall migrations, these riparian woodlands are ideal for observing songbird migrations and, over the centuries, both wildlife and humans have taken advantage of these bountiful corridors to explore the Heartland and to expand their populations.
