7/28/2010:
Some stereotype North Dakota as a flat and treeless state. To contradict such ideas, one has only to point to the badlands in the west and to tree-lined rivers and the tree-covered hills of the northern border. Still there is certainly a unique type of terrain that crosses North Dakota: the grasslands.
Today, North Dakota is home to three distinct national grasslands. Tall grasses cover the Sheyenne Grassland, while stock ponds dot the Cedar River Grassland. To the west lies the Little Missouri Grassland. It is not only the largest grassland in the state, but the largest grassland in the US, covering over 1 million acres. Coyotes, bobcats, elk, and other wildlife, can be spotted across the butte-filled land.
While many settlers rode the rails to their new homes, others crossed the Great Plains in covered wagons. As the grasses rippled in the wind like waves in the ocean, the white coverings for their wagons looked like ships' sails on the roaring sea. This earned them the name "prairie schooners." Reaching their destinations, many pioneers started farming the 160 acres of land offered by the Homestead Act. But in the semi-arid conditions of North Dakota, it simply wasn't enough land.
In the 1930s the dust bowl literally blew across the country. Lack of rain, over-farming and over-grazing had exhausted the land, leaving the dry dirt at the mercy of the wind. The government stepped in, buying many farmers and ranchers off their no-longer-profitable land. As Land Utilization Projects, the land was supposed to be better managed. In 1960, these public lands were officially given permanent status.
Over the years, many studies have been conducted to learn more about the grasslands. One such study was reported on this date in 1972. Heading an interdisciplinary research team, Dr. Kannowski was to study the Little Missouri Grassland. Funded in part by the National Geographic Society, Kannowski said he believed it to be the first study in the state funded by the society. Kannowski hoped to show the importance of grasslands, among other things. Indeed, grasslands protect against soil erosion. They also provide homes for many plant and animal species including pollinators and threatened and endangered species.
Today, North Dakota's grasslands serve a variety of purposes. Interspersed with private lands, ranchers pay for grazing permits for their cattle. Over 500 oil wells take advantage of the land's underground resources. Above ground, the grasslands serve to protect wildlife while providing space for public recreation. So, get out and enjoy the grasslands yourself. Hike or bike along a trail or sit and enjoy the waving grasses and the wide sky!
Dakota Datebook written by Alyssa Boge
Sources:
Devils Lake Journal - July 28th, 1972
"The National Grasslands: A Guide to America's Undiscovered Treasures" by Francis
Moul - 2006.