CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
Bison Roam, Grasslands Thrive Again at Dunn Ranch Prairie
When the Dunn family homesteaded in northern Missouri 150 years ago, the land was miles of virgin bluestem and switchgrass—a sea of grass as far as the eye could see. Through the years, the countryside changed. Most of the land was used for grazing cattle or turned into corn or wheat fields. The prairie grasslands diminished. By the mid-1900s, of the original 15 million acres of grassland in Missouri, only remnants of the tallgrass prairie remained. Doug Ladd, TNC’s former director of conservation, saw the land at Dunn Ranch Prairie, located in Hatfield, Mo., firsthand in the 1980s. “It was beautiful property,” he said. “More than 2,000 acres, half of which had never seen a plow.” In 1999, The Nature Conservancy purchased Dunn Ranch Prairie from descendants of the Dunn family. In 2019, we celebrated its 20th year of protection. Now at 3,258 acres, the prairie buzzes with activity as staff and volunteers re-seed native species, remove non- native plants, share insights with local farmers, and teach area school children about the value of the land. Throughout the years, TNC has collaborated with other conservation partners such as the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Bison have been reintroduced; the federally endangered Topeka shiner population has been improved; and greater prairie-chicken breeding grounds have been reestablished. Community and landowner outreach is also vital so that knowledge gained from testing strategies and research can be shared. Learning what issues face local landowners and working together is a priority. James Cole, TNC’s director of conservation programs, is optimistic about the future. “We get to celebrate this milestone because of the dedicated support of our donors through the years. We hope that Dunn Ranch Prairie thrives for another 20 years and continues to influence and inform grassland conservation. We are still learning from the prairie every year, and we want
future generations to learn from it, as well.”
This story was written by longtime Conservancy member and writer Ann Vernon, who felt inspired by the beauty of Dunn Ranch Prairie and wanted to help share its story. “Dunn Ranch Prairie is such a special place to so many people,” Ann said. “I am happy to help share its rich history and celebrate 20 years of prairie restoration.”
THIS PAGE top Bison and calf at Dunn Ranch Prairie. © Barbara Sullivan BOTTOM Greater prairie-chickens at Dunn Ranch Prairie. © Danny Brown
14 MISSOURI: ACTION AND IMPACT
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker