Prairie is an ecosystem dominated by grasses and wildflowers with few trees, typically less than 10% canopy cover. Prairie once covered the central third of North America from western Ohio to Texas to the Rockies. The eastern band of the prairie was the tallgrass or bluestem prairie. Prairie plants, with roots penetrating deep into the soil, are adapted to the midsummer droughts of this region as well as occasional grazing and repeated fire. The Nature Reserve's prairie plantings (on former farmland or pasture) represent this once-vast, nearly treeless ecosystem, of which less than 1 percent of the original remains intact.
There are about 400 acres of prairie plantings at Shaw Nature Reserve, with new ones being planted in the Wolf Run Lake area. Prairie plants are introduced by direct seeding, and Shaw Nature Reserve collects, processes, and re-seeds 700+ pounds of seed from more than 200 species. Similar to the glade ecosystems at Shaw Nature Reserve, there are many species of wildflowers that bloom in the prairie during the growing season. The leaves, stalks, and blossoms of these wildflowers present a fascinating variety of colors, shapes, and textures. There are various species of goldenrods and sunflowers that spread across the prairie in bright yellow masses in late summer, while to discover other species may require more careful searching among the grasses.
For hikers, the Prairie Trail originates at Brush Creek Trial, rises to an observation deck, then descends to the trail’s end point near the Gardenway Bus Stop. The low area near Brush Creek contains many species of plants found in wet prairies. The observation deck provides an exhilarating view of the multicolored prairie and the surrounding rolling hills. The Trail House Loop Road also winds through the prairie, from just past the West Bridge over Brush Creek to the Bus Stop and Wetland Trail head area.
Why Prairie Matters, by Doug Ladd