A Diversity of Prairies in the Prairie State of Kansas.
Prairie Landscapes
Prairie landscapes are best enjoyed when experienced in every season, in many different ways, and with friends and family. The beauty of Kansas is often expressed in gentle landforms and peaceful panoramas. Birds and other wildlife can be seen and enjoyed throughout the year, almost everywhere. One can combined nature appreciation with a country drive, while walking or hiking trails or seldom used roads, while horseback riding along scenic ridges and down rugged ravines, or exploring wooded valleys. Canoeing on state lakes or the reliable portion of the Arkansas River provides additional outdoor opportunities There are many public places to picnic and parks with campgrounds. Some private landowners provide ranch lodging experiences, trail rides and special wagon rides. Central Kansas, as featured in this publication, provides an array of opportunities to discover the pastoral countryside and intriguing communities. Visitors can enjoy quaint villages and community celebrations, historic observances, music festivals, county fairs, rodeos and sample home town cooking and ethnic cuisine. Our philosophy: Appreciation of our natural heritage and our cultural heritage go hand in hand.
 This land and landscape offer a sense of place that is particularly appreciated by ranch families, the group of landowners who do most to preserve elements of natural prairie landscapes, other area residents and virtually everyone who visits. Many landowners are dedicated to a way of life and stewardship for a unique place of life for a diverse flora and fauna, and to them we all owe a debt of gratitude. We commend all residents who preserve historic stone or wood barns, and irreplaceable “Post Rock” fences.
Grassland Birds
 Grassland birds continue to declare their presence and claim to breeding territories with spring and summer song and/or aerial flights. Western Meadowlarks and Upland Sandpipers perch on fences, along with Nighthawks, Eastern Kingbirds, Dickcissels, Grasshopper and Lark Sparrows. Thermal updrafts and the winds rising along ridges provide the lift for soaring birds. Red-tailed Hawks are the most common year round “bird of prey”. Turkey Vultures are commonly seen overhead, especially in hill country, searching for food. Flocks of Lapland, McCown’s, Chestnut-collared and Smith’s Longspurs return to the central plains every fall and winter to feed on weed seeds along with flocks of Horned Larks in open fields.
The expanses of native prairie rangelands in the Smoky Hills have remained one of the the state’s most important habitats for Greater Prairie-chickens. Lesser Prairie-chickens reside in native grassland associated with the western Red Hills in and around Coldwater and westward to and including prime Sandsage Prairie habitat paralleling the Arkansas River.
Wetlands and Birds
 Wetlands attract an astonishing array of birds. Throughout much of the year wetlands attract and host waterfowl, wading birds, cranes, shorebirds, grebes, rails, coots, gulls, terns, raptors and passerines--frequently called songbirds. Many species can be observed from dikes, some open to private vehicles that can be used as as “observation blinds” where viewers can watch behavior and minimize disturbance. Wetlands are ideal places for both beginning and advanced birders. Binoculars are almost essential to adequately take in the experience, and spotting scopes on window mounts or tripods contribute greatly to a detailed view. Incredibly, scores of species can be seen at the same time at Cheyenne Bottoms, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, and other high quality wetlands. They were cornerstones in the successful quest of ornithologists Mark Robbins, Roger McNeill and Mike Rader when they set out on May 13, 2002 to establish a new record for number of bird species seen in Kansas during a single 24-hour period. They tallied 225 species in a series of stops from the bottomlands at Leavenworth to central Kansas wetlands.
 Prairie Wildflowers
Prairie wildflowers offer a season-long succession of color with new floral arrangements in every month of the growing season from April into October. With every flower comes a parade of symbiotic and opportunistic insects as colorful as butterflies and iridescent beetles. Broods of Bobwhite Quail and Prairie-chickens, and most prairie songbirds depend on a smorgasbord of insects that are associated with native plants, and later the seeds and fruits produced by these same forbs and shrubs. Native grasses and shrubs add greatly to the palette of fall colors that are painted in upland prairies and along unmowed roadsides. Frost, winter snow and ice give the landscape other dimensions of interest and beauty that are greatly appreciated by artists, photographers and all who revel in nature.
Wildlife
A diversity of wildlife live within prairie rangelands and meadows, shrub thickets and woodlands. Combined with the fact that many are active at night, most mammals are either secretive or, like Bobcats and Badgers, move with considerable stealth. Prairie Dogs consistently provide the best show for observation, especially when young pups are out in spring and early summer. Cottontail Rabbits, Jackrabbits, Raccoons and Opossums are most frequently seen along country roads in the evening. Most small mammals, including Kangaroo Rats, Meadow Voles, White-footed Mice, Plains Pocket Gophers and their cousins try to stay underground or under cover most of the time to escape detection by hawks and owls, and other predators.
 Listening to Wildlife
Listening to wildlife is every bit as rewarding as viewing. Although the broad spectrum of bird calls and songs is sufficiently rewarding, additional dimensions are offered in twilight hours and at night. Dawn and dusk are great times to hear cackling Pheasants, and Prairie-chickens are best experienced in the early morning, starting at dawn. During summer evenings, Poor-wills can be heard on upland prairies, and sometimes under a full moon Dickcissels and Henslow’s Sparrows call. The abundance of Coyotes often goes undetected except by those who are out in the countryside after sunset and before sunrise when they are actively moving about and declaring their presence with distinctive howling.
Streams
Crystal clear prairie streams are as refreshing as brooks in high mountains and forested plateaus. Streams coming from watersheds dominated by native grasses run clear much of the time. Wherever water gathers for the benefit of amphibians, Spotted Chorus, Northern Cricket, Plains Leopard and other frogs add to the sounds of summer afternoons and evenings. Thousands of farm ponds made for livestock watering and fishing have been built on private land. They routinely attract waterfowl during spring and fall migrations.
Beautiful Skies
Prairie skies are often breathtakingly beautiful. Prairie sunrises and sunsets are among the best, but no prairie experience is complete without the awe-inspiring view of thousands of stars on a warm summer without any distractions. It is a camping experience too frequently overlooked. Thunderstorm clouds often extend skyward like Himalayan Mountains. The dynamic energy of nature is often expressed by the clouds and winds. Sunlight piercing through passing thunderstorms is similar to that portrayed by famous paintings. Partial, complete and double rainbows often arch across the sky.
Our Reptile Friends
 Reptiles rule the rock outcrops. Within the class of reptiles living on arid hillsides it is always a treat to see Horned Lizards. A variety of lizards, skinks and snakes contribute to the biodiversity of all places in the state that have natural plant communities and landscape features. Hilly terrain with rock outcrops and streams, such as that found in the Red Hills, provide habitat for the greatest species richness. With an apparent increase of Greater Roadrunners in that area, small reptiles need to beware! In the classification of turtles, the Ornate Box Turtle takes the title for being an indicator of native prairie. The land tortoise was designated as the state’s “official reptile” in 1986. They are easy to catch, but should not be removed from their individual countryside haunts because populations are declining in many areas. It is best to take only photographs, preserve the harmony of nature and cherish memories of wildlife encounters.
Hunting and Fishing
Hunting and fishing opportunities offer additional ways to enjoy the landscape and natural features of this area. Central Kansas is noted for White-tailed Deer, upland game birds, especially Pheasants, and migratory waterfowl. Persons with hunting or fishing licenses who also enjoy wildlife viewing when afield have access to tens of thousands of acres of private land seasonally enrolled for “Walk-In” hunting and fishing. Our philosophy: Combine complementary outdoor experiences.
Life on the Frontier
Frontier forts served the historic trails that crossed this territory. During the first decades of exploration and settlement expansion to the Rocky Mountains and west coast, Kansas was often a gateway and the landscape where travelers first experienced vast expanses of tallgrass, midgrass and shortgrass prairie. The activity, excitement and sense of adventure was enormous. The Santa Fe Trail crossed central Kansas and, aside from Indian trails, was the first to be established in the early 1820s. Fort Larned was built in 1859 and was the military fort in central Kansas. Troops protected wagon trains and escorted U.S. mail. Now a National Historic Site, it is one of the best surviving examples of a frontier army post and is managed today by the National Park Service. Tours and educational exhibits are available to visitors. Fort Zarah was built in 1864 at present day Great Bend to serve as one of a chain of forts along the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Dodge was established the following year farther west along the Arkansas River to serve as a supply depot and a base of operations against the Plains Indians.
The Smoky Hill Trail was prompted by the discovery of gold near Denver and the rush to the Rockies in 1859. Fort Hays, Fort Harker (current town site of Kanopolis) and Fort Wallace were all established in 1865 to defend travelers and military supply lines on the Smoky Hill Trail, the Butterfield Overland Dispatch stage line, and later railroad construction crews.
Conservation
 Conservation of prairie landscapes, flora and fauna is important. The most important thing that landowners can do to help with preservation of biological diversity in the Great Plains is to preserve and employ good stewardship for any lands that have never been plowed. Natural, unfragmented expanses and patches of prairie are increasingly rare. Only about four percent of the continent’s Tallgrass Prairie remains today. Only about twenty percent of the original Midgrass/Mixed Grass Prairie, Shortgrass Prairie, and Sandsage Prairie exist today, and much of that is in fragmented landscapes. Kanas is still blessed with exceptional examples and expanses of each type. Hopefully, the Grassland Reserve Program and appropriate other federal programs will provide sufficient incentives for continued good stewardship on private lands, and public agencies will make preservation a priority on existing public lands.
Establishment, preservation and management of native grasses and wildflowers are the hallmarks of Integrated Roadside Vegetative Management (IRVM) programs. Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) manages nearly 150,000 acres of vegetated rights-of-way and has increasingly adopted this approach in recent years. Residents and visitors who appreciate wildflowers and native grasses that are allowed to mature along roadsides, have opportunities to express support to KDOT for naturalistic landscaping and to county commissioners for rural roads. Limited mowing practices and reductions in the use of herbicides reduces consumption of fossil fuels and saves taxpayers millions of dollars in states and tens of thousands in counties. In some intensively cultivated landscapes roadsides provide about the only undisturbed nesting habitat for grassland nesting species. Likewise, it is often the best place for native shrubs-- including Wild Plum, Chokecherry and Elderberry--to flower, bear fruit and provide habitat for shrub nesting species.
 Ranching Legacy
The legacy of ranching has provided the primary means for prairie stewardship during the past 150 years. Most of this state’s prairie, and other agricultural land, is privately owned. It has been preserved privately, as native rangelands and hay meadows, and therein lies the greatest hope for the future. A variety of agencies and organizations are also involved in management of public lands with remnants or expanses of prairie and associated habitats. Many of these allow public access and are outlined in this publication.
--Text and photos by Ron Klataske and Ryan Klataske
Graphic Design by LeAnn Bauman
|
|
