Iowa, another fly over state that most don't associate with tourist stops. However, some billboards enticed us to detour south of off Route 80 where we found the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City. The site has a herd of American bison that is part of the efforts to preserve this great beast. They have a program of circulating bison with other herds in the US and Canada in an effort to maintain genetic diversity.
We saw bison but they were very far away.
The refuge is part of an effort to restore and preserve the prairie grasslands that used to dominate the center of the country before farming took over. The tall grass prairies were in danger being totally wiped out and many of the unique grasses lost because of the extensive farming across the middle of the US. This refuge, and others are trying to preserve these ancient grasses. Reconstruction has started on over 3,000 acres and restoration is taking place on more than 300 acres of prairie remnants.
At the visitor's center we took a hike out on the interpretive trail where it was easier to experience the tall prairie grasses.
And, even though it was late in the summer, there were a lot of wildflowers blooming along the trail.
The milkweed pods were beginning to release their fluffy seeds.
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