Large to a Degree We Cannot Comprehend
There is an excellent book about the grasslands in North America, focusing largely on the Great Plains. It’s called Grassland – The History, Biology, Politics, and Promise of the American Prairie by Richard Manning. That’s a lot of heady topics to cover, but Manning does an excelent job, and the book is full of insights into the […]
Prairie Thunder
Prairie Thunder is an excellent book by Colorado author and photographer Dave Showalter. The book was published by Skyline Press in 2007 and contains excellent photos of Colorado’s eastern plains, as well as good descriptive writing that exhibits Showalter’s knowledge, and love of the east side of Colorado. Below is an excerpt from his excellent […]
These are excellent photos of TRNP, as well as some nice musings on nature and the Great Plains. Enjoyable.
Pedal the Plains
I had a chance to attend some of the events yesterday at “Pedal the Plains,” a bicycle ride that mirrors the “Ride the Rockies” event in Colorado. The idea is to highlight the beauty of the plains and get more people out there to enjoy it. It’s a goal that we share here at Great […]
An Extreme Simplicity of Line and Shape
While the best thing to do on the Great Plains is to get out and experience them in some physical way, perhaps the next best thing is to read books about the Great Plains, especially if the writer has some talent in describing the unique beauty that exists out there in “flyover country.” The author […]
The Wonder and Majesty . . .
I saw an excellent presentation last week about two topics that have already graced this blog: Sandhill Cranes and the Platte River. The program was presented by Ken Strom, Deputy Director for Audubon Colorado, and Stephen Jones, author of Sandhill Cranes: The Wonder and Majesty of their Migration. The two topics, of course, go hand […]
A Lingering Wild
If you’re not familiar with the photography of Michael Forsberg, here’s a link to a really nice, in depth look at the type of conservation work he’s doing to protect the plains. Michael Forsberg Video
The Great Drought (Again)
Dry and hot indeed – all over the Great Plains region.
If Bees Are Few . . .
I ran across this poem from Emily Dickinson recently and wanted to post it here. I don’t want to ruin it either with too much analysis, so I’m opting for no analysis at all, and just letting it stand alone. Enjoy! To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, One clover, and […]
Should Conservation Look Back? Examining Historic Wildlife Populations of America’s Serengeti
Should Conservation Look Back? Examining Historic Wildlife Populations of America’s Serengeti.
Minnesota Tall Grass Prairie
Generally speaking, the tall grass prairies that (used to) occupy a huge territory to the east of the 100th meridian are not considered part of the Great Plains. Still, these places display a rich biological diversity, and are unique in that they represent, on a small scale, a landscape that once covered thousands of square […]
High Noon
The extensive canyon lands that cover parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas have no all-encompassing name. The closest thing is the large escarpment called Black Mesa, which is in parts of Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma. In fact, the highest point of Oklahoma (4,973 feet) occupies a portion of Black Mesa, although the […]
