Grasslands: A disappearing treasure

Imagine a landscape, where grasses sway in the wind, where wildflowers bloom from the first days of spring until the falling leaves of autumn. During the day butterflies paint the skies, and bird songs fill the air, while at night fireflies dance under the stars. 

To many of us that grew up in Ohio, this sounds idyllic, a perfect capturing of childhood summer memories. But you have probably noticed those sights are less and less common. You see fewer butterflies than you remember as a child, or perhaps the sounds of bobwhite quail have grown to be a distant memory.

Grasslands support a huge variety of species, more than many would expect. The following are just a few species:

• Mammals — Whitetail Deer, Eastern Cottontail Rabbits

• Birds — Ring-neck Pheasants, Northern Bobwhite Quail Wild Turkey

• Pollinators — Butterflies and Bees.

In Ohio, our grasslands are shrinking, and with them, these scenes vanish across the landscape. Whether gobbled up by expanding cities or development, overgrown into forests, or converted into cropland and pasture, our native prairies are at great risk of being lost forever. And if they go, so too do many sights and sounds we of the Buckeye State love.

So how can we stop this? Well, the answer is as simple as it is challenging. We need more grasslands, and every little bit helps. But creating grasslands can be intimidating, especially if you are trying to fund it yourself. 

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are both government programs available to help create wildlife habitat, and grasslands are no exception to these. These programs can help pay for the creation of these habitats, and if the land has been cropped in commodities such as corn or soy, it may be eligible for regular rental payments as well. If you are interested in creating this habitat, contacting your local Farm Service Agency or Farm Bill Biologist is a great place to start.