Water is a most precious resource. Prairies adapt to the changing availability of water. The long taproots of perennial grasses are needed in dry, thick-soiled environments to ensure water availability. Ecologically, what happens when the soil becomes a thin layer? Which species predominate? What happens when a dry prairie melds into a wetland environment? What happens when the prairie meets the river?

Because Winona is located next to a major river and since there are nearby examples of prairies that range from sand prairie to dry prairie to wet prairie to the special thin-soiled "goat prairie" of the surrounding limestone and sandstone bluffs, we have chosen The Prairie Meets the River as a theme to emphasize the importance of water in the prairie environment.

The North American Prairie Conference website

Last Modified: Sunday, March 02, 2008 10:43 by Jeffrey Anderson