Why Prairie Matters: New Relevancies of a Vanishing Landscape

Up until the time of statehood, Missouri had 15 million acres of prairie. Today, fewer than 50,000 scattered original, unplowed prairies exist today. In this presentation, Missouri Prairie Foundation Executive Director Carol Davit shares the history, beauty, and conservation of Missouri’s prairies, and presents facets of the a “tallgrass prairie economy,” which uses an ancient ecosystem as a model for new, sustainable landscapes that benefit people in many ways.

Benefits of Native Plants to Missouri’s Communities

Nearly 2,000 plant species are native to Missouri. They are the foundation of many facets of our economies–from timber production to outdoor recreation–and are the backbone of our agricultural history. Today, there are new uses of native plants in communities that improve quality of life for all, including creation of pollinator habitat, reduction of Nature Deficit Disorder, stormwater management, and carbon storage. In her presentation, Executive Director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation and its Grow Native! program, Carol Davit, will share past, present, and potentially future uses of native plants in Missouri communities.