For thousands of years, climate and drainage patterns of the Flint Hills geology nurtured the prairie grasses and forbs. Consequentially, these forces created features that were integral in supporting animal and human life. Drawn to the land by its rich natural resources, humans used the bounty they found here to further shape the land. Early hunter-gatherers were profoundly connected to the prairie landscape. They followed the great herds of bison in a natural ebb and flow. Following these herds guaranteed the sustenance of these early societies. In many ways today’s ranchers and prairie residents mimic this reliance on the land. Grazing animals such as buffalo or cattle are a necessary component of prairie ecology. Yet overgrazing can diminish the leaf area that conducts photosynthesis and alter the next years growth of plants.