Settlers in this region found that they had the best of both worlds. They could locate a cabin at the edge of the forest and have access to springs and timber in the valleys, as well as the native grasses of the uplands. In addition, the abundance of wildlife made the West Central Region an ideal location to establish a home. Swamp milkweed at Ripgut Prairie Natural Area in Bates County. Over 2 million acres of the West Central Region was covered by prairie at one time.
Prairies can be home to a variety of wildlife and plants.
The Conservation Department hopes to establish and restore 3,100 acres of native prairie grasses in the region. Woodsmen logged most of the timber resources to provide railroad ties and lumber for the expanding nation. Settlers extensively logged upland forests and annually burned to remove ticks and provide browse for livestock. They also cleared bottomland forests and cultivated the deep, fertile soils. Many of the marshes in the bottoms were filled for the same reason.