Hayden Prairie State Preserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hayden Prairie State Preserve |
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 Hayden Prairie State Preserve
Location in Iowa
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| Location | Howard County, Iowa |
| Nearest city | Chester |
| Area | 240 acres (97 ha) |
| Established | 1945 |
| Governing body | Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
| Designated: | 1965 |
The Hayden Prairie State Preserve is a special natural area in Howard County, Iowa. It covers about 240 acres (97 hectares) and is a rare piece of tallgrass prairie. This prairie is a National Natural Landmark. It is managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. You can find it near the northern border of Iowa, close to the towns of Chester and Lime Springs.
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The Story of Hayden Prairie
This important prairie is named after a botanist named Ada Hayden (1884–1950). Ada grew up on an Iowa farm. She studied at the Missouri Botanical Garden and Iowa State University. In 1918, she earned a PhD in biology. She was one of the first women in the U.S. to achieve this.
Ada Hayden's Dedication to Prairies
Ada Hayden became a professor of botany at Iowa State University. She spent her life working to protect the tallgrass prairies of her home state. During her time, most of Iowa's prairies were disappearing. Settlers had arrived in the 1800s. They used plows to turn the prairie into farmland.
By 1940, very little prairie was left. The state of Iowa gave Ada Hayden $100 for gas. She used this money to drive around Iowa. Her goal was to find and identify any remaining patches of prairie.
Saving the Prairie Land
Ada Hayden found a few small prairie areas. One of these was the land that became Hayden Prairie. In 1945, the state of Iowa bought this land. They paid $10,001 for it, which was about $42 per acre.
After Ada Hayden passed away in 1950, the prairie was renamed in her honor. It became a National Natural Landmark in 1965. Then, in 1968, it was listed as an Iowa State Preserve. Since 1971, the prairie has been managed using controlled burning. This helps keep the prairie healthy.
Exploring Hayden Prairie's Nature
Hayden Prairie is a small piece of the original tallgrass prairie. This ecosystem once covered 75 to 80 percent of Iowa. Even though this preserve is only 240 acres (0.97 square kilometers), it is the largest tallgrass prairie left in Iowa. The only larger prairie areas are in the Loess Hills on the state's western border.
Plants and Wildflowers
More than 200 different plant species grow in Hayden Prairie. This includes over 100 kinds of wildflowers. The prairie is especially known for its beautiful display of shooting stars. These flowers are usually at their best around the U.S. holiday of Memorial Day.
Animals of the Prairie
Hayden Prairie is also home to many animals. Scientists have identified 46 different species of birds here. More than 20 types of butterflies also live in the preserve. It is a great place to see nature up close.
