Honoring the Midwest's native grasslands at Kansas City's botanical garden

Celebrating National Prairie Day at Powell Gardens

Powell Gardens

May 14, 2025

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Each year on the first Saturday of June, National Prairie Day invites us to reflect on one of North America’s most endangered ecosystems: the prairie. Founded by the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) in 2016, this day enhances public awareness, encourages education and conservation, and celebrates the historical, ecological, and cultural significance of prairie landscapes. In 2025, National Prairie Day falls on Saturday, June 7, and Powell Gardens is proud to join the celebration.

Why Prairie Matters

Prairies—especially Missouri’s tallgrass prairies—are among the least conserved and most threatened habitats on Earth. Of the 15 million acres of prairie that once stretched across Missouri, less than 70,000 acres of high-quality remnants remain. That’s less than half of one percent of the original landscape! The need to protect and restore prairie is not just a local priority; it’s a global conservation imperative.

But the prairie is more than just a landscape. It’s alive! The prairie is resilient, dynamic, and deeply tied to the identity of all who call the Midwest home. It is a habitat rich in biodiversity, home to pollinators, birds, and rare plants with high conservatism values. These conservative species, like the Tuberous Grass Pink or Oklahoma grass pink orchid, cannot thrive without intact native grasslands.

What does it mean if a plant has a high conservatism value? The coefficient of Conservation (CC-value) is a scientific measurement of a species’ fidelity to a stable, undisturbed environment. A plant with higher conservatism values, specifically a CC-value of 7-10, indicates it as a conservative species. These plants are closely linked to a specific habitat and are not commonly found in disturbed or degraded areas. Plants with a high conservatism value can be used as quality indicators for a site’s naturalness and are important for conservation efforts.

Prairie at Powell Gardens

Powell Gardens is located at the intersection of eastern tallgrass prairie and the Ozark border, making it a living classroom for exploring prairie ecology. We are proud to care for and conserve several prairie-inspired areas across our acreage:

Ona’s Prairie, named in honor of Ona Gieschen, is a restored prairie located in southwest Pettis County, MO. It is a living representative of a pre-settlement landscape in North America. Learn more on our webpage or blog.

The Butterfly Meadow, located in the Heartland Harvest Garden, is an ever-changing mosaic of wildflowers that attract pollinators and showcase the beauty of prairie plants throughout the seasons.

The Wildflower Meadow, located near the Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel, supports biodiversity and demonstrates the impact of prairie plants in their natural environment.

These spaces are more than beautiful—they are active participants in prairie conservation. By preserving and showcasing native plants, Powell Gardens contributes to the long-term survival of species that can no longer thrive in fragmented and disturbed environments.

Conservation in Action

At Powell Gardens, our conservation efforts are guided by our organization’s mission: sharing the importance of plants in our lives. We are working to protect remnant prairies and reconstructing native grasslands on our property and beyond. By introducing the Midwest Center for Regenerative Agriculture at Powell Gardens in 2024, we are expanding our commitment to land restoration and educating the public about the ecological importance of native plants.

Prairie as a Philosophy

Celebrating prairie isn’t just about preserving a plant community—it’s about embracing a Midwestern identity rooted in resilience, diversity, and harmony with nature. The prairie teaches us about adaptation, coexistence, and the quiet strength of roots that run deep. In this way, National Prairie Day is more than a day of recognition. It’s a call to action and a moment of reflection for all who call the prairie home.