T.H. Steele Prairie State Preserve
T.H. Steele Prairie consists of
200 acres of native tallgrass prairie in two tracts, both of which are located
northwest of Larrabee, Iowa. This undeveloped
land is owned by the IDNR, which purchased the site with assistance from The
Nature Conservancy in 1986. The land is managed by the Cherokee County
Conservation Board. Hunting is permitted. Vegetation ranges from upland mesic
prairie to wet prairie communities. Steele Prairie is classified as a biological
and geological state preserve due to the diversity of tallgrass prairie plants
and wildlife present, as well as the undisturbed nature of its rolling terrain,
shaped by glaciers 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. Iowa’s tallgrass prairie is
considered by many as one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet.
Others feel that due to its current fragmented nature, the tallgrass prairie is
truly extinct. A visit to Steele Prairie is a step into history!
Location
1520 440th St.
Larrabee, Ia 51029