Prairie Valley Preserve

Discover Prairie Valley Preserve in Ames

Prairie Valley Preserve includes wetland and almost 50 acres of prairie, including remnant prairie. It is home to one of the very few remaining native prairies in Iowa. This prairie is special as it is a xeric, or dry soil prairie. Xeric prairies are rare for this area, as most local prairies are moist and support different species of plants.

The park's remnant prairie is named Landers Prairie, after Dr. R. Q. "Jake" Landers (1932-2024). Landers taught at ISU for 17 years (1962-1979) and was an early leader in the identification of prairie remnants and reconstruction methods. He inspired many through his teaching of ecological methods, including managing prairie with fire and establishing/reconstructing prairies with native seed sources. He taught with a "hands on" approach. Jake worked to teach students and others how we could use new methods to help the small remaining prairie remnants in Iowa. 

The preserve also includes 20 acres of wetland. This preserve is the first example in Story County of routing district tile water into an existing wetland. This process will help improve water quality, provide needed wetland habitat for wildlife, and enhance the existing wetland.