Overland Conservation: Grasslands
Brittany Highland, Expedition Portal
The Silk Road holds mythical status among historical overland routes. When today’s travelers stalk the shadow of Marco Polo, the respect they earn is not only for their accomplishment but partially because of our awe surrounding the Silk Routes’ history dating back to 130 BCE during China’s Han Dynasty. Yet this network of famous trade roads has a lesser-known predecessor. The Steppe Route predated the Silk Routes by a yawning 2,000 years. As the Knossos palace complex welcomed its first occupants on the island of Crete and the Bronze Age began in China, horses, silk, furs, weapons, and precious stones were transported up to 6,000 miles over the vast grasslands of what is now Asia.
For most North Americans, it is the steppes of Mongolia and biologically dense savannas of Africa that still hold intrigue. Closer to home, we tend to associate grasslands with agriculture and emptiness, dreading driving across Kansas or Nebraska. If we’re honest, US grassland is nearly synonymous with “fly-over state.” But this association deserves a deeper examination.
Grasslands are a bridge between desert and forest, two ecosystems we previously examined in this series (Winter 2024 issue and Fall 2024 issue, respectively). Grasslands don’t have enough average rainfall to support tree growth but receive more precipitation than desert biomes. Because of the way grass decomposes, the soil becomes fertile and extends deep into the ground—ideal for crop growth. Twenty to forty percent of land on the globe is covered by grassland (depending on the definition), yet less than 10 percent of total grassland is protected and undisturbed.
Around the globe, grasslands have become part of our human story, so much that they hold the key to identity for many people groups—past to present. Across the prairies of North America, we laid railroad tracks to connect two coasts socially and economically. Where an estimated 30 million bison once ranged, cattle grazed, and cowboy culture formed. At the opposing latitude in South America, gauchos are national icons across several countries. These skilled horsemen herded cattle across the pampas (South American grasslands) and have a complex history spanning the wars for independence. And on the opposite side of the world, in parts of Mongolia and China, the people of the steppes safeguard a nomadic way of life. They are also masters in the saddle, using animals of the grasslands for food and drink.
This rich human history notwithstanding, grasslands have value beyond agricultural growth and livestock. Their deep and complex root systems absorb and hold carbon from the atmosphere. They conserve soil, filter water before it sinks into the water table, and provide habitats for a unique array of animal and plant life. Here are positive steps you can take to treat grasslands with care when you visit.
Get To Know Grasslands Close to Home
You’ll never value what you don’t know and won’t protect what you don’t value. Move beyond common associations with agricultural grasslands by searching out the beauty that blew the minds of Lewis and Clark as they crossed the continent. My favorite US grasslands are in the Dakotas, specifically around Badlands National Park (South Dakota) and Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota). When we camped just outside the park boundary of Badlands, a herd of bighorn sheep moved through the area at dusk, quietly grazing all around us.
Select Disturbed Campsites
A disturbed campsite is easily identifiable by an existing fire ring or sometimes just tire tracks across the ground. By choosing a site that has already been utilized rather than creating a new one, our community of overlanders can reduce the overall impact on the land. The same principle holds for staying on established trails instead of creating new tracks across vegetation and compacting the soil. An estimated 400 bird species use the Central Flyway across the Great Plains of Canada and the US each year. These migrating birds, as well as butterflies, rely on plant species to sustain their journeys. So, our efforts to conserve the life surrounding our campsite and trail system make a positive difference in the overall ecosystem.
Know Fire Rules Before You Go
Though wildfires are crucial to healthy grasslands, we want them to occur naturally and not because of our presence. While you’re still at home with internet coverage, search online for “(geographic location) fire restrictions.” It’s important to find current rules for the particular public land entity where you’re going because fire restrictions are always location-specific. Outside the US, speak with locals to determine whether campfires are wise. Where campfires are prohibited, portable fire pits or propane stoves may still be allowed.
Don’t Let Your Vehicle Disrupt an Ecosystem
The border check between Peru and Chile is the height of professionalism and a serious affair. A uniformed Chilean official repeatedly asked whether we were transporting fruits, vegetables, or seeds. We had to open the habitat door at the rear of our Jeep so a trained dog could perform a search, and we did surrender a few produce items we couldn’t consume in time. Friends told us their popcorn kernels were confiscated. Checkpoints like this can seem unreasonable until we hear stories of invasive species upending the balance of an ecosystem. As vehicle-based travelers, we have a clear responsibility to avoid transporting “unwanted guests” to new regions. Steps we can take include regularly washing our vehicle undercarriage, avoiding the transport of firewood, and keeping pets leashed in sensitive areas.
Honor the Human History of the Grasslands
It’s a mistake to separate humanity from the rest of life in the grasslands. While the land itself faces systemic threats like overgrazing, conversion to agriculture, and illegal hunting, so do the people groups who have called the land home for centuries. These groups are often the biggest advocates for conservation because they know what’s at stake. As we travel through the Mongolian steppes or African veld, we can take the time to meet the people who live there and contribute to their local economy. Sharing their stories with those back home helps us understand why grasslands matter.
Even with all of this, the mind’s eye easily dismisses fields of waving grass. “Grasslands get lumped together in a soup bowl with other vegetation types, and most of the focus goes to the ‘charismatic’ biomes—like tropical rainforests,” said Rheinhardt Scholtz, an ecologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. But one only needs to spend a night surrounded by the vastness of the grasslands to understand that they have plenty of charisma. Given their keystone place among the world’s ecosystems and their practical value to species and a balanced climate, they’re worth protecting just as much as the beaches, forests, and deserts we love.
Get Involved
In many parts of North America, grasslands once developed for agriculture or other purposes are being restored to their natural state. Grassroots Ecology in California, Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois, and Southeastern Grasslands Institute in Tennessee are three of many grassland conservation groups looking for volunteers. Land management agencies in the US, such as the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, list volunteer opportunities at volunteer.gov.
