Island of Grass Ebook

"Wohl makes a substantial contribution to the whole effort of grassland conservation by raising awareness of the beauty and complexity of a generally unappreciated type of ecosystem, even (or perhaps especially) in an urbanizaing environment."
- Carl E. Bock, University of Colorado, Boulder

"This book is stimulating and informative, providing an excellent overview of a significant American ecosystem."
-Chicago Botanic Garden

"....great insight into a world that should matter more to everyone."
-Choice Magazine

"Anyone interested in geography-particularly the conservation, preservation, and ecology of shortgrass prairie systems-and/or the natural history of Colorado will find this diagram, map, and photo-filled book useful.. . . Awareness-inducing works like Wohl's are important contributions to the never-ending battle to preserve nature no matter how dynamic or exciting the place might or might not be."
-Jeffrey Widener, Material Culture

Island of Grass tells the story of the Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area, a 240-acre preserve surrounded by housing developments in Fort Collins, Colorado. This small grassland is a remnant of the once-vast prairies of the West that early European explorers and settlers described as seas of grass.

Agricultural land use and urban expansion during the past two centuries have fragmented and altered these prairies. All that remains today are small islands. These remnants cannot support some of the larger animals that once roamed the prairie, but they continue to support a diverse array of plants and animals and can still teach us much about grassland ecology. Through her examinations of daily changes during walks across the Fromme Prairie over the course of a year, Ellen Wohl explores one of the more neglected ecosystems in North America, describing the geology, soils, climate, ecology, and natural history of the area, as well as providing glimpses into the lives of the plants, animals, and microbes inhabiting this landscape.

Although small in size, pieces of preserved shortgrass prairie like the Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area are rich, diverse, and accessible natural environments deserving of awareness, appreciation, and protection. Anyone concerned with the ecology and conservation of grasslands in general, the ecology and conservation of open space in urban areas, or the natural history of Colorado will be interested in this book.

Ellen E. Wohl teaches geology at Colorado State University and is the author of six other books.