Big bluestem skeletons
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The Prairie Ecologist
Essays, photos, and discussion about prairie ecology, restoration, and management
The Prairie Ecologist 
I grew up very near the Kansas Flint Hills region — close enough I saw them regularly at all seasons. This sort of scene was, of course, a common sight in winter and early springtime. To me it never looked bleak, as it was a promise of fresh green bluestem after the spring rains. Dad had explained to me why the ranchers burned the grass, and I occasionally got to see it being done.