Greenwood Cemetery Prairie

Greenwood Cemetery Prairie sits next to one of the older cemeteries (1871) in Guthrie County. Just 3 small acres remain of this original native prairie that has never seen the plow. Historically, prairie once covered 75 to 80 percent of Iowa's landscape. Now, less than 0.1 percent of original prairie remains, scattered throughout tiny areas around the state. A variety of native prairie grasses and forbs inhabit this site. Bring your identification book and your camera to capture the beauty of this remarkable ecosystem. While you hike the area, keep in mind that what you see of the prairie plants is typically only 1/3 of the plant's height. Some plants have root systems that stretch over 15 feet into the ground. Friendly reminder: Please don't pick any wildflowers and be respectful of cemetery rules. Thank you.