History+of+the+Preserve

=History of the Preserve=

by Rick Dietz
The Richard W. Pohl Memorial Preserve at Ames High Prairie (popularly known more simply as Ames High Prairie) is a 22-acre preserve containing a small tallgrass prairie remnant. It is located on the west side of Ames High School within the city limits of Ames in Story County. The land was originally purchased by the school district in 1956 for use as a football field. In 1971, however, it was established as an environmental education area as a result of a popular vote in Ames. The property is presently leased by the Ames Unified School District to the [|Iowa Chapter of The Nature Conservancy]. It was dedicated as a biological state preserve in 1997. ([|Iowa DNR - State Preserves])

The photos below illustrate the encroachment of woody vegetation between the 1930's and 1990's, and the progress made by volunteers in expanding and reconnecting remnant cells. (Images from [|Iowa Geographic Map Server])

__1930's__ ...........................................................................................__1990's__ ....................................................................................

__2002__ ........................................................................................... __2004__ .......................................................................................

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