As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, there's no shortage of reflection about the landscapes, history, and ideals that have shaped this country. For many people, iconic American landscapes might include mountains, forests, or coastlines. But there's another ecosystem—vast, vital, and often overlooked—that's quietly disappearing: grasslands.

You might know grasslands by other names: prairies, plains, or savannas. Regardless of the name, grasslands matter more than you might think. They filter and supply clean water, store carbon, sustain rural communities and economies, and support iconic wildlife like bison, black-footed ferrets, and birds. But roughly 70% of America's grasslands have already been lost. And even worse, not enough people seem to notice: A recent WWF survey found that nearly half of Americans are unfamiliar with grasslands.

So why are grasslands disappearing—and what can be done to protect what's left? In this episode of Nature Breaking, host Seth Larson sits down with Martha Kauffman, WWF's Vice President for the Great Plains, to break down the science, history, and future of one of America's most important ecosystems.

Links for More Info:

Martha Kauffman bio

WWF Grasslands Survey

Grasslanders Campaign

TAKE ACTION: The Indian Buffalo Management Act

Chapters:

00:00 Teaser

00:35 Intro

02:22 Martha's passion for grasslands

05:41 Why should grasslands matter to all of us?

10:33 Current status of US grasslands

13:47 How to keep grasslands intact

24:23 Role of Indigenous Communities

26:26 Martha reflects on 20 years at WWF

28:44 Conserving US grasslands for the next 250 years

30:31 Outro