Prairies are vast stretches of flat grassland with moderate temperatures, moderate rainfall, and very little trees. The grasses on prairies usually have long roots that reach water very far down under the surface. The deep roots of prairie grasses hold the soil firmly in place and greatly reduce soil erosion.
Most prairies are found in mid-America in states like Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Many of these prairies or “Great Plains” are used for agriculture to grow wheat, oats and rye. (Source: National Geographic)
Fern Forest Nature Center in Broward County boasts a small prairie. It is not comparable to the huge grasslands in northern states but the characteristics of a prairie can be seen in this area. Here are images of this local prairie:
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