The Konza Prairie EarthCache
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The Konza Prairie located in Northeastern Kansas in the Flint Hills and is managed by Kansas State University as a long term ecological research site. The coordinates will take you to a visitor center where you can gather information to successfully log this cache.
This vast ecological system provides some spectacular views as you arrive at the visitors center. This was once part of the 2923 acre Dewey Ranch and was purchased in sections by the Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University from 1971 to 1979.
The Konza Prairie was named after the Konza Indians. It also offers a trail system that can be combined for a 6 mile loop. However, to log this cache no need to walk the trail. This cache is wheelchair accessible and very easy to do.
If you would like to walk the trail, please get a trail map at:
(visit link)
The Flint Hills are steep-sloped and overlain by shallow limestone soils unsuitable for cultivation. This region encompasses over 50,000 Km2 throughout much of eastern Kansas from near the Kansas ¬Nebraska border south into northeastern Oklahoma and contains the largest remaining area of unplowed tallgrass prairie in North America. Hence, the vast majority of Konza Prairie, and the surrounding landscape, has not been plowed and retains its native characteristics.
The vegetation of Konza Prairie is predominately native tallgrass prairie, dominated by the perennial, warm-season grasses big bluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, and switchgrass. A highly diverse mixture of other species includes warm-season and cool-season grasses, composites, legumes, and other forbs. The tallgrass canopy reaches over 2.5 m in height in the most productive years. A few woody species such as buckbrush and smooth sumac are locally common. The grassland habitats include upland prairie on thin loose soils, hill prairie along alternating limestone benches and slopes, and areas of lowland prairie on deep alluvial-colluvial soils which accumulated during the Kansan Glacial Epoch.
Along the valleys and river ways you will find Permian limestone, some with flint and chert. These rocks are between 240 and 290 million years old and that is why they are referred to as Permian. The name Permian comes from similar rock found in the Ural mountains near the town of Perm, Russia.
Because the limestone contains a vast amount of Flint and Chert, it makes it hard to plow. Flint and Chert is harder than steel and was one of the reasons farmers did not use the prairie for crops. This is how it got it’s name, the Flint Hills.
To claim your find, go to the plaques at the visitor’s center and answer the following questions. You will find a Geological diagram of the area on one of the plaques with some information. On that plaque, you will see different layers labeled A, B, C, D and E.
What does each of these layers represent?
A.)
B.)
C.)
D.)
E.)
What type of climate was found at this ancient sea?
Lastly, please take a photo of yourself / family and post it here on the page. Use the overlook for a great backdrop!
Thanks to Dr. John Blair at Kansas State University for allowing this Earthcache.
Additional Hints
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