description Taberville Prairie Overview
Taberville Prairie is a protected tallgrass prairie conservation area located in St. Clair County, southwestern Missouri, managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. It preserves a remnant of native unplowed prairie within a region where grassland ecosystems have largely been converted to agriculture. The area is recognized as habitat for the greater prairie chicken, a species of grouse whose lekking displays draw observers during the spring breeding season.
Taberville Prairie represents one of the larger surviving tracts of unbroken tallgrass prairie in Missouri, supporting native grasses such as big bluestem and Indian grass alongside associated prairie flora and grassland birds.
help Taberville Prairie FAQ
Where is Taberville Prairie?
Taberville Prairie is in St. Clair County in southwestern Missouri. It is managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
What does Taberville Prairie protect?
The area preserves a remnant of native tallgrass prairie that was not plowed for crops. Such remnants are valuable because most of Missouri's original prairie has been converted or altered.
What plants grow at Taberville Prairie?
Tallgrass prairie plants include warm-season grasses and flowering species adapted to fire, drought, and seasonal growth. The exact display changes through the year, with different wildflowers appearing in spring and summer.
Why is prescribed fire used at Taberville Prairie?
Fire helps limit shrubs and trees that would otherwise shade out prairie plants. It also supports the natural disturbance cycle on which many tallgrass species depend.
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