Best State Natural Area
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Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area in Illinois is a preserved tallgrass prairie notable for being one of the largest remaining remnants of its kind in the state.
Niawathe Prairie in Cedar County, Missouri, is a 320-acre natural area notable for protecting one of the largest remaining undisturbed tracts of tallgrass prairie in the western Ozarks.
A large natural sinkhole in Edwards County, Texas, about 15 meters wide and 50 meters deep, serving as a roosting site for millions of Mexican free-tailed bats.
Kankakee River Prairie is a notable natural area within Illinois's Kankakee River State Park, recognized for its diverse floodplain ecosystems and restored grasslands.
Thomson Memorial Prairie in Dane County, Wisconsin, is a dedicated conservation area notable for protecting critical dry-mesic prairie and oak savanna habitats on former agricultural land.
Kishwaukee Prairie in Illinois is a dedicated nature preserve recognized for protecting undisturbed black soil tallgrass prairie and native wildlife.
Helton Prairie in Harrison County, Missouri, is a small but vital natural area notable for preserving a rare, high-quality remnant of mesic tallgrass prairie in the state's northern region.
Located in Illinois, Heron Pond Prairie is part of the Cache River wetlands, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance designated in 1996.
Stony Point Prairie in Missouri is a conservation area notable for preserving undisturbed native grasslands and unique geological features in the rugged Osage Plains region.
Cassian Prairie in Oneida County, Wisconsin, is a state natural area notable for protecting a unique mosaic of sedge meadow, barrens, and tamarack bog.
