The Great Plains Native Plant Society is building a memorial garden and visitors center just south of Hermosa. It takes up a small corner of the 340 acres of land dedicated to the cause by South Dakota rancher Linda Hasselstrom.
People can go there and hike over grassland--or sit on it, or lie on it--to discover the diverse ecosystem in South Dakota's slice of the Great Plains.
This project continues the work of Claude Barr, a South Dakota rancher who became internationally known for his collection and sharing of native plants and seeds. The founder of the society says biodiversity is vital for the health of an ecosystem. And she says native plants as well as animals are central to that system.
For more on Claude A. Barr at the Great Plains Native Plant Society's website, click here:
