AP Environmental Science teacher Lisa Ball has taken her classes to the Konza Prairie for three years to study the native biome as a part of the ecology unit.

The Konza Biological Research Station is maintained as research grounds for Kansas State University. It is one of the few native prairies left.

“The prairie has been wiped out all from all but a few spots and this is one of the last intact prairie sites we can visit,” Ball said.

They have gone for the past two years in the fall to study prairie grasses. They also spend part of the day looking at native bison.

Students hear from the researchers at the Konza about experiments done by K-State students as well as scientists from around the world.

“Being a Kansan, I feel like you should have some pride in your native biome and know something about it even if just small patches of it still exist,” Ball said. “It’s important to know about something to preserve it and have some value in it.”