Flint Hills--an area approx. 100 miles wide from Nebraska line through center eastern Kansas into Oklahoma, with Osage Hills branching off into northeastern Oklahoma. This is one of the last remaining areas of prairie that was the world's greatest grasslands stretching from Chicago to Texas. This is the area that once supported millions of buffalos, it's a harsh, gritty, prickly, windy area with cattle ranches, oil fields, small towns, limestone bluffs, and remnants of the old west. The area is under pressure with nuisance trees growing unchecked on many sections of the prairie, covering it like a fungus. Though burning is still used, some land owners do not burn, do not control, do not care, and the trees spread. It kills the grasses and threatens traditional wildlife balance. Even with all of that there still are large areas that one can imagine what it must have been like as little as 50 years ago. I love the area, I live here, and I have taken photographs of the Flint Hills for many years. Just recently I went digital and looking again with a fresh eye. I will show what I see and try to convey what is out here, good or bad.
Sadly many of the old homesteds have fallen and most of them are gone, plus taking pictures of the area is challenging because the sun burns you out and flattens the landscape. Taking pictures of pure prairie is even harder because of unwanted scrub trees or man made intrusion. In my opinion, a good intrusion is the wind turbines being built at this very moment, some images of them are in this gallery. Feel free to comment on any gallery, always interested in other's perspective.-----ron s.
Use by written permission only!