Kansas City Parks and Recreation and Missouri Department of Conservation

These two contiguous tracts contain remnant native prairie. An approximately 40 acre area has been the subject of intense restoration efforts since 1998 involving tree removal, prescribed burning and control of sericea lespedeza. Kansas City Power & Light, a KC WildLands partner, has contributed equipment and labor for large-scale tree removal. The site contains the largest population in Missouri of the state-listed eared false foxglove. Smith Park contains the largest remaining tract of remnant prairie on the Missouri side of the metro area and the only one in the city limits of Kansas City. Prairie forbs grown at Powell Gardens from locally collected seed have been planted here at KC WildLands public workdays in recent years.

The east prairie of Jerry Smith Park was cleared of woody invasive encroachment in the 2004 thanks to the efforts of KCWL volunteers and KCP&L, and the newly opened prairie underwent its first prescribed burn in the fall of 2004. The emergence of several species of conservative prairie forbs in the spring of 2005 indicate this a very biologically diverse prairie!

Regulations:

Hours: Dawn to dusk
Pets: On leash only

Directions:

Take I-435 to Holmes Road. Proceed south on Holmes to 139^th Street (immediately south of the Blue River bridge). Turn left (east) on 139^th Street. The Jerry Smith Park entrance is 0.75 mile on the left.

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