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Indigenous peoples flourished for centuries on this harsh but beautiful landscape. When Lewis and Clark arrived, they were awed by the landscape, wildlife and people inhabiting the area. Today South Dakota's grasslands provide some of the finest examples of potential prairie wilderness left in the nation, including the largest remaining roadless area in the entire Great Plains.

With their tranquility and rugged terrain, these are some of the only places in the Great Plains where one can backpack or horsepack on a scale similar to the Rockies or Alaska. The vast expanses of grasslands are dotted with mule and white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, coyote, beaver, raptors and songbirds, interior least tern, sharptail grouse, meadowlarks, rattlesnakes and porcupines. Bald eagles winter in the riverine cottonwoods, and prairie dogs sustain predators such as golden eagles, coyotes and owls. The region also supports world-class big game hunting.

As with many spectacular landscapes, the South Dakota grasslands require action now to ensure that our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy this national treasure in all its glory. Sierra Club is working with other conservation groups and local citizens to designate key parts of Buffalo Gap National Grassland — Indian Creek, Red Shirt, Cheyenne River and First Black Canyon — as Wilderness areas.

Wilderness designation would create a veritable "string of pearls" to preserve the ecosystems and pioneer setting of this remarkable part of South Dakota for the lasting benefit of this and future generations. It would also be America's first National Grassland wilderness.

To help Sierra Club protect these wild places while they are still wild, please contact Heather Morijah at heather.morijah@sierraclub.org or 605-342-2244.