Landforms The prairies are a vast area of flat sedimentary land. They stretch from Ontario (Canadian Shield) to the Canadian Rockies. The prairies cover most of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. There are 3 types of grassland prairies in Canada. They are characterized by their geographic distribution and plants.

Mixed Prairie (yellow) Mixed Prairies have medium height grasses (Needle and thread, Western porcupine grass and Western and Northern wheat grass). There are also short grasses and sedges including Blue grama grass, June grass, and Thread-leaf sedge. These short grasses take over where ever there is limited amount of moisture or overgrazing. There was originally 24 million hectares of Mixed Prairie in Canada today there is an estimated of 24% of this area remained

Fescue Prairie (pink) The 2 most striking features of this type of prairie is its colour and luxuriance During some seasons the prairies becomes a veritable flower garden. On average fescue prairies will produce twice as much forage as the most productive Mixed Prairie. Fescue grass can be eliminated easily if overgrazed. Fescue Prairies occupies a moister environment. The prairie extends southward along the Alberta foothills and into the drier Milk River ride, Touchwood Hills and the Manitoba Escarpment. It was once extending over 255,000 square kilometers today there is less than 5% left. Is an endangered ecosystem. Little Fish Lake-Hand Hills block (315 square kilometers) is the only piece of Fescue Prairie left.

Tallgrass Prairie (green) Takes its name from the tall grass which grows over one meter high The main range is the 6,000 kilometer plain centered in the Red River Valley in Manitoba. The grassland is disappearing. It is the most rarest prairie in Canada. It is very hard to identify due to heavy grazing, and plants taking over.