By the end of the 19th century the vast grasslands that once covered nearly two-fifths of the US land surface had almost disappeared, turned over to cultivation. Today some of the very few surviving remnants are being saved, but they are unlikely to be enough to support the full range of prairie species, and since the 1930s efforts have been made to create new prairies. Because prairie is prime habitat for cranes, many of which are endangered, the International Crane Foundation, as part of its Ecosystem Restoration Programme started in 1979, is planting a prairie in Wisconsin. The author, who is in charge of this, describes the methods and results so far.