LINCOLN- Work by UNL researchers Dirac Twidwell and Rheinhardt Scholtz has concluded that the Sandhills are Earth’s largest remaining intact, temperate grassland.

That’s probably a surprise to some because the Sandhills aren’t well-known outside the state, Twidwell said.

“While the Sandhills are recognized here, they haven’t gained the recognition internationally of other grasslands,” he said.

The duo’s research found that the Sandhills are among seven large-scale grasslands of any type that remain mostly intact. Another is in the Wyoming Basin, two others in Asia, and one each in Africa, South America, and Australia.

Of these, the Sandhills are the only region that doesn’t have an internationally focused conservation strategy, he said. That may be because the region lies wholly within one state and one country and doesn’t straddle borders requiring international cooperation.

The Sandhills, located in the northwest and north-central Nebraska, cover about a quarter of the state, and more than 90% of the land is privately owned.

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