Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve in Griffith, Indiana, protects one of northwestern Indiana’s rare surviving prairie systems and is also part of Indiana Dunes National Park. Once dismissed as wasteland in the 1970s, it was recognized for its unusual ecological value and grew from 304 acres to 1,547 acres. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974 and a State Nature Preserve in 1977, it contains diverse habitats on sandy soil, including oak barrens, wet prairie, sedge meadows, marshes, pools, and moist prairies. Some of its land is virgin prairie never tilled or grazed, and prescribed burns now help sustain its rich plant and wildlife communities.