Arizona’s grasslands appear to continue all the way to the horizon—vast stretches of expanse permeated by space and light. And yet grasslands comprise only 31 million acres of Arizona land, only seven percent of their original groundcover. Their emptiness masks the intricate ecological community that exists on the land, home to populations of pronghorn, prairie dogs, black footed ferrets, and burrowing owls. The ecosystem produces oxygen, purifies water, enriches the soil, sequesters carbon from the atmosphere, and provides a storehouse for biodiversity. They sustain seeps and springs for wildlife and are key sources of water for the growing Arizona population. The future of the state’s traditional ranching lifestyle and economy depends on the heath and conservation of these beautiful, yet little known, landscapes.