Tallgrass prairie once covered over 85% of the total land area of the state of Iowa. Currently, less than .01% of that original ground cover remains; the remnant prairies largely exist in small blocks along railroad right-of-ways, cemetery edges, and other marginal locations. As of today, almost 75% of the total area of Iowa is planted to corn and soybeans. Those rowcrop acres are necessary for the economy of the state. Prairie provides necessary ecological benefits for soil retention, water quality, and habitat for a wide range of native birds, mammals, pollinators, and other beneficial insects. STRIPS (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips) seeks to integrate conservation and rowcrop production, using science to understand the effects prairie has on the surrounding cropland.