34c Burrowing Owls and American Buffalos single

The Postal Service issued a souvenir sheet of ten 34-cent Great Plains Prairie stamps in Lincoln, Nebraska, on April 19, 2001. The stamps, illustrated by John D. Dawson of Hilo, Hawaii, went on sale nationwide April 20, 2001. The Great Plains Prairie souvenir sheet is the third in an educational series designed to promote appreciation of North America's major plant and animal communities. The previous issues in the Nature of America Series were Sonoran Desert (1999) and Pacific Coast Rain Forest (2000).

The artwork includes twenty-five animal and plant species native to the mixed-grass prairie of the American Great Plains, illustrating both the immense scale of the ecosystem and the individual environments of many important species. While the scene is imaginary, all species represented are appropriate and were recommended by scientists. A description of the prairie and a list of the common and Latin names of the plants and animals included in the art appear on the back of the stamp pane. The prairie stretches from the edge of the eastern woodlands and oak savannas to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Many people often underestimate the prairie's complexity and significance as an ecosystem. It is an important part of the American landscape and is one of the largest grasslands in the world.

Ashton-Potter (USA), Ltd., printed 89.6 million stamps in the offset process.

Reference:

Postal Bulletin (March 8, 2001).

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