A Flint Hills family is offering access to its 4,600-acre ranch to Wichita State University for research.

The gift will help researchers in biology, geology, grassland studies, anthropology and other fields. The land is located about an hour southeast of Wichita.

The estate of Earl and Terri Youngmeyer will retain ownership and the land won’t be open to the public.

The official says much of the undisturbed grassland is only accessible by ATVs or horses. He says the size of the land dwarfs the university’s other prairie research sites.

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Associated Press Information from: The Wichita Eagle