A monarch butterfly in the butterfly garden at Sojourner Truth Park Staff photo by David Mayes

On this, the 27th Annual Earth Day, today's edition of Parade magazine asks "What Makes America Beautiful?"

Its examples — Yellowstone National Park, the Appalachian Trail, an idyllic fishing scene, an expanse of green grass for cloud-watching — are well illustrated; some Mercury readers have probably been center stage in similar photographs.

So we asked ourselves the same question, on a smaller scale: What makes Manhattan beautiful? There are lots of things, of course, including the architecture and the people. But this particular story relates to the area's natural features. So here's what we came up with.

A tree with exposed roots in Warner Park.

First there's the basic geography. Our city sits in a valley that's smack in the middle of the Flint Hills of northeast Kansas.

We're at the confluence of the Kaw and Big Blue rivers, which provide fertile land for planting and plenty of shoreline for fishing. There's ever-broader access for canoes, kayaks and other boats, or for fishing away a lazy afternoon.

A gnarled oak tree along Military Trail in Warner Park.

Unlike some of the drier, flatter areas of the state, the Flint Hills have an abundance of plants and trees. Manhattan has been named a "Tree City, U.S.A.," in part because of the numerous tree species on the Kansas State University campus. An interesting fact about those trees is that not all are native to Kansas. University presidents and visiting dignitaries have brought them here as gifts or as reminders of home.

Next on our list is the area's plentiful wildlife. Hobbies such as hunting, fishing, bird-watching, even catching snakes are easy to pursue in these parts. Manhattan sits in the middle of the monarch butterfly's path of migration, making for a colorful display each fall.

Bald eagles, once spotted rarely in parts far north of Kansas, have found a home at Tuttle Creek Lake. Numerous deer, though sometimes a problem for motorists and gardeners, leap through area fields at dawn and dusk, and wild turkeys strut their stuff in increasing numbers, often well within city limits.

Travelers stop at the Konza Prairie Scenic Overlook

In general, if you appreciate native beauty and brilliant, almost other-worldly sunsets, you already know what makes Manhattan beautiful. If you haven't yet seen that beauty, don't wait any longer to discover the view from Bluemont Hill; the scenic overlook above the Konza Prairie; the rose garden in City Park; the butterfly garden in Sojourner Truth Park; and the panoramic views from Top of the World.

Oh, and don't forget Pillsbury Crossing, the Linear Park Trail, Warner Park, Anneberg Park ... have you found your map yet?

The waterfall at Pillsbury Crossing