In the 1960s, the creation of the Illinois Nature Preserves made the state a pioneer in conservation. There was a sense of urgency after the state had plowed or developed … Continue reading Illinois’ 596 Nature Preserves Need More Than Protection From Development To Thrive
Category: Nature Preserves News
Langham Island: End of Year Updates and Plans
Starting last August, the Friends have helped sponsor brush cutting and seed gathering "workdays" every week. Yesterday, we and staff gave a controlled burn to this once-neglected island, an especially important Illinois Nature Preserve.
The Old Plank Road Prairies – a quick peek at an ongoing drama
Seventeen miles long – once a plank road across the prairie, then a railroad, now a bike and hiking trail. Over all that time, a few patches of original black-soil prairie survived – within the fenced right-of-way – nowhere else over hundreds of square miles.