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The Prairie Glacial Plains Project: 2,000 Acres of Prairie and Wetland Restoration Over Seven Years: Successes, Failures, and Lessons Learned
February 7 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Gary Sullivan, Ph.D., Senior Ecologist, The Wetlands Initiative In 2016, we embarked on a journey in partnership with U.S. Forest Service at Midewin and the National Forest Foundation to restore nearly 2,000 acres of highly altered and degraded land that was once part of the Joliet Arsenal and/or land that had been in agriculture for over 100 years. Mostly abandoned, the land had become overrun with invasive trees, shrubs, and an army of noxious weeds. Massive storage bunkers had to be removed, along with the roads, rail lines, and infrastructure that serviced them. Topography had to be restored, along with drained wetlands, remnant savanna, woodlands, and a ton of prairie. This effort revealed surprises at almost every turn, both good and bad. Over seven years later, most of this landscape has been transformed, but not without overcoming a host of challenges along the way. There is still a lot to be done, and we hope you get to see it soon! To register: |