Illinois Dedicates New Nature Preserves, Adds Land

In April, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission announced the dedication of a new nature preserve in Chicago Wilderness and additions to two existing preserves. Burnham Prairie Nature Preserve is a 78.5 acre site recently acquired by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and recognized for its rare dry-mesic prairie, wet-mesic prairie, wet prairie, and savanna communities.

The Nature Conservancy added a new 1.5-acre buffer to Paintbrush Prairie Nature Preserve in Markham, one of four prairies located in Cook County that are collectively referred to as the Indian Boundary Prairies. Paintbrush Prairie Nature Preserve supports more than 200 plant species, including the state-threatened eared false foxglove. The site's features include 10 acres of high-quality mesic prairie. The addition increases the size of the preserve to approximately 81.6 acres. Another 2.09 acres were added to nearby Sundrop Prairie, which supports more than 230 native plant species including the state-threatened early fen sedge.

Illinois now has 315 nature preserves statewide totaling 42,700 acres.

For more information, see INPC news.