Why Prairies
Illinois is the “Prairie State”. A prairie is an ecosystem that is dominated by grasses intermixed with a variety of other plants and diverse animal communities. In the tall grass prairie these grasses can reach eight feet in height. Prairies once covered more of the landscape in the United States than any other vegetative type. Prairies spread eastward from the base of the Rocky Mo
untains across the Mississippi River into Illinois and Indiana. Seventy percent of the food produced by humans comes from different grassland regions such as the savannahs of Africa, the steppes of Asia and the campos of South America. Sixty percent of the land surfaces in Illinois were covered by tall grass prairie as recently as 200 years ago. As the population of the United States moved westward the original plants and animals of the prairie were replaced with corn, city and concrete. In Illinois .01% of the original prairie remains. It is the most endangered ecosystem in the United States. Sauk Valley Community College has two small areas that have been partially restored with native plants found in the prairie. The “Friends of the Sauk Valley Prairie” hope to continue this restoration by increasing the diversity of the species found in the Sauk plots, by eliminating invasive and exotic species from the restorations and by increasing the size of the current plantings. A more natural landscape provides many benefits to the landscape and to the college. A prairie area increases the biological diversity of an area. Instead of one species of grass or crop dozens of plant species, blooming in a large variety of colors at different times during the growing season, can attract and provide energy and habitat to a large number of beneficial insects and other animals. Prairie plants have deep roots systems often penetrating ten or more feet into the soil making the plants very drought tolerant. This intensive root system benefits the landscape by moving and recycling nutrients, generating new soils and maintaining their fertility, preventing soil erosion and holding water to prevent runoff and flooding. A diverse and colorful landscape is aesthetically pleasing and can inspire poetry, music, art and other higher human pursuits. The motion of the grasses, the songs of the birds, the colors of the many flowers, the scent of the blossoms are more pleasing than an area dominated by lawn grass. Prairies are places to relax, meditate, explore and study. The restored prairies could provide a variety of research opportunities for students of Sauk Valley. The most recent of the landscapes of Illinois was prairie. Bringing a bit of prairie back to Sauk connects us with our natural and cultural heritage. The Sauk and other native groups and the earliest settlers utilized the prairie for their sustenance and livelihoods. An acre of prairie is a glimpse into the past when the grasses spread for miles across the landscape of Illinois. These restorations can bring back a bit of the diversity, the beauty, and the ecological correctness of the tall grass prairie of the “Prairie State”.
