BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND In 1963, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, which created the means of protecting the state’s rarest and most endangered landscapes. The act established the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) to “preserve, protect, and defend natural areas and endangered species … Continue reading More Than 25 Illinois Nature Preserves to Visit to Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Creation of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
Tag: Belmont Prairie
Goodbye (and Good Riddance) 2020…Hello 2021!
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2020. In nearly 45 blog posts, I covered everything from buffalo "hunting" at Kankakee Sands; to exploring the remnant prairies that dot Chicagoland's landscape; to 14 of my favorite national parks and other … Continue reading Goodbye (and Good Riddance) 2020…Hello 2021!
Belmont Prairie and More Than 25 Other Prairies in Chicagoland to Visit and Enjoy
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Willa Cather, one of my favorite authors, once described the Midwest (especially Nebraska) as a “Sea of Grass.” But farms, miles of pavement, and cities and suburbs have replaced much of this vast ecosystem. This is especially true in Illinois, which is misleadingly known as the “Prairie … Continue reading Belmont Prairie and More Than 25 Other Prairies in Chicagoland to Visit and Enjoy