Over the next few months you may notice that some needed prairie maintenance is being done. The area south of Poorman Drive will be the focus of these efforts, which include:

• Conducting a controlled burn. This helps control non-native species and returns nutrients to the soil.
• Removing the 17 pine trees and replacing with 35 native trees around the campus. The eastern white pines are not native to this part of Illinois and certainly not within a prairie. They create a serious safety concern when conducting the burns as they are extremely flammable. Their removal will allow for a more complete burn and maintenance of a more natural appearance.
• Replanting the edges with more native flowers and less grasses.
• Looking to develop volunteer opportunities or volunteer partnerships with outside groups to help maintain the prairies.

The possibility of our prairie areas becoming a part of the Monarch Butterfly Initiative is also being explored. This program is headed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.