The Illinois Prairie
A prairie is a wide, open grassland, once stretching across much of North America and forming one of the continent’s largest habitats.
In Illinois, tallgrass prairie dominated the landscape for thousands of years. Though much of it has disappeared due to farming and settlement, remnants and restoration projects still reveal the remarkable diversity of life found here. From deep-rooted grasses and colorful wildflowers to the animals that burrow, fly, and graze, prairies are dynamic ecosystems that change with the seasons and depend on fire, soil, and community connections to survive.