Visiting the Great Western Prairie

from Ryan Campbell:  

The Fermilab ecological restoration seasonal workers and summer employees recently visited another prairie remnant within the Chicagoland area. We met with the site steward, Keith Olson (who also happens to be a Fermilab Prairie Harvest volunteer since the late 1970's) of the Elmhurst Great Western Prairie. Keith explained the formation, preservation, history, and community involvement of the small, 8 block strip of remnant next to an abandoned railroad line. We saw many excellent native prairie plants like Sullivant's milkweed, compass plant, blue-eyed grass, flowering spurge, lead plant, and prairie blazing star. The city of Elmhurst is supportive of this attractive, downtown prairie which makes quite the artistic accent to the Illinois Prairie Path. It was a great chance to visit a dedicated Fermi volunteer and see another example of what prairie is and how it is managed.