Nachusa Grasslands is one of the Conservancy's greatest on-going success stories. And it owes much of its success to the volunteer stewards who donate thousands of hours every year to help manage the preserve, one of Illinois' largest and last surviving prairie landscapes. They have worked tirelessly to transform this land into a unique mosaic of prairie, wetland and woodland.

Many uncommon or rare animals survive at Nachusa, such as Blanding’s turtles. Grassland birds — including grasshopper sparrows, dickcissels and Henslow’s sparrow — perch in the colorful prairie grasses, alongside one of the state’s largest populations of federally-threatened prairie bush clover. And one day, when this preserve is larger, bison may roam here again. In all, Nachusa is home to 600 native plant species and 180 species of birds.

As one of the largest prairies in the state, Nachusa Grasslands continues to be an important outreach and training site for other public and private land managers. It serves as a living model for a variety of land management techniques, including controlled burns, seed collecting, weed management and natural areas restoration.

Nachusa touches the future of conservation across the plains and serves as a model for prairie restoration. As the Conservancy expands its efforts to preserve and restore imperiled grasslands around the world, lessons learned here will guide future conservation.

Location
North-central Illinois, near Franklin Grove

Size
2,826 acres, with more than 725 acres protected through easements.

How to Prepare for Your Visit 
An information kiosk is located at the visitor entrance on Lowden Road. There is a lot to see, so come dressed for adventure. The Conservancy suggests you wear long pants and carry water, a snack and sun protection. (Currently, no bathrooms are available.)

Directions
Click here for complete directions to the preserve.

What to See: Plants
Steep sandstone outcrops descending into rocky meadows and streams made Nachusa Grasslands difficult to farm and saved large pieces of native prairie from the plow. The state's largest population of federally-threatened prairie bush clover has managed to survive here. Four other plant species at Nachusa are candidates for federal listing: fame flower, Hill's thistle, kittentails and forked aster. Many other plants that are rare in Illinois survive at Nachusa, including downy yellow painted cup.

What to See: Animals
Scientist Ron Panzer conducted here one of the world's first successful reintroductions of a rare insect, the gorgone checkerspot butterfly. The butterflies were rescued from prairie fragments that were lost to development and transported to Nachusa, where they have an improved chance of long-term survival.

Grasshopper sparrows, dickcissels and Henslow’s sparrows can be seen perched in the colorful prairie grasses. Badgers and other Illinois wildlife that need a lot of space are plentiful at Nachusa Grasslands.

Conservation Action at Nachusa Grasslands
In 1986, recognizing that Nachusa offered the best opportunity in the state to restore a large and diverse grassland, the Conservancy purchased the core of the preserve. So far, nearly 3,000 acres have been protected at Nachusa Grasslands through acquisition or conservation easements.

Recently, Nachusa expanded by 1,000 acres, thanks in part to a $2.5 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation — which works with communities across Illinois to improve energy efficiency, develop renewable energy resources, and to preserve and enhance natural areas and wildlife habitat — and a $2.3 million anonymous gift. These critical, well-timed funds allowed the Conservancy to take advantage of an opportunity to preserve and restore additional lands, providing much-needed corridors for animals migrating between Nachusa and the Lowden Miller State Forest.

Additionally, neighbors of the preserve, who have come to trust and respect the Conservancy, have donated easements, which significantly advance the conservation goals at Nachusa and demonstrate that good work builds good will.

Volunteers from throughout the region have joined together to preserve and restore Nachusa. They have donated more than 200,000 hours of labor to the restoration and management of this marvelous example of prairie grassland. These specially-trained volunteers help the Conservancy conduct controlled burns, monitor wildlife, stop the spread of harmful, non-native species, and harvest thousands of pounds of seed every year. They help harvest more than 2,500 pounds of seed — valued at more than $130,000 — from the many remnant habitats on the preserve. The seed is used for future prairie plantings and restorations.