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Indian Boundary Prairies

 

Indian Boundary Prairies

Hiking at Indian Boundary Prairies.
Photo © TNC / Andrew Simpson

 

 

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Buckeye butterfly at Indian Boundary Prairies

From early spring through late summer the prairies are alive with birds, butterflies and wildflowers. Photo © TNC / Andrew Simpson

 

Indian Boundary Prairies, a cluster of four prairies just south of Chicago, comprise the largest remaining example of high-quality grassland in Illinois and one of the best in the Midwest. With more butterflies and more plant diversity than almost any other prairie in the state, they are a storehouse of genetic resources and a globally important natural asset. With this great diversity of plant and animal life, the Indian Boundary Prairies are a sort of biological "ark" for the future - a living flotilla of hope for the inhabitants of Illinois' once vast prairie community.  Because of their importance, a portion of the Indian Boundary Prairies has been named a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. 

Location
South of Chicago, near the junction of U.S. Route 57 and Interstate 294

Size
More than 300 acres
 
How to Prepare for Your Visit
The prairies are open to the public for hiking, bird watching, and other activities that do not harm the natural landscape. They are in bloom from April through October, with the peak seasons usually occurring in May, early July, and August. Please stay on the trails to avoid harming native plant communities or wandering onto private land.

Directions
From Route 57:

  • Exit eastbound (from Interstate 294 exit westbound) onto 159th street (U.S. Route 6)
  • Continue on 159th to Whipple Avenue, just west of the McDonald's
  • Turn north on Whipple until it ends in a small parking lot at Gensburg-Markham Prairie.

For a printable map, click here.

What to See at Indian Boundary Prairies: Plants
Natural communities include black soil prairie, sand prairie and sedge meadow. Indian grass, little bluestem and big bluestem are common, with cord grass, bluejoint grass and sedges dominating the wetter swales. Unusual plants found here are small sundrops, narrow-leaved sundew and yellow-eyed grass. More than 250 species of plants thrive at the prairies including endangered ones such as the prairie white fringed orchid.

What to See at Indian Boundary Prairies: Animals
Indian Boundary Prairies are an important sanctuary for butterflies and other animals that require large expanses of high-quality natural area. More than 350 insect species are known to inhabit the prairies including the Aphrodite fritillary, bunchgrass skipper and dreamy dusky wing. The smooth green snake, eastern milk snake, and 11 other species of amphibians and reptiles are found here.

Ninety-seven bird species have been recorded, including the Virginian rail, lesser and great yellow legs, savanna sparrows, sandpipers and the state-threatened Henslow's sparrow. The Indian Boundary Prairies are critical habitat for other birds, such as the bobolink and eastern meadowlark. Bobolink populations in northern Illinois have declined 97 percent since 1958 and continue to decline by 19 percent annually, primarily due to loss of habitat. Gray foxes have denned on the prairie for several years.

Why the Conservancy Selected Indian Boundary Prairies
In the 1960s, Dr. Robert F. Betz of Northeastern Illinois University, Karl Bartel and other Chicago-area biologists began surveys of the prairie and organized efforts to protect it. In 1971, the Gensburg brothers donated 60 acres to the Conservancy to launch the preserve. Efforts to protect the Indian Boundary Prairies continue to this day. There still are more than 100 acres of high-quality prairie that remain unprotected and are threatened by future development.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The 300 acres that currently are protected are owned and managed by the Conservancy, Northeastern Illinois University and the Natural Land Institute. A local volunteer group, the Friends of the Indian Boundary Prairies, helps to care for the natural areas and conducts tours and other educational activities for the public. Northeastern Illinois University biologist Ron Panzer has successfully reintroduced the Franklin's ground squirrel, an original inhabitant of these prairies, whose local populations had become extinct. Panzer and volunteers monitor several rare species populations and conduct stewardship activities designed to bolster them. The grasslands have become a source of pride for the local community of Markham, which calls itself the "Prairie Capital of the Prairie State."