Why You Should Visit
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.
Why TNC Selected This Site
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 Northeastern Illinois University to launch the preserve. Efforts to protect the Indian Boundary Prairies by the Conservancy continue to this day. There still are more than 50 acres of high-quality prairie that remain unprotected and are threatened by future development.
What TNC Has Done/Is Doing
The 370 acres currently protected are owned and managed by the Conservancy and Northeastern Illinois University. A local volunteer group, the Friends of the Indian Boundary Prairies, helps 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. Conservancy staff 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."
The Nature Conservancy in Illinois has collaborated with the Chicago Wilderness alliance to produce the Climate Action Plan for Nature. This Plan presents strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change on natural areas in the Chicago Wilderness region, including Indian Boundary Prairies.