Nachusa Grasslands is owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit conservation organization.

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is a nonprofit, tax exempt entity created in 2008 by Nachusa Grasslands volunteers dedicated to supporting Nachusa Grasslands, and is not affiliated with The Nature Conservancy.

Click here for information about becoming a member of
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands

The goals of Friends of Nachusa Grasslands are to
■ build an endowment for long-term protection
■ promote volunteerism and
■ encourage science and education at Nachusa Grasslands.

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Nachusa Grasslands consists of 3000 acres of prairie remnants, restorations, and reconstructions located between Oregon, Dixon and Franklin Grove, IL. Remnant prairie knobs were protected from the plow by an unfarmable overlay of St. Peter Sandstone. Starting in 1986 with the purchase of 250 acres, The Nature Conservancy has gradually recreated a vision of 1800 Illinois' mosaic of prairie, savanna and wetlands. Hundreds of dedicated volunteers have collected seed to replant former corn and bean fields.

It is an ongoing effort to remove non-Illinois plants from the preserve. Nachusa Grasslands is home to over 700 native prairie plant species as well as many important birds, insects, and reptiles.

The preserve is open to the public every day from dawn to dusk.  The main Lowden Road entrance has an information kiosk, with maps, but no water or toilet.

Nachusa Grasslands has been designated as an
Audubon Important Bird Area.
Click here for more information.

UPCOMING EVENTS

WorkDays: 9 AM-Noon, Meet at headquarters barn a little before 9AM.

    Febrary 2012
       4 East Heinkel Savanna
       11 Bennet Woods
       18 Kitten Tails
       25 Gobbler Bottoms

    March 2012
        3 Big Woods
       10 Bennet Woods
       17 Doug & Dot Wade Prairie
       24 Fame Flower
       31 Tellabs West Unit

CONTACT US

The President of Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is Bernie Buchholz.

Our e-mail address is nachusagrasslands@gmail.com.

Our phone number is 708-406-9894.

Several of the activities described on this web site, including work days, prescribed burns, the Youth Stewardship Program, the Prairie Smoke Annual Report, and Autumn on the Prairie, are offered and overseen by The Nature Conservancy.  

Except for specific Friends-sponsored events, such as the annual Prairie Potluck, all Nachusa visitors and volunteers are under the auspices of The Nature Conservancy.

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands provides information about The Nature Conservancy programs to help fulfill our goals of promoting volunteerism, science, and education, but Friends of Nachusa Grasslands is not responsible for these activities.