Nachusa Grasslands near Franklin Grove is a major Illinois tallgrass prairie restoration led by The Nature Conservancy, staff, and volunteers. Created in response to the near-destruction of northern Illinois prairie after statehood in 1818, the effort began in 1985 and grew from a 400-acre purchase in 1986 to more than 4,100 protected and restored acres by 2022. A defining milestone came in 2014 with the release of 30 American bison, forming Illinois’s first conservation herd; calves arrived the next year, and the herd later grew substantially. The preserve also supports around 700 species, offers visitor facilities, and has continued rebuilding after a destructive 2020 fire.

Lost Nation, Illinois · USA