Betz & Swink

Robert Betz and Floyd Swink collaborated for decades to save and restore the remnants of Illinois' once vast prairies. Their work began here in 1959 when Swink, a leading authority on prairie plants, introduced Betz to the Santa Fe Prairie. Their leadership inspired hundreds of volunteers and conservationists to preserve the remaining prairies. As a child in Chicago, Betz imagined that vacant lots were prairies, but at Santa Fe Prairie he learned what constituted a true prairie. Amazed by the variety of plants found there, he dedicated his work to the study of native prairies. Swink, a dedicated educator, also co-authored Plants of the Chicago Region, which catalogs native prairie plants in the area, and his work formed the basis for preserving Northeastern Illinois' natural ecosystems.

Hodgkins, Illinois · United States