Turning Back the Clock
Snatched from the auction block, The Nature Conservancy’s Nachusa Grasslands offers a glimpse into Illinois’ prairie past
By Jason l. jenkins

Because Nachusa Grasslands is such a large tract of native prairie, it can support a diversity of grassland bird species, such as the northern harrier and the sedge wren (above). One of the most common grassland bird species is the red-winged blackbird (at right). The species is dimorphic, which means males and females are of different colors.

Today when he tells the story, preserve manager Bill Kleiman can’t help but smile. After all, when The Nature Conservancy (TNC) purchased Nachusa Grasslands in 1986, the best opportunity in the state to restore a large and diverse native prairie was realized. However, what makes the story special, and what causes Kleiman to smile, is the fact that it almost didn’t happen. For Nachusa Grasslands, the difference between triumph and tragedy that day was only 15 minutes.

“We just beat the clock,” says Kleiman, Nachusa Grasslands’ manager since 1993. “It was scheduled to be auctioned off that day into five-acre home sites.”

Fortunately, TNC members arrived with the check in time. Nachusa Grasslands was removed from the auction block, and thus began an effort to restore Illinois’ original landscape on a large scale.

Before the plow
Hidden among rolling hills of cropland just northeast of Dixon, Nachusa Grasslands is nestled in the middle of the Rock River Valley. When Europeans first settled the valley early in the 19th century, it was part of an extensive native tallgrass prairie that covered nearly 35

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“The surface of the country, is undulating sometimes gently, sometimes greatly, and in most places, is covered with a succession of flowers, from early spring, to late autumn. One week, nay even one day, you see, far as your delighted eye can reach, flowers of a reddish hue–the blue–the white–the yellow, and of every interesting shade, indeed, follow in succession, day after day, and week after week, ever varying, ever new, and always delightful... “Sometimes I traveled, during four or five hours, either by day or by night, across some prairie, without seeing even a bush, or a tree–above me, were the wide spread, and lofty heavens, while the prairie, with its grasses and flowers, extended in all directions around me, far beyond the reach of my vision.”

The spectacular purple flowers of the common spiderwort last for only a single day before decaying into a sticky, liquified mass.s

But as time passed and more settlers from the east moved into the region, changes began to take place, changing the prairie forever.

Laying claim to the land, farmers began to plow up the native grasses and plant crops in the thick, fertile soil. Settlers also suppressed the periodic fires that had historically scorched the prairie and encouraged its growth because of the threat they imposed. Over time, these alterations interfered with the natural processes necessary for the health and continued existence of the tallgrass prairie.

On cultivated lands, erosion began to occur. Soil, once held in place by the extensive root systems of prairie grasses, was carried away by wind and water. The disturbed soil caused other problems as well. Non-native plant species invaded such areas and thrived in the absence of competition, making it more difficult for native prairie plants to maintain genetic diversity.

Significant alterations also became apparent on surviving prairie remnants. Without the fires that favored the grasses, these areas began to undergo secondary succession to woody plant species that grew without control. The suppression of fire also disrupted the life cycles of many prairie plants whose seeds required fire to germinate. Slowly over time, the diversity among remaining prairie remnants was reduced.

But plants were not the only casualties of human alteration. Many species of mammals, grassland birds, butterflies and other insects were negatively affected by the modified composition and decreased diversity of the prairie. Those that could not adapt to their changing environment began to lose a foothold in the grasslands, giving way to more generalist species. Slowly, and almost without notice, the majority of the tallgrass prairie that had once enthralled travelers like Atwater disappeared from the region, and with it the creatures unique to the grassland ecosystem.

But not all of the prairie disappeared. Though degraded, a few tracts of prairie, including those that made up the original core of Nachusa Grasslands, managed to survive. Characterized by steep sandstone outcrops descending into rocky meadows and streams, the area’s rolling landscape had saved it from the plow. However, action was needed if Nachusa Grasslands was to flourish and avoid the same fate as the rest of the tallgrass prairie.

Rebuilding the landscape
When TNC first began its restoration of Nachusa Grasslands 14 years ago, there were a number of obstacles to be tackled. The most critical of which was the acquisition of tracts of adjacent land.

“We’ve learned a lot from the study of islands,” says Kleiman. “Many of the same principles apply. In a way, we’re just an island too.”

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For the last seven years, preserve manager Bill Kleinman has orchestrated the return of Nachusa Grasslands to its presettlement condition.

So, as Kleiman explains, TNC began to acquire land surrounding Nachusa Grasslands’ prairie remnants. Large contiguous tracts were purchased from willing sellers using pooled funds donated by the more than 30,000 TNC members in Illinois, as well as a number of contributions made specifically for the prairie.

“Currently, the preserve is over 1,100 acres,” says Kleiman. “And we hope to keep going.”

However, a native prairie of such magnitude required TNC to do more than simply purchase the land. Intensive management and a great deal of stewardship also were required if the grasslands were to be returned to their presettlement condition. But in order to do so, TNC had to first determine what the Nachusa Grasslands of the past looked like.

“We had to look backward in order to move forward,” says Kleiman. “There’s not too many examples left to go by.”

From the available resources, such as land surveys, aerial photographs, written accounts from early settlers and other prairie remnants, TNC volunteer stewards determined which native plant species were most likely indigenous to the six-county region. With this reconstructed view of the prairie’s historic composition, the restoration process began.

Yet before any seed was sown, a number of other factors had to be taken into consideration. These included elements of the landscape such as soil type and hydrologic conditions, both of which affect the plant species that would naturally occur in an area. If plantings were to be successful, they had to be in areas that were best suited to their needs. Then, seeds had to be sown at the right time and in the right manner. Otherwise, they would not survive.

Lending a helping hand
Today, Nachusa Grasslands is beginning to resemble the prairies of the past. But the work is far from complete. In order to ensure that the native species have an opportunity to establish themselves, competition must be reduced. Therefore, management is focused on combating weeds and non-native invaders.

“We have approximately 600 native plant species at Nachusa Grasslands,” says Kleiman. “And we’re actively managing against 10 weeds.”

However, controlling those 10 weeds takes a lot of work, and Kleiman and the other stewards find themselves spending a majority of the spring and summer trying to keep the weeds out. They do so in a number of ways, including mowing, pulling weeds by hand, clipping seed heads so weeds can not reproduce and spot-spraying with herbicide.

Over time, the repetitious removal of undesirable plants will provide native species the opportunity to fill in available niches in the habitat. Once that occurs, weeds and non-native species will be unable to get a foothold.

“Once the prairie completely fills in, you could throw weed seeds on the ground and all they would do is sit there,” says Jay Stacy, a volunteer steward beginning his sixth summer at the preserve. “There won’t be room for the weeds to grow.”

Aside from controlling weeds, management of Nachusa Grasslands takes on many other forms, keeping stewards busy throughout the year. These practices include harvesting and planting seed, thinning and removing brush, clearing non-native trees, restoring hydrology by removing old field tiles, and conducting prescribed fires. Combined, this management effort helps accelerate the regeneration of the original landscape.

For the last seven years, preserve manager Bill Kleinman has orchestrated the return of Nachusa Grasslands to its presettlement condition.

“We have all the components. The plants and the land are unchanged,” says Stacy. “So as

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The great expanse of the tallgrass prairie can be witnessed from Dot’s Knob.
(Below) By removing brush, volunteer Jay Stacy fills the role fire once served on the prairie.

And it appears that the system is beginning to work again. The state’s largest population of the federally threatened prairie bush clover survives at Nachusa Grasslands, as do populations of fame flower, Hill’s thistle, kittentail, forked aster, downy yellow painted cup and prairie lion’s tooth, all of which are rare in Illinois.

Further, as a result of restoration efforts, the tallgrass prairie has attracted a number of grassland bird species that were absent for many years. Today, many of these species are now thriving in the tallgrass, including grasshopper sparrows, Henslow’s sparrows, sedge wrens, dickcissels, bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks. The habitat also is supporting populations of the Illinois endangered upland sandpiper and northern harrier.

“We’ve been conducting censuses of birds for 10 years. For eight of those years, we found no Henslow’s,” says Kleiman. “But once we got rid of the fence rows and scrub trees, they came back. It’s been remarkable.”

Sowing the seeds of knowledge
Although the improvements at Nachusa Grasslands have made Kleiman, Stacy and other stewards enthusiastic about the future, they feel an important change that must be made involves the education of a broader community.

“It’s been reported that most children can recognize 1,000 different brand names. But we find they can’t name 10 different native plants,” says Kleiman, a former school teacher. “That’s something we’re trying to change.”

Looking to teach school-aged children about prairies, a special Youth Stewards program has been implemented at Nachusa Grasslands. The program utilizes both classroom activities and field trips to increase students’ understanding of the great diversity of life found on the tallgrass prairie.

In the fall, after being introduced to 25 native prairie plants, local fourth graders gather seed from wildflowers and grasses. Then in the spring, they return to plant their seed and to learn to identify 25 species of grasslands birds by both sight and sound.

Kleiman says that by teaching these children about the grassland community, he hopes to encourage an appreciation of the prairie and to foster an understanding of the importance of stewardship. But he also adds that anyone is welcome to visit and learn about Nachusa Grasslands. “We’re here seven days a week, 365 days a year,” he says invitingly.

So as Nachusa Grasslands begins the 21st century, the outlook is promising. With stewardship, education and time, an area once decimated by the plow will again flourish, regaining its place among the rolling hills of the Rock River Valley.

And for Bill Kleiman, that is all the more reason to smile. “Prairies are subtle, not like mountains or oceans,” he remarks. “But they’re just as magnificent.”

Jason l. Jenkins
is a staff writer for OutdoorIllinois, a publication of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This article is reprinted with permission from the April 2000 issue of OutdoorIllinois.

For more information about Nachusa Grasslands or for specific directions to the preserve, call 815.456.2340, or visit The Nature Conservancy’s Web site at http://www.tnc.org

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Department of Natural Resources Director Brent Manning is calling for changes in any new farm bill so the program works nationwide for both agriculture and the environment.

"It is absolutely critical that the conservation programs of the farm bill are fully funded and targeted appropriately so that our soil, water and biotic resources are protected," Manning said.

Manning's comments came during the 65th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, the premiere annual gathering of North America's top natural resource administrators, scientists, educators and managers and most of the major non-governmental conservation organizations. The meeting included a tour of farms in LaSalle and Kendall counties to see examples of soil conservation, water quality and wildlife habitat projects. Illinois is among the nation's most highly agricultural states. Farms occupy 85 percent of Illinois' 36 million acres and 24 million acres are devoted to intensively cultivated cash grains. In Illinois, the most recent version of the farm bill has had mixed results.

"Overall, wetlands, streams and aquatic resources are better protected, but he total acreage of relatively high quality, undisturbed grassland available to ground nesting wildlife through regular CRP has declined by 160,000 acres since 1995," Manning said. "CRP grasslands provide the majority of nest cover for pheasants, quail, rabbits and non-game grassland wildlife and there just isn't enough of it. Most of what does exist isn't properly managed for maximum wildlife benefits."

Manning noted that Illinois croplands receive some of the highest rates of fertilizer and pesticide applications in the country and that highly erodible croplands is not receiving adequate protection. Nationally, much marginal farmland is protected by CRP.

"We need to do all we can to minimize soil erosion and sedimentation and to prevent excessive nutrients and pesticides from entering our aquatic environments and drinking water supplies," Manning said. "In this state, agriculture conservation programs are not luxuries. They are necessities."

There needs to be more balanced distribution of CRP acres across the country and the cap on CRP enrollment should be increased from 36 million to 45 million acres, Manning suggested. Emphasis should be placed on leaving cover unmowed during nesting seasons and an effective incentive for appropriate cover management should be created.

Manning said Illinois' goals should include the following:
• Retire 2 million acres of highly erodible cropland to CRP or multi-year set-aside. Currently, less than 700,000 acres are enrolled in CRP.
• Establish 500,000 acres of additional filter strips, riparian buffers and field borders. Illinois is a national leader in enrolling conservation buffers. Between CREP and continuous CRP, nearly 78,000 acres of buffers have been planted.
• Protect all of the state's existing 1.3 million acres of wetlands from drainage or conversion and restore 400,000 acres. "Our goals are lofty, but achievable if changes are made in the conservation programs in the farm bill," Manning said.

The farm bill was last modified in 1996 and probably will be changed again as reauthorization approaches in 2002. 

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Department of Natural Resources director Brent Manning has been awarded the Ducks Unlimited 2000 Wetland Conservation Achievement Award for his "profound level of commitment to waterfowl and wetlands conservation."

Manning received the award at the Ducks Unlimited breakfast during the 65th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.

"Manning has been a longstanding and ardent supporter of waterfowl, waterfowl habitat restoration and management and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Through his career as the director of the Department of Natural Resources, he has demonstrated a profound level of commitment to waterfowl and wetlands conservation," stated DU's nominating papers for Manning.

"I am both greatly honored and humbled by this prestigious award," Manning said. "The credit should go to my staff members who work tirelessly for the benefit of the natural resources in this state."

Ducks Unlimited credited Manning with his work to convert closed military bases, such as the Joliet and Savanna arsenals; his spearheading of Governor George Ryan's $160 million Illinois Open Land Trust initiative; his creation of a Sportsmen's Ethics Committee to review outdoor behavior and improve ethics standards, and creation of Illinois' Conservation Congress. DU also credited his work on various committees of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, including his chairmanship of the Ad Hoc Committee on Baiting, which recommended landmark changes in regulations that would benefit wetlands, waterfowl and migratory bird hunters. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service adopted most of the committee's recommendations and began implementing them in 1999. 

Drought a Concern; Water Supplies being Monitored

Lack of adequate rainfall in Illinois this spring and summer, following a very dry final six months of 1999, could result in serious water supply problems across the state later this year, according to Illinois State Water Survey Chief Derek Winstanley.

The statewide precipitation average in Illinois from July-December 1999 was 12.95 inches, compared with a long-term average of 19.56 inches for the same period.

"The deficit in precipitation during the July to December period was substantial, lowering stream flow, reservoir levels, groundwater levels and soil moisture," Winstanley said.

The Illinois EPA is recommending that officials of surface water supplies start planning for possible water shortages by assessing current and projected water use; reviewing contingency plans to reduce water use including restriction ordinances; assessing the quantity of water remaining; identifying potential sources of raw or treated water; and developing plans for use reduction and conservation.

An Illinois State Water Survey analysis of past July-December droughts indicates that an additional precipitation deficit of four inches or more this year would cause problems for public water supplies and agriculture. Historical data indicates there is a 25 percent chance of a four-inch precipitation deficit in the state during the next 12 months. The state's long-term average annual precipitation is 38 inches, with average January-June precipitation of 18.44 inches.

Prospects for making up the rainfall deficit in Illinois this spring and summer are not encouraging. Typically, extended droughts last for 18 to 20 months and occur over a large geographical area. Historical data suggest droughts causing significant stream flow deficiencies occur about once every 12 years in Illinois. The pattern of rainfall since July 1999 is similar in magnitude to the early stages of many historic droughts in the state, including those in 1908, 1917, 1930, 1953 and 1976. 

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