THE ILLINOIS STEWARD

SPRING 2009

“I woke with a surprise and delight. I was in the midst of a prairie! A world of grass and flowers stretched around me, rising and falling in gentle undulations,as if an enchanter had struck the ocean swell, and it was at rest forever….How shall I convey to you an idea of a prairie?”

Eliza Steele, 1840, while traveling by stagecoach from Chicago to Peoria

Miss Steele traveled the Illinois prairies 3 years after the self-scouring plowhad been introduced. Illinois prairies would soon after never be the same! WhileIllinois has fewer than 2,200 acres of prairie remaining today, these pieces canprovide a glimpse of what she must have experienced. What follows are accountsof eight prairie preserves where one can experience the prairie, have a glimpseinto the past of Illinois, and gain insight into the idea of a prairie landscape.

Prairie Directions

Ayers Sand Prairie Nature Preserve, Carroll County

From Savanna, at the junction of Routes 52 and 84, take Route84 south 2.7 miles to Airport Road. Then turn and go east (left)0.5 mile. The preserve is north of the road.

Doris Westfall Prairie Restoration Nature Preserve, Vermilion County

The preserve is located on the south boundary of Forest GlenPreserve that is 7 miles northeast of Georgetown. From the junc-tion of Route 1 and a blacktop road (1200N) in Westville, turneast on the blacktop and follow it east and south for 5 miles.Then turn and go east 1.8 miles to the entrance of the preserve.

Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, Monroe County

The preserve is located along the Mississippi River bluffs near thetown of Fults, about 25 miles south of Belleville. From the southend of Fults, take Bluff Road (a blacktop) southeast 1.6 miles to asmall parking area and a preserve sign. The preserve is on the left.

Goose Lake Prairie, Grundy County

From Morris, take Route 47 south across the Illinois River about0.7 mile to the blacktop road known as Pine Bluff–Lorenzo Road.Turn east (left) and travel 6 miles to Jugtown Road. Turn north(left) to the entrance.

Harlem Hills Nature Preserve, Winnebago County

From the intersection of Route 251 and Windsor Road on thenorth side of Loves Park, turn east onto Windsor Road and go1.3 miles to a “T” that Windsor Road forms at Forest Hills Road.Turn north (left) on Forest Hills Road and go 0.1 mile to FloraDrive. Turn east (right) on Flora Drive and go another 0.1 mile.The preserve is on the south side of the road.

Loda Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Iroquois County

In Loda, turn off Route 45 onto Jefferson Street (210N) and go west 0.3 mile, then north 0.6 mile to Pine Ridge Cemetery. Thepreserve is north of the cemetery. Do not enter the cemetery.Follow the access road to the southeast corner of the cemetery and walk the path outside the east-cemetery fence, northto the preserve.

Revis Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, Mason County

From Kilbourne, go north 0.5 mile on Route 97, turn and go east(right) on a blacktop road (700N) for 7.5 miles to 2630E. Turnright and go southeast 0.5 mile and bear left on a gravel road.The preserve is on the northeast (left) side of the road.

Twelve-Mile Prairie, Effingham and Marion counties

The best places to view this prairie are along Route 37 fromEdgewood to Alma. The prairie is along the railroad line.

THE ILLINOIS STEWARD

Revis Hill Prairie is namedafter James A. Revis, anearly pioneer in MasonCounty. The area is partof the north valley wallof the Sangamon River, which rises 250 feet abovethe mile-and-quarter-widefloodplain of the river. Thepredominant soil is loess(windblown silt) over gla-cial till, but there are alsosome fine-sand depositsand gravel outcroppings.Hill prairie is the domi-nant plant community found on the rolling landand steep slopes. Forestsdominated by oaks arepresent in the ravinesbetween the bluffs. Revis is the largest hill prairie complex in Illinois.For those who persevere in the uphill struggle through woodsand brambles, the view of the river valley alone is worth the trip;but hill prairies have other rewards. In late summer and early autumn, forbs such as blazing-star, goldenrods, asters, and gerardiamingle with the orange–brown stems of the grasses—little bluestemand prairie dropseed.But the jewel of the fall is the scented ladies’ tresses orchid, whichcasts its heady scent on the wind, detected long before the plantcan be seen, nestled in the grasses. This orchid belongs to the genus

Spiranthes

, the name being derived from the Greek and meaningcoiled flowers, alluding to the spiral arrangement of the blossoms. Although we associate orchids with spring and with wet areas, thisspecies has taken advantage of the hill prairies and occupies the mostsevere habitat of any of our native orchids. It also blooms later thanany other Illinois orchid, beginning in mid-September and continu-ing sometimes until early November.In addition to over 160 plant species, some unusual animals foundhere are the western hognose snake, western slender glass lizard, Ottoeskipper, Arogos skipper, and gorgone checkerspot. While orange andclouded sulphurs may be abundant, look closely at any yellow ororange butterfly, as both sleepy orange sulphur and dog face sulphurbutterflies are here as well.

Diapharomera vellii

, the prairie walkingstick, was rediscovered at Revis in 1990, 70 years after the last one was seen anywhere in Illinois.Hill prairies continue to exist in Illinois, largely because of theirinaccessibility. Threats to these unique habitats include encroachmentof the surrounding forest (historically kept at bay by fire), pasturingof livestock, and homesite development. Despite this, hill prairiesare still around and can provide anyone with an afternoon of heart-stopping exercise, followed by absolute solitude—your reverie brokenonly by the soft, ever-present winds and the high-fives as you andyour companions celebrate finding a true hill prairie gem.

Re vis Hill Prairie Nature Preser ve — A n Illinois Ri ver Prairie

“I am standing on top of Revis Hill Prairie with a groupof intrepid butterfly aficionados. We are with

Skipper Field Manual

authors James Sternburg and JamesWiker, seeking the elusive Ottoe skipper. Revis is theonly site in Illinoiswhere this diminutiveyet delightful skippermay still reliably befound. Purple prairieclover and leadplantare in full bloom— the latter laden withits purple blossomsand orange pollen. The visiting bees look as if they arewearing puffy, orange leggings. A second-instar prairiewalking stick, a dog face sulphur,an adult ant lion, and a Horace’sdusky wing areadmired and pho-tographed. As wewatch the topsof the fadingpale purple cone-flower, we getlucky—an Ottoeskipper!—a realtreasure of Revis and one JamesSternburg had not witnessed in his80-plus years of butterfly studies.”

Susan L. Post, June 21, 2006