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We are past the point of no return.

In 1820, Illinois had 22 million acres of prairie land.
By 1978, less than 2300 acres remained.

Find out more

map of pre-settlement vegetation in Illinois map of pre-settlement vegetation in Illinois

Background

More than 12,000 years ago, the movement of glaciers that covered what is currently the state of Illinois shaped the land. Over thousands of years, the subsequent weather conditions and the flat land gave rise to the tallgrass prairie. This land was taken care of by many Native American nations, including in the land that is now Champaign and Urbana: the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Piankashaw, Wea, Miami, Mascoutin, Odawa, Sauk, Mesquaki, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Chickasaw Nations.

However, after the arrival of settlers, much of the land was converted to serve agricultural purposes, especially since the soil was ideal for the cultivation of crops. Furthermore, along with the settlers came seeds and plants from their origin. These two factors resulted in the removal of our native prairie plants as well as the introduction of native species, making it more difficult for the native plants to thrive. Even now, invasives are still being introduced, either as souvenirs or for their "exotic" appearance, further exacerbating the situation. Today, it is far too late to completely restore the natural landscape with all the damage that has been done.

... and the Future

  • days
  • Hours
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... till 2030


The 30 x 30 resolution, signed by the Biden-Harris administration in 2021, is the idea of protecting 30% of our natural lands and waters by 2030. Currently, about 60% of the land in the United States remains in its natural state, and 12% of these areas are under legal protection. However, due to the agricultural uses of land in Illinois, the state falls far behind, with less than 0.1% of land in its natural state, and only 4% legally protected.


However, you can help.

Why Native Plants?

They support our natural biodiversity for the support of our ecosystem.
They conserve natural resources such as water as they are adapted to our natural environment and conditions.
Their deep root system solves problems that can affect us, such as soil erosion.
They ensure that our descendants will be able to enjoy the natural environment our predecessors worked so hard to maintain.

Why *Not* Invasive Plants?

They destroy habitats and thus harm our fauna.
They out-compete native plant species and proliferate rapidly.
They hurt our economy by increasing management and research costs.

Note: Even though invasive plant species harm our environment and economy, and we should aim to remove them, it is also important to acknowledge that they are relatives to someone in another location, and thus we should also respect their spirits while removing them.

Examples of Invasive Plants in Champaign-Urbana

A branch from a honeysuckle tree

Bush Honeysuckle

Origin: Eurasia


Location(s) in Champaign-Urbana:

  • South Arboretum Woods
  • One near Goodwin & Nevada

Identification:

  • Bright red berries
  • Doe-ear-shaped leaves growing in pairs
  • Grayish-brown bark with broad ridges and grooves
  • Bark is hollow when cut open

Additional fact: The sweet but laxative berries result in this plant spreading easily via bird consumption.

Yellow tulip tree flower and green leaves

Tulip Tree / Yellow Poplar

Origin: Eastern United States*


Location(s) in Champaign-Urbana:

  • South Arboretum Woods
  • Pennsylvania Avenue
  • St Marys Road
  • South Mathews Avenue

Identification:

  • Mitten-like leaves with symmetrical points
  • Yellow flowers

*Additional fact: Even though they are native to southern and southeast Illinois, it has been introduced into other natural areas in the state despite only appearing occasionally. This resulted in them competing with other native species and creating monocultures, hence why they are "invasive".

Tree of Heaven seeds and leaves

Tree of Heaven

Origin: China


Location(s) in Champaign-Urbana:

  • South Arboretum Woods
  • Harvey & Main

Identification:

  • Leaves have smooth edges and a small lobe at the bottom
  • Greenish-yellow flowers
  • One seed per samara (i.e. wing) on female trees

Additional fact: It secretes a chemical into the soil that is toxic to surrounding plants, allowing it to out-compete other plants more effectively.

How You Can Help

Choose Native

If you are a landowner, or know one, you should always choose native plants over invasive plants to cultivate on your land. Many invasive species are brought in because they look "exotic", but we have many aesthetically pleasing natives too, and choosing them means preventing the proliferation of invasive plants while re-introducing native plants onto our land. In fact, here is a simple tool to help you find the right native species for your land:

Volunteer

Whether you are a student at UIUC or a community member in Champaign-Urbana, there are many organizations that you can join or volunteer with to remove invasive species and play your part in restoring our natural landscapes. Some examples include:

Red Bison ecological restoration logo

Red Bison | Ecological Restoration at UIUC


"As a Registered Student Organization (RSO) on campus, Red Bison focuses on practicing restoration ecology throughout native Illinois landscapes in Champaign-Urbana. We maintain local grasslands and forests by controlling invasive species, promoting native species, performing prescribed burns, and learning more about native wildlife."

Grand Prairie Friends logo

Grand Prairie Friends


"Grand Prairie Friends is a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit, conservation organization and land trust composed of people from many walks of life who share a commitment to preserve and restore tallgrass prairie and woodlands in east-central Illinois."

Explore & Educate

Finally, don't let your journey stop here! Continue exploring some protected lands and parks around the area to see the beauty of our natural landscapes. Continue being conscious of the prevalence of invasive plants in our area, and understand the severity of the problem. And continue educating both yourself and others on this problem! You can read books such as Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr Robin Wall Kimmerer or Fresh Banana Leaves by Dr. Jessica Hernandez. Furthermore, the list of references below all have helpful information to find out more. Also, here are some places that you can visit to have a look at the work being done to restore some of Illinois' native landscape:

Red Oak Rain Garden, UIUC

a plant with red leaves next to a small sculpture consisting of dark red-brown vertical waves

Meadowbrook Park, Urbana

a curved path lined up with tall grass on one side and various trees on the other

References & Acknowledgements

Thank you to the authors / creators of all the following resources of information, without which I would have lacked the knowledge to include all the current content on the website. Thank you also to my professors at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for sharing resources on different facets of sustainability, as well as Red Bison Ecological Restoration for helping me gain an interest and learn more about healing native landscapes.

References

Photo Credits

... and a Final Quote

“We are dreaming of a time when the land might give thanks for the people.”

~ Dr Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass