Ashley House
Reporter
Of the many clubs and organizations offered at Parkland College, Students for Sustainability stands out. Despite only meeting once or twice a month, this group is able to come together as a single unit to help preserve one of few natural beauties left in the world: Illinois prairies.
Over a couple decades, the prairie grasses surrounding Parkland College have been maintained by various groups, including the Champaign Park District, Parkland’s own sustainability group, and students in the natural biology classes offered at the college. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, about 60% of Illinois used to be prairie land – that’s about 22 million acres. Today, however, only about 2,500 acres of prairieland remains. Groups all over the state aspire to assist in preserving the remaining Illinois prairies, dedicating days or weeks to work performing prairie restorations.
Prairie restorations are done by cutting out or burning invasive species and planting native species in their place. The hope is that the seeds of the native plants sprout and thrive, taking over the places where invasive species once grew, and, in time, help maintain the delicate ecological balance of the prairieland. Last week, Parkland’s Student’s for Sustainability headed out to the prairies surrounding the college to do just that. A small group of students alongside Chris, Hilary, and Ray, the co directors of the group, set out to study the invasive species presently growing in the grassland, as well as plant some milkweed.
The most important reason for prairie restorations to take place, Hilary told me, is to preserve habitats and food options for prairie animals. Since the beginning of time, plants, animals, and insects have evolved and adapted together and created small ecosystems in which they have found an ecological balance. When either humans or other animals accidentally or otherwise bring in the seeds of an invasive species, that plant can take over an entire prairie, choking out a native plant that may be a significant food source for any of the animals present. This will then affect the population of that animal species, which in turn affects the entire food chain. Invasive plants have the potential to not only destroy habitats for nesting animals, but they can also take out an entire ecosystem. Prairie restoration is also important in helping preserve various species, which are now considered endangered. Prairie grasses and flowers can provide food and work for all kinds of bees, some of which are drawn only to specific prairie flowers.
On the group’s outing, they quickly spotted one of the top invasive species in the area: Honeysuckle. While the plant may sound sweet, its reproductive technique is somewhat aggressive. The bush contains bright colored berries that birds have a certain fondness of; these berries, however, contain a natural laxative. Pretty quickly after enjoying their little snack, the birds may find themselves partaking in spreading the seeds of this misfit plant, which means seeds are quickly and easily spread in the area all around the original honeysuckle, allowing it to effortlessly take over an entire prairie. Alongside this demon of a plant, the group also spotted enough Goldenrod, a huge competitor of native species, that Chris commented that they may have to do a burn to remove it.
In addition to identifying and removing some of the invasive plants in the area, the students also planted milkweed seeds, one of the native plants to our area. All around the edges of the prairie you could see tall, dark stalks of Big Bluestem, the official Illinois State Prairie Grass, which was planted last year, leafy Mulberry plants, and a few budding Green Headed Coneflower bushes. Hilary instructed each member of the group each pluck a small cone of seeds off the coneflower plants and break them apart to be planted with the milkweed seeds.
After a brief walk around the edge of the prairie grasses and instructions, the group dispersed throughout the tall grasses fluttering with orange monarch butterflies, excited to begin work on planting and removal. The Parkland Students for Sustainability hopes to have around half a dozen work days this school year. If you have an interest in lending a helping hand to the group for prairie restorations, or if you have another green idea you would like to see implemented at the college, feel free to reach out. You can contact Chris Berti at cberti@parkland.edu or Hilary Valentine at hvalentine@parkland.edu
