| Van
Vlissingen Prairie Saved
In
August, the Belt Railway Company donated the 117-acre Van
Vlissingen Prairie to CorLands, marking the end of a 23-year
quest to save a local gem in the 4,000-acre Calumet Open
Space Reserve on the south side of Chicago.
Home
to 165 different plant species, Van Vlissingen Prairie provides
habitat for the endangered garber sedge, a rare umbrella
sedge, and beautiful native flora like lady’s tresses
and Carolina rose. The area also contains several different
natural communities including wetland, prairie and disturbed
wooded edge.
The
acquisition and restoration of the land is a joint effort
by the City of Chicago, the state of Illinois and CorLands.
The
Van Vlissingen Prairie will become a valuable educational
resource for the surrounding community. "It’s a wonderful
thing for the Calumet area," said Marian Byrnes of the Southeast
Environmental Task Force. "The wetlands and uplands are
a very important part of our heritage."
—
Meghan Murphy
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