Episode #13
Restoring Illinois Prairies, One Acre at a Time
In this episode of the NIU STEAM Podcast, we dig into one of Illinois' most iconic yet often overlooked landscapes: the prairie. Ahead of the upcoming Tuesday, September 8th STEAM Café event at Lucha Cantina , titled Snacking on Sustainability , host discussions feature Courtney Gallagher , Director of Campus Sustainability at Northern Illinois University, and Holly Hanson , Community Engagement Manager at Wild Roots Nature Center. The conversation explores why Illinois is known as the Prairie State and how more than 99% of the state's original prairie habitat has disappeared due to agriculture, urban development, and changing land use. Today, organizations across Illinois are working to restore these ecosystems, bringing back native plants, improving wildlife habitat, and creating opportunities for community engagement. Learn about two exciting restoration projects. Wild Roots Nature Center is transforming a 169-acre former golf course in Rockford into thriving prairie habitat, while NIU is preparing to convert 40 to 45 acres of campus green space into native prairie. Both projects aim to improve biodiversity, strengthen local waterways connected to the Kishwaukee River system, and create spaces where students, families, and community members can experience nature firsthand. The episode highlights the ecological importance of prairies, from carbon sequestration and flood mitigation to supporting pollinators such as monarch butterflies and the endangered rusty patched bumblebee. Courtney and Holly explain how prairie plants invest most of their growth underground, creating deep root systems that enrich soil, store carbon, and improve water infiltration. Join us September 8th at Lucha Cantina for STEAM Café: Snacking on Sustainability and learn how prairie restoration is helping create a healthier, more resilient future for our communities.
