Free Prairie Tours Available at COD this Summer and Fall

News at College of DuPage




By Mike McKissackTours of the Russell Kirt Prairie at College of DuPage will be available this summer
from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, July 25 and Aug. 8, and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on
Wednesdays, July 26, Aug. 16 and Sept. 20.As they take a guided walk through the College’s prairie restorations, participants
will learn about the wildlife and natural processes as well as identify some of the
more than 100 species of native Illinois plants found throughout the 18-acre prairie
preserve.Click here to watch a segment of NCTV about the tours.For more information about these free tours, click here or call (630) 942-8331.A glimpse of the time when tallgrass prairie still existed plentifully in the area,
the College’s prairie areas serve as an outdoor classroom in the biological sciences,
enabling students an opportunity to gain real-world experience in field-based research.First planted in 1985, Kirt Prairie was reconstructed on clay and gravel excavated
for the construction of the Student Resource Center and covered with a thin layer
of imported topsoil which enabled seed spreading and planting. The area comprises
approximately six acres ofmarsh, a one-acre retention pond, 11 acres of reconstructed prairie and savanna, and
a quarter mile of seed production beds. Over a half mile of trails, including a 1/6-mile
wheelchair accessible stretch, allows easy access for non-consumptive recreational
use.The Glen Ellyn campus is also home to the B.J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary, the oldest
restoration area, which includes a nine-acre marsh and wetland area dedicated in 1983,
as well as a 15-acre Ecological Study Area comprising three acres of marsh, four acres
of successional woodland and eight acres of reconstructed prairie. The Ecological
Study area also includes more than a half mile of trails available for non-consumptive
recreational use.The College’s prairies feature nearly 300 species of native tallgrass plants, more
than 80 of which were reintroduced over the years. ...

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