Green Guerrilla worked with the National Forest Foundation and US Forest Service to plant 220 native shrubs on this 20,000 acre prairie.
Plants were sourced for their genetic suitability for The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a reserve by the United States Forest Service. It is the first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the U.S. and the largest conservation site in the Chicago region. Since 2015, it has hosted a conservation herd of American bison to study their interaction with prairie restoration.
Midewin remains the only federal tallgrass prairie preserve east of the Mississippi River, where surviving areas of that habitat are extremely rare. With the adjacent Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area and a number of other state and county protected areas in the immediate area, Midewin forms the heart of a conservation macrosite totaling more than 40,000 acres of protected land.
The name Midewin (/mɪˈdeɪwɪn/, mi-DAY-win) is a Potowatomi Native American word referring to the tribe’s healers, who it was believed also kept the tribal society in balance. Research since the establishment of the park has found evidence of a pre-European–contact village (c. 1600) from the Oneota culture in a place on the site called Middle Creek
Midewin is a special place and a great example of what we can do with land no longer needed for its developed use. We were grateful for the opportunity to work in and experience this amazing tallgrass prairie.
Our experience working with Green Guerrilla was excellent from beginning to end. They were able to meet shrub species specifications needed to plant at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and were very patient and helpful as we finalized our product order. Not only did they source the product but managed the shrub install and mulching as well. We were very pleased with the completed project and furthermore, it was a joy to work with Chris! The National Forest Foundation would be happy to partner with Green Guerilla again on future U.S. Forest Service projects.
Brittney Halliday – Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Program Coordinator
National Forest Foundation