Hosah Prairie in Zion, IL is one of only a few Grade A and B sand prairies in the state, with a native mean C of 6.5; it is also listed as an eBird hotspot. In 2015 natural areas stewardship work resumed, in partnership with the landowner, the Zion Park District, and with support from the Volunteer Stewardship Network of the Illinois Nature Conservancy and many volunteers, including interns from the Center for Conservation Leadership of Lake Forest Open Lands and other agencies. This is the continuing story of how the site was nearly destroyed to make room for a marina, how local advocacy changed that trajectory, and how individual efforts can be effective in making a difference for our natural areas.
Friday, February 3, 2023
10:25 am - 11:15 am
Presenters
Kathleen Marie GarnessFriends of Hosah Prairie
Kathleen is a scientific affiliate of the Field Museum and science and conservation affiliate of Morton Arboretum. Her illustrations are featured by the Smithsonian at https://northamericanorchidcenter.org/featured-botanical-illustration/ and on the Field Museum and Conservation Research Institute websites with the goal of helping introduce new audiences to field botany. Kathleen has been steward of Hosah Prairie since 2015, and of Grainger Woods in Mettawa, IL since 2003. She believes that close observation of nature can lead to an ongoing relationship that spiritually nurtures both the individual and the natural areas for which they learn to care.
