The geography and landscapes of the State of Illinois are wonderfully diverse.
The Prairie State is bounded and bisected by great river systems and Lake Michigan. Much of Illinois was impacted by prehistoric glaciation which helped to develop the prairie ecosystems that became so attractive to settlement. The river valleys and un-glaciated areas remained largely wooded, the Shawnee Forest region being the most notable.
The transformation of the Illinois landscape in the past 300 years has been so dramatic that the original prairie landscapes are but a shadow of their original extent. In many ways the recognition of this loss helped to spark the contemporary ecological restoration movement that the SER supports today.
The resources featured on this page represent some of the ecological diversity of our state, and some of the people that are working to save what should be saved and to restore and heal impacted landscapes.
For Ecological Restoration Practitioners and Students:
- The Nature Conservancy (Illinois)
- Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- Shawnee National Forest
- Illinois State Parks
- University of Illinois at Chicago: Ecology and Evolution, Chicago, IL
- University of Illinois at Springfield: Department of Biology, Springfield, IL
- Illinois State University: School of Biological Sciences, Normal, IL
- DePaul University: Institute for Nature and Culture, Chicago, IL
- University of Illinois at Springfield: Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon, Lewistown, IL
Find out about prairie restoration!
Learn more about wildlife in Illinois:
- Discover birds and ornithology in Illinois with the Chicago Audubon Society
- Engage with wildlife, birds, and ecosystem resilience at the Chicago Wilderness Alliance
- Visit a wildlife refuge at Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge
Other Community Resources:
- Chicago Wilderness, in southeastern Wisconsin through northeastern Illinois
- Openlands, Chicago area, IL
- Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
- Chicago Botanic Garden Conservation, Glencoe, IL
Volunteering and Events in Illinois:
The Nature Conservancy has many opportunities to get involved in volunteering.
Join a Green Vision Team with the Chicago Wildnerness Alliance!
