Prairie

A prairie is an ecosystem made up mostly of grasses and forbs (flowering plants). The sand prairies of Illinois Beach are home to species such as Indian grass, little bluestem, and Prickly Pear Cactus. Other common plants in the prairie include big bluestem, bedstraws, spiderwort, phlox, sunflowers, coneflowers, anemones, star grasses, blazing stars and many others. The prairie is a nesting area for many species of grassland birds.

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A prairie is made up of grasses and forbs (flowering plants that are not woody or grasslike).

prairie
Prairie at Illinois Beach State Park

 

At Illinois Beach, look for dry sand prairies on ridges and wet sand prairies in swales, the low areas between dunes. These prairies are burned periodically by park staff (called a prescribed burn) to remove exotic invasive species and recycle nutrients into the soil.

Nesting birds

Grassland birds use grass to build their nests either on forbs or on the ground. Be careful where you step!

Hidden herps

Watch carefully and you might catch a glimpse of a frog or snake as it escapes through the prairie grasses.