Prairie preservation vs airport expansion
Midewin Prairie in Wilmington, Illinois Illinois Department of Natural Resources
The Bell Bowl Prairie in Rockford is seen as somewhat of a local treasure. The five-acre patch of rare Illinois prairie is a natural dry gravel prairie that’s home to rare and endangered species like the rusty patched bumblebee and contains birds, animals, insects, fungi, and microorganisms. It’s also a site rich with history: from Camp Grant to the Civilian Conservation Corps. As part of a 280-acre expansion of the Chicago Rockford International Airport, the prairie, which has gone undeveloped for thousands of years, could be bulldozed, despite concerns that only .01% of Illinois' natural prairie remains. We talked about it with a chapter director from the Sierra Club Illinois and the executive director of the Natural Land Institute.
GUESTS:
Jack Darrin
Chapter Director at Sierra Club Illinois
Kerry Leigh
Executive Director of Natural Land Institute
"It's the original land of the state." And if that's not worth saving, what good are "30 by 30" pledges -- protect 30% of land and water resources by 2030 -- from officials, conservationists want to know. https://t.co/x7KtEaZ16G
— Patty Wetli (@pattywetli) October 6, 2021
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
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