[BCNnet] Invitation - Bartel Grassland open house

[bobolnk at ix.netcom.com]

Informational Open House  
Habitat Restoration at Bartel Grassland
Saturday December 6, 2-4 pm
Olde St. Paul’s Church, 6200 Vollmer Road, Matteson

Rare nature will soon be doing a little better in the south suburbs.  The successful
prairie and wetland restoration at Bartel Grassland Forest Preserve (south of Flossmoor
between Central and Ridgeland) will cross the road this winter. The new areas to
benefit, north of Flossmoor and east of Central, also were originally prairie and
wetland, then farmland, and were temporarily planted to a mix of meadows and trees
when the Forest Preserve District took over. It has been used mainly as a model 
airplane flying field (which is being moved to another location). 

 In the first phase, south of Flossmoor, drainage tiles installed by farmers have
been plugged so that natural water flow could return to the land.  As a result, 
wetlands have begun to develop.  Not only do the wetlands reduce flooding downstream,
but wetland birds such as sandhill cranes, blue-winged teal, greater yellowlegs 
and other wetland wildlife have begun to use the site again. Invasive trees, brush
and weeds were removed and prairie wildflowers and grasses were planted.  Prairie
birds such as meadowlarks, bobolinks and short-eared owls now use the site in greater
numbers. 

 To learn about this effort, the partners invite you to an open house on Saturday,
December 6 from 2-4 at the Matteson Historical Society's Old St. Paul’s Church
location on the south end of the preserve at 6200 Vollmer Road.  Maps and posters
will describe the ecology, the goals of restoration, and the results. Partners will
be present to answer your questions.  The project is a partnership between the Forest
Preserve District of Cook County, Openlands Project, Audubon and the Bartel Grassland
Volunteers.  

Judy Pollock
jpollock at audubon.org