Volunteer Steward Eric Keeley helps maintain Elmhurst's stretch of 10,000-year-old prairie during a Great Western Prairie Work Day. "Fortunately the area was never developed," said Keely of the current path, which is between what used to be the Chicago Great Western Railroad and an interurban commuter line called the Chicago Aurora Elgin.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
Volunteers worked Saturday to spruce up Elmhurst's stretch of a 10,000-year-old prairie during Great Western Prairie Work Day at the intersection of Berkley Avenue and the Prairie Path.
"I live in the neighborhood," said volunteer Mike Russ of Elmhurst. "Glory to God, our church, does service projects throughout the year. We have something that we call CareFest two weeks from now, and this project gives me a head start on that, just caring for the community and the people around us."
The prairie, a 6-acre strip of virgin land that runs parallel to the Illinois Prairie Path from Spring Road to Salt Creek, is owned by Elmhurst Park District. The Great Western Prairie is the oldest living environment in the city and home to more than 100 different types of native plants.
Volunteers work at the prairie for about three hours on the third Saturday of every month from March through November.
Kevin Graf, vice president of the Elmhurst Park District, stacks nonnative plant species pulled from Elmhurst's Great Western Prairie Path.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
Volunteers including Mike Russ, right, of Elmhurst help maintain Elmhurst's stretch of 10,000-year-old prairie during Great Western Prairie Work Day. Above, Russ and other volunteers remove invasive raspberry plant species which choke off the growth of the natural prairie.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
Kevin Graf, vice president of the Elmhurst Park District, disposes nonnative raspberry plants pulled from Elmhurst's Great Western Prairie Path.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
York High School student Linnea Dierksheide removes nonnative species to help maintain Elmhurst's stretch of 10,000-year-old prairie during Great Western Prairie Work Day.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com