Volunteers needed to restore College of DuPage prairie, natural areas

Join College of DuPage at outdoor work events to restore the Kirt Prairie and other natural areas on the Glen Ellyn campus, 425 Fawell Blvd.

Workdays are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, March 6 and 20, and April 3 to 13; and Wednesdays, March 7, 14 and 21, and April 4, 11, 18 and 25. Additional outdoor work events are 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays, March 10 and 24, and April 14.

Volunteers will cut brush, collect and process seeds, transplant and weed invasive plants.

From more information, contact Outdoor Lab/Prairie Manager Remic Ensweiler at ensweilerr@cod.edu.

First planted in 1985, Kirt Prairie lies on clay and gravel excavated during construction of the Student Resource Center and covered with a thin layer of imported topsoil to enable seed spreading and planting.

The area comprises approximately six acres of marsh, a one-acre retention pond, 11 acres of reconstructed prairie and savanna, and a quarter mile of seed production beds. Over a half mile of trails, including a one-sixth of a mile wheelchair accessible stretch, allows easy access for nonconsumptive recreational use.

The Glen Ellyn campus is also home to the B.J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary, the oldest restoration area, which includes a nine-acre marsh and wetland area dedicated in 1983, as well as a 15-acre Ecological Study Area comprising three acres of marsh, four acres of successional woodland and eight acres of reconstructed prairie. The Ecological Study area also includes more than a half mile of trails available for nonconsumptive recreational use.

The college's prairie and natural areas feature nearly 300 species of native tallgrass plants. In addition, the area also hosts a variety of wildlife including many species of insects, toads, frogs, turtles, small mammals, coyotes and birds such as warblers, wading birds, owls and hawks.