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Karma Grotelueschen of PlannedScapes Native Landscape Design offers tours of local prairies for individuals or groups. Talks while on the tours can include natural history of the area and the prairie, prairie plants, prairie ecosystems, identification characteristics of prairie plants, use of prairie plants in the landscape or nearly any prairie-related topic you choose. |
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Tours can be: Fast paced for aerobic exercise or hiking training At a leisurely pace to focus on learning and observation
Tours can be: Guided with talks in various topics Workshop-like lectures on photographing plants, sketching plants, or landscape design exercises Studio-like with time allowed for open photography or sketching with guide assistance as requested
The Schulenburg Prairie at the Morton Arboretum - Restored and recreated prairie with rolling landforms and excellent mixes of grasses and forbs, with drifts of plants that have spread and colonized over time West Chicago Prairie - Remnant unplowed large prairie with naturally occurring plant associations and examples of wet, mesic, and dry areas, a savanna area, and vast areas of tall grasses. McKee Marsh which includes prairie, woodland, and pothole marsh - A loop path through restored prairie, along marsh, and through a woodland rich in wildflowers. Wolf Road Prairie - A prairie remnant that was almost a housing subdivision so features a grid of concrete sidewalks, making it more thoroughly accessible than most and therefore a great place to get up close to a great variety of grasses and forbs. Tri-County State Park - A newly recreated prairie with a long looping trail that gives a glimmer of an idea of the vastness that once was the tallgrass prairie and is large enough to offer frequent hawk sitings.
Multiple areas can be combined into an entire day's touring.
Sample
Prairie Vacation Package: Morning: Hike Schulenburg Prairie at the Morton Arboretum to learn basic prairie natural history Lunch: Visitor Center Ginkgo Restaurant Afternoon: Hike the Heirloom Trail on the Arboretum's East Side to learn glacial effects on landforms Day 2: Morning: Hike Fermilab Prairie and see videos at Fermilab's Wilson Hall
Afternoon: Hike West Chicago Prairie Day 3: Morning: Learn photo composition techniques for landscape and plant close ups Lunch: Sack Lunch Afternoon: Hike and photograph at Wolf Road Prairie Day 4: Morning: Restoration work cutting buckthorn at West Chicago Prairie Lunch: Sack Lunch Afternoon: Free hiking and photo critique and guidance at West Chicago Prairie
Fee Structure: Single person or couple: $12 per hour or $60 per 6 hour day plus lunch and admission fees Group: $5 per person per hour, minimum $15 per hour
Call Karma at (630) 393-4598 to arrange dates and times and locations for yourself or your group. |
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Prairie
Oak Artisans |
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Prairie Tours
Local prairies available for your
itinerary include but are not
limited to:
Lunch:
Wilson Hall cafeteria