Spring Creek Valley encompasses 3,910 acres of forest preserve with such diverse ecosystems as prairies, wetlands, oak woodlands, savannas, shrublands and fens. This area also supports some of the largest and most diverse populations of grassland birds in the Midwest, in part due to nearby hayfields and pastures. Frequently seen species include bobolink, Henslow’s sparrow and sandhill crane. Grassland bird populations are declining faster than any group of birds in North America, and conservation efforts to restore their numbers are considered critical. Shrublands, wet grasslands and oak woodlands are also high priorities for conservation. The Spring Creek Stewards cut brush, help with controlled burns, and annually gather and plant more than one hundred species of grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees. The goal is to restore thriving diversity to ecosystems that already support beaver, Cope’s gray treefrog, long-tailed weasel, great angelica and more than one thousand other species of plants and animals.
