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Prairie Ridge State Natural |
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 Prairie Ridge State Natural Area is one of the best sites in Illinois for observing rare species of grassland wildlife. Whether your interests are bird watching, nature study, photography, or simply enjoying the prairie vistas, Prairie Ridge SNA is a great place to visit.
The core site for the Prairie Ridge State Natural Area (PRSNA) was acquired in the early 1960's following  the drastic decline of the greater prairie-chicken due to habitat loss. This 4101 acre state natural area provides grassland and wetland habitat for 36 species of special concern, including 16 state endangered, eight state threatened, five watch list, and six area sensitive species. It is the only large grassland habitat complex in the entire Southern Till Plain Natural Division of Illinois.
Prairie Ridge is unique in that, while the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) manages the entire 3,500 acres, nearly 200 acres remains under ownership of the Illinois Audubon Society and has been developed as grassland/wetland habitat and an environmental education area. About 200 acres owned by AmerenCIPS adjacent to nearby Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area have been placed by the company under management of IDNR. Of the land IDNR owns, 567 acres are dedicated nature preserves and 2814 acres are registered as land and water reserves.
Management of this area includes the development of grassland plant communities of introduced grasses and native prairie species. Wetland communities have been constructed to provide habitat for 15 state threatened and endangered wetland dependent species. The site contains a mosaic of habitat types including cool season grasses, restored native grasses, wetlands, native remnant prairies, habitats prepared by annual discing for brood-rearing of prairie-chickens and other birds, woodlands/old fields, cropland being converted into grassland, and miscellaneous areas such as buildings sites and waterways.
Prairie Ridge has the distinction of having the state's largest breeding population of northern harriers, short-eared owls as well as the only population of greater prairie-chickens - all of which are state endangered grassland birds.
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