Hickory Knolls Natural Area Restoration
St. Charles Nature Restoration Project Underway
The St. Charles Park District is restoring prairie habitat at Hickory Knolls Natural Area, located along Campton Hills Road on the west side of St. Charles. This project, partially funded by the ComEd Green Regions Grant, supports conservation efforts in Northern Illinois.
Awarded in 2024, the District’s grant proposal, “Connecting, Preserving, and Enhancing Prairie Ecosystems,” secured funding to clear approximately one acre of degraded woodland that was fragmenting the prairie ecosystem. By restoring this land to prairie habitat, the project will create a unified and thriving prairie ecosystem.
Earlier this year, the District contracted crews to remove invasive trees and shrubs, an effort that drew attention from neighbors and passersby due to the site’s proximity to the road.
“People have been asking about the removal of trees,” said Ryan Solomon, the Park District’s Ecological Restoration Supervisor. “At the start of a restoration project, the landscape can look stark, almost like the surface of the moon. But transformation takes time, and the results will be well worth the effort.”
Illinois, known as the Prairie State, has lost more than 99.9% of its original 21 million acres of prairie. Solomon emphasizes the importance of restoring and preserving these rare ecosystems.
“Prairies are crucial for building fertile soil, supporting diverse plant and animal species, and providing habitat for endangered wildlife,” Solomon explained.
The next phase of the project involves seeding the cleared area with a mix of native grasses and rye to establish ground cover. Over the next several years, native flowering forbs will be introduced to enhance biodiversity.
Solomon and the Park District’s restoration team, along with dedicated volunteers, have developed a comprehensive plan to collect and distribute seeds from neighboring natural areas to help establish a robust prairie plant community.
“For the next five years, we’ll repeat the process of treatment, seeding, and controlling non-native species until the site is self-sustaining and can be integrated into the District’s regular natural areas management program,” Solomon added.
To prevent the regrowth of invasive species, herbicide treatments will be used strategically, with a gradual reduction as the prairie ecosystem becomes established. Long-term maintenance may include mowing or prescribed burns to support continued restoration efforts.
Community members interested in learning more about natural area restoration or volunteering can visit stcnature.org for additional information.