Richton Park- Bartel Grassland and Water Reserve
Previously an agricultural field bordered by hedgerows, the 585-acre Bartel Grassland is now a flat, damp terrain home to a growing array of native plant and bird species in Richton Park, IL. Visitors may examine how restoration efforts have fostered natural processes at an observation area with a mound. As restoration efforts open up the environment and support natural processes, Bartel Grassland, a former agricultural field divided by hedgerows, is now home to a growing variety of native plant and bird species. This territory, spread across a low, flat plain, formerly attracted dozens of species of nesting grassland and wetland birds. However, decades of agricultural usage, notably the planting of Osage orange trees to construct hedgerows and the draining of damp regions, have fragmented the site and diminished its effectiveness as a breeding location. Nonetheless, restoration efforts have encouraged many species to return, and it is currently designated by Audubon as an Important Bird Area for bobolink. Bartel is once again a nesting ground for grassland species, many of which migrate here from South and Central America each summer. Bobolink, eastern meadowlark, grasshopper sparrow, Henslow’s sparrow, savannah sparrow, sedge wren, and dickcissel are among the birds that can be seen. In the winter, look for short-eared owls and northern harriers. Binoculars are useful for seeing coyotes and deer in the distance. The Grassland of Bartel Volunteers are converting a 585-acre hayfield into grassland, where bobolinks breed in the spring and summer and short-eared owls graze in the winter. Participating in volunteer restoration is one of the finest ways to appreciate and learn more about Bartel Grassland. Volunteers can also assist with invasive plant management, seed gathering, hydrological restoration, and other projects.
