Located within easy driving distance from the Chicago metropolitan area, the Midewin Learning Center can provide a unique research and learning station, accessible to a population base of over 8 million people. Encompassing over 19,000 acres of the former Joliet Arsenal, th e Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie will be the largest tallgrass prairie, east of the Mississippi River. Its mere size lends itself toward a myriad of research possibilities, including large scale prairie restoration work and the study of area sensitiv e grassland bird species, birds that require a minimum of upwards of 100 acres of land in order to survive. Considering that the average pasture in the state of Illinois is 25 acres, the research possibilities of such species at Midewin can be quite sign ificant. The governing bodies proposed to be involved with this project include the USDA Forest Service, the Illinois DNR, Governors State University, Joliet Junior College, the College of St. Francis, and local school districts.
Educational institutions can prov ide the necessary assistance to such research possibilities.
The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is the United States first national tallgrass prairie. Formal transfer of the property from the U.S. Army is pending. Still in its infancy, this project is still in the concept and discussion state. It is hoped t hat the OSA can serve as the host and facilitator of discussions that will bring together the various interested parties and result in a strategy for the development of the Midewin Learning Center. The project requires the support of individuals and agen cies and to provide specific ideas as to how it might be funded, developed, and used.