Reconstruction refers to planting prairie on plowed ground or other non-prairie parcels, such as UIS'. Some refer to prairie restoration as prairie simulation , as it is probably impossible to recreate something as complex as a prairie on a small scale.
Prairie restoration is more than preserving our native wildflowers and grasses.
It encompasses saving all forms of life associated with the prairie ecosystem. It represents the foundation and stability of our country's natural history. There have been many attempts to restore prairies, especially in Illinois. For example, the Schulenberg Prairie at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, which covers over 100 acres. Another diverse restoration is the Doris L. Westfall Prairie in Forest Glen Preserve.