The Kankakee River Basin presents a unique opportunity to preserve a remnant of a unique habitat comprised of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna and wetlands. The oak savanna in the Basin constitutes among the best and most concentrated Midwest oak savanna anywhere and, while very little prairie remains, the small islands that endure could still be restored. This refuge proposal is an effort to build on the outstanding conservation work that has already occurred in the Kankakee Basin.
Time is critical, however.
While the Basin still has a comparatively sparse population of people, development is spreading closer. Restoration and protection are possible today, but in a few decades or less land use may be too intense to restore the ecosystem structure. Several influential conservation partnerships are currently working in the Kankakee Basin, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy and several effective local groups. The challenge for the Service is to provide a compelling vision of landscape-scale restoration in the Kankakee Basin that will inspire a cooperative effort to achieve it. The Service has demonstrated an ability and willingness to work with multiple partners on conservation projects and, by continuing this effort, the Service can provide the leadership needed for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to ecosystem restoration in the Kankakee Basin.