In the Heat of Battle

Bell Bowl Prairie – a report from the front

April 2022

Our Goal - Make Peace and Keep It - Before the Bulldozers Arrive

Much depends on our Governor and Senators. They’ve said it's important to save Bell Bowl Prairie, but so far their help has been temporary.

Even some conservation officials said the prairie would surely be bulldozed last fall “unless there’s a miracle.” It's still under threat. Any minute. 

When public demand was raised to a high level, Governor Pritzker and both Senators spoke out, influentially. (See links, below.) Why not close the deal? What are they waiting for?

 

Governor Pritzker controls sufficient funding (and politics). He could make permanent protection happen. The Greater Rockport Airport Authority needs Illinois state funds.  

Senators Durbin and Duckworth both have recognized that the conservation of this irreplaceable treasure is in the public interest. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Federal Aviation Administration play important roles here. They’re the principal reason that the destruction of our finest gravel prairie remnant wasn’t bulldozed already. 

This prairie is an irreplaceable ecosystem with hundreds of rare plant and animal species that deserve to survive.

Where’s action needed now, to resolve the stalemate?  

… Individuals are writing “letters to the editor” and “op-eds” as well as individual letters to local, state, and national politicians.  As a result, many newspapers, radio stations, and TV reporters cover Bell Bowl Prairie. Now National Geographic has joined in.

… People are showing up at Airport board meetings, letting airport official and local mayors know that win/win solutions (for jobs, the economy, and the ecosystem) are at hand and needed.

… An inspired and creative team of educators and students are working on a postcard campaign. 

… Local Rockford people are developing a “guerrilla art” campaign, through which people post Save Bell Bowl Prairie messages on street signs, light polls, etc. 

On April 15th, the “forces of solidarity with the environment” are celebrating the emergence of the queens! Rusty-patch bumblebees have been resting, waiting all winter long. Now they start to hum through the air once again, power up on nectar and pollen, and start to build their 2022 colonies. This has happened every year for time immemorial. We don’t want this year to be the last. A part of its assault, the Airport Authority has barred the stewards and the public from entering the prairie, whether for appreciation or to give it the care it needs. So for our April 15th “watch party” - we will stand on the side of a public road, with binoculars and cameras with long lenses. We will learn, enjoy, and make a point. 

Save Bell Bowl Prairie will also celebrate Earth Day on April 23^rd with giant bumblebee puppets, a post card campaign, and kids’ events at Severson Dells Nature Center’s Pollinator Palooza festival. Related events are planned at Northwestern University and under the leadership of Rising Tide Chicago. 

Plans are under way for a demonstration on May 1st at Governor Pritzker’s office or mansion in Chicago. He’s our friend. But he needs more public support to get this job done. Check later for details here.

Please write to Pritzker, Durbin, and Duckworth, 

show up at events near you, 

and lend a hand.

Who’s Leading the Charge?

Congratulations to every person and group who’s leading the charge. Jennifer Kuroda and Sinnissippi Audubon got it started. Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves and Illinois Native Plant Society (especially cassi saari and Katie Kucera who launched the public action phase and the website that still supports it). Natural Land Institute for long-term care and principal funding for the lawsuit which, if nothing else, is a powerful impediment to destruction for now (but also limits their actions). Illinois Environmental Council led petition and writing campaigns. Liz Anna Kozik donated a ton of great ourtreach artwork. Amy Doll, Jillian Neece, and Robb Telfer of Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves are supporting events and initiatives as the campaign proceeds. And most of the impact comes from hundreds of public-spirited conservationists (including you?).

How About the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR)?

Some of Illinois conservation staff have been good leaders on this. Our taxes pay their salaries to defend natural resources. But politics have limited their abilities and DNR and Nature Preserve staff have not been able to take a leadership role in this effort.  Perhaps this is unavoidable. Some powers depend on “The People” (us). 

Unfortunately, some staff have proposed trivial “face-saving” measures. In Sympathy for the Devil, Mick Jaeger sings of Pilot “washing his hands and sealing his fate.” There’s a parallel here. Some have proposed apparently justifying the destruction by digging up a few plants and moving them somewhere … or planting some “bumblebee habitat.” It’s good to plant habitat. But it is not good for conservation officials to appear to be publicly making excuses for egregious destruction of an irreplaceable high-quality ecosystem remnant. Bulldozing Bell Bowl Prairie would be the worst destruction by a public agency at least since the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory made the stakes clear. We need to be supporting all officials who can help. 

What Can I Do?!?

Don't just read about this! Take action!

95,000 people have already signed a nation-wide and international petition.

Also sign the Civic Shout-out Petition.

If you can rally your organization, add to the 125 groups that have joined forces. 

Add your voice to the campaign by the Illinois Environmental Council. 

Tweet your State Reps about this state-wide treasure. 

Donate to the legal fund.

Click here for a full list of actions and handy drafts. But don't spend all your time studying. Reach out! Act!

Always, for the latest, see the Save Bell Bowl Prairie website. 

The prairie is on the slope in this photo.
Bulldozers are poised. 

Most experts believe that the bulldozer destruction and fragmenting this small prairie in two would be the beginning of the end. 

It's ridiculous. As this poster shows, all they need to do re-direct the road to where it's been.
Then they can go ahead with airport improvements.
Graphic by Liz Anna Kozik

The Rusty-patched Bumblebee - on the Federal Endangered list - is one of hundreds of plant and animals species your actions could help. 

For more facts and photos, see two previous posts, here and here. But don't just read! Please act!

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Robb Telfer, Amy Doll, and Eriko Kojima for helpful proofing and edits. Your comments would be appreciated too!