Shoe Factory Road Prairie

Description

Shoe Factory Road Prairie is a dry to dry mesic gravel prairie perched on the crest and slopes of a glacial deposit or kame of sand and gravel. The well-drained glacial deposits and the orientation and exposure of the slopes to the mid-day sun and wind combine to create a hot, dry habitat for prairie plants. Plants found at Shoe Factory Road Prairie that are especially well adapted for this harsh environment include little bluestem, sideoats gramma, northern dropseed and porcupine grass. Over 100 prairie species have been identified at this site, including the prairie bushclover and woolly milkweed. On the more protected east-facing slope, a woodland community dominated by bur oak exists. This preserve is responding well to management efforts (e.g., prescribed burns, brush cutting) and is a cornerstone of an adjacent 600 acre prairie and oak savanna restoration effort sponsored jointly by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and The Nature Conservancy.