Have you ever looked around and wondered about grass? It may not seem like there’s much to notice about the common golf course, front lawn, sidewalk adjacent sort of grass we see everyday, but if you look below the surface there’s a whole world and history. These often monochromatic, sprawling green landscapes are planted with what is referred to as turf grass, such as Kentucky blue grass, a plant imported to the United States from Europe and North Africa. This style of lawn design was brought to the U.S. from Europe during the 1700s, where long expanses of short green grasses were associated with the manicured country estates of the wealthy and upper social classes. The popularization of this cultural import co-occurred and played a role in the development of U.S. suburban culture in the late 1800s, strengthening through the mid-20th century when it became more widely actionable for people in the middle class. Turf grass now covers app. 40 million acres across the country(an area larger than the whole of Illinois). The planting of monoculture grass areas like this, where there are long stretches of only one kind of plant, came in contrast to the landscapes that grew for millenia on the place we now call the United States. These ancient landscapes were full of biodiversity, and in many areas housed ecosystems where humans functioned as just one part of a balanced set of biological processes. In Illinois specifically, native grasslands–in this region called prairies–used to cover 21 of Illinois’ 36 million acres on their own. Prairies in Illinois formed (and the .01% that still remain still form) unique and powerful living systems. Not only do they create a safe home for many animal species to go about their lives, their root systems push through soil to notable depths, with an average length between 5-15 feet, whereas the turf grass lawns discussed above have roots not digging more than 3-4 inches into the earth. The impact of these root systems is profound, creating long pathways for water absorption, microbial and mycelial growth, and the draw down of excess carbon from the atmosphere back into the earth. Just one acre of restored prairie can sequester(take out of the air and store in root systems) 160 tons of carbon a year, and absorb 65% more stormwater–or water left on the ground after it rains–than turf grass. The transformation of turf grass back to prairie has profound positive impacts on surrounding ecosystems. The restoration project at Elliot golf course will provide a prime example for residents of this region to watch as the land begins to come alive with the myriad colors, animals, and landscape benefits of a prairie in just a few years. Sources: https://www.sustainablewoodstock.org/a-history-of-the-american-lawn/ https://blog.nwf.org/2024/04/why-we-have-lawns/ https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/midewin/natural-resources/forest-management https://www.chicagobotanic.org/blog/plant-science-conservation/lowdown-prairie https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/water/supp_info/conservation/green_design/natural_landscaping.html https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/assistance/nrplanning/community/roadsidesforwildlife/putdownroots_poster.pdf https://www.onlyraindownthedrain.com/kids/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46991-5?fromPaywallRec=false

Rivers move and snow falls and hillsides weather while tectonic plates settle snugly across the crust of our earth. The wind blows and trees bow down on stormy days, and deep under our feet the molten parts of our planet’s body flow, as above our heads we see the wispy clouds marking the flow of airs of our sky swirling just the same. Just beyond these skies we see the moving pinpricks and round splotches of light which cross our eyelines through each daily cycle, marking just one of the myriad multiscale rotations of our planet, solar system, and galaxy.

What Are Plants Doing During the Winter Months?

Snowfall Conditions, Trends, and Expectations for this season

Have you ever gone on a "Senses" walk?

Resting up from the NFL playoffs and getting ready for the Super Bowl? Looking for a unique event this weekend? Join us at Fore the Prairie , a family-friendly event focusing on the restoration of the former Elliot Golf Course with a golf twist. In 2024, Severson Dells Education Foundation purchased 168 acres of the shuttered Elliot Golf Course for the purpose of transforming it into a natural preserve that will serve the community with nature education for all ages. Since then, turf grass and non-native trees have been removed and now it’s time to plant a prairie. We will be bombing 50 acres of tilled soil with golfball size prairie seed balls. The balls can be hit with a golf club or shot from a three person sling shot. The seed balls will lay dormant and, as the soil warms up, they will come to life and be the first seedlings on the new prairie. This is only one of the events happening at Fore the Prairie . You can play in a golf simulator, participate in tabletop miniature golf, learn about our restoration of the golf course, and enjoy some hot cocoa and roast some s’mores. You’ll also be able to participate in a ticketed silent auction and see the plans for our Buy an Acre project which will allow you to purchase part of or an entire acre to support the rewilding project. Free and open to the public, activities will be ticketed at an affordable price with all proceeds going toward the restoration of the former Elliot Golf Course. For more information on how to support Severson Dells go to SeversonDells.org/ForeThePrairie

It is easy to get caught up in the endless cycle of negative news. Our society's focus on what is wrong in the world clouds over the bits that are good in the world. To us, there is good happening in the world everyday. These moments deserve to be recognized and celebrated. We've compiled a collection of Positive Nature News from 2025 in hopes of inspiring our community to join us in our mission to strive for more environmental protection, restoration, and discovery in 2026. Local News Local to Illinois and neighboring states Bison Return to Kane County Prairies

A Grateful Look Back—and an Inspiring Path Forward As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself filled with gratitude—for our community, our partners, our donors, our volunteers, and every individual who chose to spend time learning, exploring, and caring for the natural world with us this year. Your support and engagement made 2025 a year of meaningful connection. From school programs that served over 4,100 students and public hikes to restoration workdays and quiet moments on the trails, you showed up. You brought curiosity, generosity, and care—and because of that, Severson Dells continues to be a place where people and nature grow together. Every program attended, every membership renewed, every gift made, and every conversation shared helps advance our mission. The impact of this collective effort is visible in all of the inspired learners and stronger sense of belonging across our community. Thank you for believing in this work and in the power of nature to shape a better future. Looking ahead to 2026, there is so much to be excited about: Soon to be Renamed Property Update We will continue making steady progress on habitat restoration at the former Elliot Golf Course- new name to be announced this spring. After removing all of the non-native trees in November, the first 50 acres of prairie is ready for seeding later this winter, once there is snow to seed onto. Restoration is long-term, patient work, and each year brings us closer to realizing the full potential of this remarkable place. We hope you can join us on Saturday, January 31st for the Fore the Prairie event to participate in the restoration by hitting seed bomb golf balls into the prairie, learn about the restoration process and see what the long-term plans are for the property. We are also looking forward to gathering community input to inform the site master plan. This process is essential. We want this place to reflect the hopes, values, and ideas of the people it will serve. By listening closely and inviting broad participation, we can ensure the new property becomes a space where the community feels a true sense of ownership, connection, and possibility. Improvements to The Grove In The Grove, we are preparing for significant improvements after 11 years of being well loved by tens of thousands of children and exposed to the elements. Thanks to the generous support of the Kjellstrom Family Foundation and Elizabeth Crown and Bill Wallace , we will be investing in replacements and enhancements that will engage children in nature play, safely for years to come. 50th Anniversary Perhaps most joyfully, we will be celebrating 50 years of Severson Dells with the community on Saturday, June 27 . This milestone is a testament to decades of dedication from staff, board members, volunteers, educators, donors, and supporters who believed that nature education matters. This milestone is also a testament to the value and impact of a nonprofit public partnership and our decades long partnership with the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County. We look forward to honoring our history, celebrating the present, and sharing an inspiring vision for what lies ahead. Fifty years in, Severson Dells is still growing—still learning, adapting, and imagining what’s possible for nature education across the community. Thank you for walking alongside us in 2025. I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together in 2026.

Algae in Our Waterways

At the end of each December, I always find myself reading article after article detailing a "Year in Photos." In a world currently plagued by AI created content, these photos are raw examples of the human experience this year has offered to us. Here at Severson Dells, we collect photos of our human experience in nature. For some, nature is a place that allow us to develop deeper human relationships through a shared love of the natural world. For others, it is our own personal experience with nature that provides definition to our own sense of humanity. Either way, these photos hold the memories we all have made in this beautiful space. In the spirit of reflection, I've asked staff to submit their favorite photos from 2025. Below are their submissions.

I grew up with stories from my parents about how they would spend their teenage years out until the streetlights came on, and that at ten o’clock a celebrity would come on television to ask adults, “Do you know where your children are?” I spent my own teen years riding my bike everywhere: the library, the pool, playing chicken with four lanes of traffic to go to the ice cream shop. I could easily walk to the park and meet up with friends and not worry about anything but a sunburn. But as technology advances, the cultural prevalence of true crime heightens, and urban sprawl increases, teens are spending less time outside interacting with nature. What is stopping teens from exploring the outdoors? Daily life has become inundated with technology and social media and it can be harder to find time (or the will power) to go outside. Part of growing up is an increased desire to spend time with friends versus family as you develop a stronger sense of identity. Social media is an easy means for teens to reach out to their peers and seek validation and camaraderie. Teens also desire a higher level of independence as part of their brain development. A need for independence and increased time spent with friends does lead to a general drop off of time spent in nature. There are many factors that go into whether or not your teen wants to spend time outdoors. Access to the outdoors or nature plays a big part. Unless teens are able to have a means of transportation, it can be hard to access genuine outdoor spaces without relying on others (and your teen wants to be independent so asking for a ride from a parent is so unappealing). This issue increases for teens in urban areas where green spaces are a limited commodity, or neglected by the community, and they may have to travel to other neighborhoods to access quality spaces.