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Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves

climate challenge: Hydrological Changes

grant award: $216,000; Year Awarded: 2019

Grant Woods Forest Preserve is a 1,226-acre mosaic of 16 habitats in the Chicago metropolitan region and is expected to experience elevated temperatures and changes in seasonal precipitation patterns. Connectivity between these habitats is occluded by 180 acres of disturbed agricultural fields. This project seeks to restore these fields to prairie savanna using a climate-informed, locally-sourced seed mix in order to increase habitat connectivity and to ensure its long-term resilience. Further, an outreach program will provide tools for land managers to develop their own approaches to this process. By developing a regional seed sourcing protocol and conducting regional and national workshops at conferences, the project team will bridge the gap between the current science on seed provenance and on-the-ground implementation.




tools and Resources:

WORKSHOP | Growing Through Change: Sourcing Climate-Resilient Seed for Ecological Restoration.

Presenting on the most current research, challenges, and best practices related to sourcing seed for ecological restoration while building resilience to climate change.

GUIDELINES | Growing Through Change, Seed Sourcing for Climate Resilience