Welcome to Belmont Prairie

Welcome to Belmont Prairie. . Belmont Prairie was just a field where the neighborhood kids played until it was "discovered" in the 1970s. A nearby neighbor turned in a photography assignment that caused his instructors to ask where he took the shots. Botanists and ecological experts found a 10 acre remnant prairie supporting more than 300 plant species from the familiar Purple Coneflower to the Illinois threatened White Lady's Slipper Orchid. , , In 1979, Belmont Prairie became the first Illinois Nature Preserve in DuPage County, the 75th in the state. , , Since then, the Downers Grove Park District has cared for the prairie and added an additional 15 acres to the south and west as a buffer to this fragile ecosystem. Volunteer stewards assist in the restoration work including brush clearing and seed collection and sowing. , , Prairie Plants , Prairie plants are mainly perennials with extensive, deep root systems and growing points slightly below ground level. These plants can survive occasional drought, grazing, and necessary burning. Prairie roots often extend deeper into the ground than the stems that rise above it. Some plants' roots die and decompose each year, and this process has added large quantities of organic matter to the soil. Growing tips lie just below the soil surface so that they are not scorched by fire or nibbled by grazers.