Mission Statement

The mission of the Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County is to preserve and protect high quality natural areas with an emphasis on prairies; to educate the public about the values of natural areas and inform them about existing prairies; to alert the public to the importance of preserving prairies; to encourage prairie restoration by individuals, groups and educators; and to promote and to help Ogle County teachers to develop ways to educate their students about our precious Illinois heritage.

In Remembrance
Dorothy Wade ( 1915 - 2010)

Dorothy (aka Dot or Dotty for those close to her) Wade passed away this past January at age 95. For those of you familiar with PPSOC's beginnings, you know that Doug and Dot Wade worked alongside other other founding members to bring the diverse prairie landscape to the attention of individuals who care(d) about Illinois' landscape heritage. Through Dotty, Doug, and other important founding members, people across northern Illinois came to know about Illinois' prairies especially those in the Rock Valley Region.

Dotty studied botany right along with her husband Doug, and while he received formal acknowledgment of his studies, those who knew them recognized her as his equal in their knowledge of the Illinois prairies. They started one of the first prairie nurseries on their property, and their son Alan later embraced his parents' convictions and started Prairie Moon... a nursery dedicated to preserving a valuable portion of the Midwest's landscape heritage.

Dot was as practical, entertaining, and passionate about life as she was about the prairie. For decades after Doug's passing she opened her home to meetings and parties that helped to support the preservation of Illinois' natural heritage. For the PPSOC , it was the Wades, along with so many others, who helped to re-discover the prairie landscape and lead the way to helping preserve the prairie and remnants of it in Northern Illinois.

A memorial service will be held for Dot at Nachusa Grasslands on June 13, beginning with a potluck lunch at noon. In lieu of flowers (except for those hand picked from your backyard and brought with you), all we ask you to bring is fond memories to share!

If you wish to do something to help future generations remember Dotty, you can make a donation in her name/memory to:

The Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County (PPSOC)
C/O Keith Blackmore, PPSOC President
9024 W. West Grove Rd.
Forreston, IL 61030
http//www.ppsoc.org

or

Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
8772 S. Lowden Rd.
Franklin Grove, IL 61031
Nachusagrasslands.org

History of the PPSOC

The Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County (PPSOC) began as a bicentennial organization.  Since then, it has continued to provide information and education information and education to the public to protect and preserve native landscapes.

The PPSOC owns the 11 acre Douglas E. Wade Prairie, a virgin dry prairie.  It co-owns with the Northwest Audubon Society the Elkhorn Creek Biodiversity Preserve, a 43 acre mix of prairie remnants, woodlands, fields and sedge meadows.  Work days, where members of the public are welcome to attend, are held at these and other sites throughout the year.

Members serve as stewards for the Prairie and the Preserve as well as the Clear Creek Unit of Nachusa Grasslands, Pine Rock Nature Preserve, and the Beach Cemetery.  Visitors are welcome to visit these protected areas, and several field trips are scheduled each year to tour these sites.

Ogle County has not and does not have a taxing district for forest preserves or nature preserves.  It has only one small county park.  The PPSOC has served to fill the void for nature preserves, and allowed the public natural areas to study, walk through and appreciate.

The PPSOC holds monthly board meetings from September through May.  Officers are elected at the annual membership meeting in November.  In March the board meeting is replaced by a public meeting.   The annual banquet is held in April.  All three of these public meetings offer special programs which have experts presenting on prairie related topics.

Membership

Do you believe in protecting the world our children will inherit?  Do you support the need to maintain the diversity of native plants?  Do you enjoy an afternoon outing on an open prairie?  If you answered "yes" to any of the above, would you join us and become a member of the PPSOC?

As a member you will receive our bi-annual newsletter that includes schedules of prairie activities and meetings, updates on the prairies that the Society stewards, book reviews and information on new management techniques, invasive species and many more prairie topics.

If you have any further inquires you may send them to the address listed on the membership page or email us at ppsoc.org@gmail.com.  We will try to address them in a timely fashion.

Please check back for updates.

When you visit please take only pictures, leave only footprints...

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PPSOC's Beginnings (Tim's Story)

Douglas E. Wade Prairie      Elkhorn Creek Biodiversity Preserve

Clear Creek Unit     Pine Rock Nature Preserve      Beach Cemetery

PPSOC Membership     Current & Upcoming Events

Volunteer Activities   Field Trips

Types of Prairies     Sites to Visit

Index of Prairie Plants and Wildlife       PPSOC Home Page

Historic Minutes     Past Banquets

Past Speakers     Past Field Trips

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