It was a momentous day in suburban Kane County earlier this week, as bison returned to a prairie area for the first time in hundreds of years.
According to the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, it’s been at least 200 years since bison roamed the county, but a new herd is now making themselves at home at the Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve in Sycamore.
The arrival of the new herd is a partnership between the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the American Indian Center of Chicago (AIC), and Ruhter Bison as herd manager, according to officials.
“People have wanted to bring buffalo back since we first learned that our actions could cause the extinction of the species,” Executive Director Benjamin Haberthur said in a statement. “The scale of what has been needed to make this happen has been prohibitive, until now. This is something I’ve waited my entire career to see, and it’s an honor to play a small part in this continental project.”
According to officials, residents are asked not to flock to the preserve as the bison get acclimated to their new surroundings.
“Quietness and calmness are what is needed to give these animals time to adjust and feel safe and secure at Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve,” said Haberthur. “In addition, Burlington Prairie is one of the preserves that we partially close seasonally, due to the blowing and drifting snow in wintertime. This will give the bison even more time to adjust. Come spring, we’re planning public events to celebrate and welcome the buffalo back to Kane,” he said.
Experts say bison are important to prairie ecosystems, feeding on plants and “wallowing” on the ground, causing small depressions that fill with water that helps to create microclimates.
Elsewhere in the area, a herd of bison has been residing at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and have been for the last 10 years.
The Nachusa Grasslands, located in parts of Lee and Ogle counties, also has a herd of bison grazing on its more than 4,000 acres of prairie land.
A small grazing herd is also in place at the Pleasant Valley Conservation Area in McHenry County.
As part of the management of the herd, AIC held a ceremonial blessing of the land when the bison were released on Monday.
“It’s a rematriation. It’s the return of relatives who have been missing from this place for far too long,” AIC Co-Executive Director Jay Young said in a statement. “Bison have carried our stories, our teachings, and our responsibilities for generations, and welcoming them home is an important moment for our people and for the generations who will come after us.”
After spending a brief spell in a smaller enclosure, the bison will be released into a large fenced prairie later this month, officials said.