Bison, a keystone species, helped create habitat on the Great Plains for many different animals, including grassland birds. As bison forage, they aerate the soil with their hooves, which aids in plant growth, and disperse native seeds, helping to maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Over the last decade, the conservation community has contributed significantly to bison conservation, helping to bring back America’s national mammal.
Join author and natural history educator Cindy Crosby, as she discusses how Illinois’ original garden, the tallgrass prairie, has been shaped by bison. Learn how these charismatic megafauna are being restored to Illinois prairies and listen to tales of their connections, both historical and contemporary, to some Native American tribes.
About Our Speaker
Cindy Crosby graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2014 with her master’s degree in natural resources, with a focus on environmental interpretation. For more than a decade as a prairie steward and volunteer, she has helped manage and coordinate the work of other volunteers on the fourth oldest restored prairie in North America. She also trains dragonfly monitors and coordinates dragonfly programs at two sites in Illinois.
Cindy is the author, compiler, or contributor to more than 20 books. Her most recent is “Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History”. As a presenter, her programs include a focus on tallgrass prairie ecology, prairie ethnobotany, dragonflies and damselflies, spring wildflowers, the history of trees in America, gardening with native plants, and more.