Bison are a hit with crowds at Midewin

Since the bison arrived at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in October, they have been doing more than grazing and restoring the vast acreage – they have been attracting lots of visitors, and possibly even creating an unofficial fan club.

The National Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation teamed up to bring four bulls and 23 cows back to this land – part of a 20-year experiment to restore Midewin to its native landscape that once teemed with these woolly beasts and thrived with prairie plants.

This is the first time the National Forest Service has reintroduced bison to its land – a project that was discussed since it took over Midewin’s land, the former Joliet Arsenal in 1996. Bison are a key factor in the latest restoration efforts that have been ongoing for nearly two decades… Please click here to read Susan DeMar Lafferty’s story in the Tribune/Daily Southtown.