Shaw Prairie is a rare place, a remnant prairie.

Illinois was once more than 60% prairie. Today, less than 1/100th of 1% true prairie remains in Illinois. Portions of Shaw Prairie represent that tiny percentage, including original prairie that has not been disturbed or altered - what we call “remnant” prairie. This critically endangered ecosystem contains some of the highest quality plant communities found in Illinois.

Shaw Prairie was once a piece of Ragdale, the country residence of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw and his family. In 1897 Shaw acquired the land on which he built his historic Arts and Crafts home with views overlooking the prairie. Ragdale was a beloved seasonal home to multiple generations of the Shaw family, who were artists, writers, creatives, and makers. Eventually ownership and care of the land was transferred to the Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA), and it became Skokie River Nature Preserve.

 From Ragdale, A History and Guide, written by Howard Van Doren Shaw’s granddaughter, Alice:

“Nobody knew there was a precious prairie down beyond the mowed field until the late sixties, when a young botanist, Robin Moran, discovered it. He was still in High School, but he recognized that this was no ordinary meadow, but a remarkable example of undisturbed prairie. He brought it to the attention of Sylvia (Shaw), who already knew many of the wildflowers by name. She called in the prairie experts. They found 70 species of prairie flowers. And they found acres of giant blue stem, or turkey foot grass – the same grass that is famous for covering the prairie, horse-neck high, when the early pioneers passed through Illinois. The Shaw prairie is now recognized for its ecological importance, as one of the last remaining sections of virgin prairie in the region.”

-Alice Hayes and Susan Moon

Skokie River Nature Preserve is now a legally dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve featuring critically endangered original tallgrass prairie (Shaw Prairie), a high-quality oak savanna (McLaughlin Meadow), a good quality oak woodland (Shaw Woods), and sedge meadow ecosystems.

Shaw Prairie is recognized as one of the finest original prairies in Illinois (considered "Grade A" by the Illinois Natural History Survey). It is a “mesic” (moderately moist) prairie on rich soil, a type almost universally converted to agriculture elsewhere. McLaughlin Meadow is said to harbor the highest per-plot native plant diversity in the region. These preserves maintained their high natural quality mainly through far-sighted, early preservation by LFOLA and the Shaw family, who had a deep appreciation for the original natural landscape. 

Volunteer stewardship is crucial. Today, natural areas like these depend on dedicated management and restoration to a degree beyond what paid staff can provide. To thrive in the face of threats like brush encroachment, invasive species, and climate change, there’s no alternative to the powerful and unique energy that empowered volunteers can bring.