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GENERAL INFORMATION
Corporatelands Natural Landscaping Program
A program of the nonprofit Openlands, Corporatelands encourages and supports corporations and large institutions such as colleges and hospitals that are interested in replacing their turf grass landscapes with natural landscapes of plants and grasses native to the Chicago region.
The web site provides information on the benefits of native plant landscaping, a cost estimate workbook, a cost savings outline, an overview of environmental benefits, case studies, and more.
Wild Ones
Wild Ones is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities. Their web site offers fact sheets, resources, articles, chapter information, and links.
Conservation @ Home program
The Conservation Foundation
The Conservation @ Home program encourages and recognizes property owners that protect or create yards that are environmentally friendly and conserve water. This includes planting native vegetation (such as prairie and woodland wildflowers, trees and shrubs) creating butterfly and rain gardens, and removing exotic species of plants.
Northeastern Illinois Native Plant Species
Compiled by The Conservation Foundation. Includes lists organized by plants' light, moisture, and soil needs. Also includes lists of native trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, sedges, and rushes.
Wisconsin's Best Native Plants for Attracting Birds
Compiled by the nonprofit organization Wild Ones.
Illinois Native Plant Guide
Developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The site offers illustrations and detailed information about nearly 70 native plants.
Wisconsin Native Plant Sources and Restoration Consultants
Compiled by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. This document provides Wisconsin-based sources of native seeds and plants for prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and shorelands.
North Branch Restoration Project Seed Book
The online version of this book is actually an easy-to-use list of plants with links to detailed information about them. The book was originally written to guide seed harvesting efforts for restoration, but the photos and information about habit and bloom times can be useful to any gardener. The North Branch Restoration Project is a volunteer organization working to restore and manage the few remaining savannas, woodlands, forests and prairies along the North Branch of the Chicago River in the Cook County Forest Preserves.
Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago and Chicago Wilderness developed the Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards to recognize outstanding efforts by corporations, park districts, and municipalities to use native plants in the landscape or use conservation development practices within the Chicago Wilderness region. On this web site, you can review the list of winners from 2000-2006 and read descriptions of their projects.
The Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois: Images of Prairie Plants
The Illinois Plant Information Network
Photos and information about over 800 species of plants native to Illinois prairies. The level of data and photographic detail on this web site is remarkable. For nearly every plant, the web site includes photos of habit and close-ups of leaves, flowers, seeds, and fruit. The site also includes a map of where each plant can be found in Illinois.
The Illinois Plant Information Network (ILPIN), located at the Illinois Natural History Survey, is a computerized database listing life-history, habitat, taxonomic and geographic distribution information available for the vascular flora of Illinois.
Propagation Protocol Database
Native Plant Network
For serious gardeners interested in propagating native plants on their property. Type in the scientific name of the plant to see detailed propagation information produced by leading authorities.
FREE PUBLICATIONS
A Guide to Stormwater Best Management Practices
City of Chicago
This 32-page publication offers detailed descriptions of watershed friendly landscaping practices and includes photos, schematics, and information about maintenance, costs, and the applicability of each practice. Scroll down the page for the link to download this free publication.
Conservation Development in Practice
This 16-page publication produced by Chicago Wilderness, The Nature Conservancy, and The Conservation Design Forum provides brief overviews of most watershed friendly landscaping practices and includes photos, schematics, and benefit and cost summaries.
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