2026 04 23

Nachusa Grasslands. Dixon, Illinois. May, 2025 © Clayton Hauck

I’m a day late but this image is Earth Day inspired. Nachusa is a magical place that I’m fortunately now able to spend a lot of time in due to my sister purchasing a house adjacent to the conservation area. My big dream is that they expand the parkland onto her neighbor’s property, which is currently farmland. Having bison visible out of her kitchen window would be remarkable; but having them roaming the land just up the road is already quite amazing.

We took a tour of some of Nachusa’s property last year. My favorite anecdote was the origin story to the park itself: a couple was driving through the area and heard the call of a upland sandpiper coming from some (rare) undeveloped land. That bird call then directly led to the efforts to purchase and protect what is now 4,000 acres of land and over 120 bison. Nature is (slowly) healing.

-Clayton