A few years ago, I posted a blog about the introduction of bison at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, just south of Elwood on Route 53. These amazing animals fascinate me, so with that in mind, I decided to feature them again with the upcoming Bison Crawl on November 2nd, presented by the Forest Preserve District of Will County.
the Forest Preserve of Will County website.
Some facts about the importance of this special day can be found at National Today:
A small herd of bison was introduced to the Midewin Prairie in October of 2015. Part of the day’s festivities take will also take place there. To read about the Midewin herd, visit the USDA Forest Service website:
The history of the massive bison herds that once roamed the Great Plains is an important part of our past. Conservation efforts to bring back this animal from near extinction will be discussed at the Forest Preserve and National Prairie presentations. You might even be lucky enough to see the herd if you visit the Iron Bridge Trailhead. More information can be found at the Midewin website or at their Visitor’s center. Here are just a few of the books available at the library if you’d like a head start on learning about bison before you head out to the activities:
Bison by Grunbaum- J 599.64GRU 
The Return of the Bison by Morlock– J 599.64MOR 
Saving the Buffalo by Marrin-J 599.64 MAR
If you’re interested in doing further research (about bison or any other subject area), the library has databases available in Homework Help. When you scroll down the page, you will find Scholastic Go! which can be a great aid for school projects. This link will take you to more bison articles.
I hope this will inspire you to learn more about our national mammal and conservation efforts throughout the country to restore the bison to their home on the range.
