Prairie Crossing Sustainable Conservation Development

Featured in National Geographic, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other major outlets, Prairie Crossing is a nationally acclaimed model of conservation development. Home sites are clustered to preserve surrounding agricultural and natural open space. To emulate the functions and aesthetics of the historic landscape, RES restored over 200 acres of prairie, wetland, and agricultural hedgerow communities that had occupied the site prior to settlement.

In 1989, RES became involved in the project’s early phases, focusing on planning, field studies, and approvals. Groundbreaking was in 1994, and most of our construction and planting activities were accomplished by 1996. Natural areas management services continue, and significant native landscape design and construction work for model homes and the Prairie Crossing Campus of Northwestern Memorial Hospital were ongoing from 2001 through 2003.

One of the main features of the native landscape at Prairie Crossing is the treatment of stormwater runoff. We designed a series of measures to reduce stormwater volumes and associated pollutant loads (nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, road salt, etc.) through an innovative stormwater management concept. This was the first major installation of our Stormwater Treatment Train (STT), a system composed of open swale stormwater conveyance, upland prairie biofiltration, wetlands, and a man-made lake. Working in combination, these methods increase opportunities for pollutant removal through biological and mechanical means while significantly reducing the rate and volume of stormwater runoff.

Another unique feature of Prairie Crossing is its working organic farm, operated by a resident farm family on-site. The Prairie Crossing Farm was one of the first parts of the community to be established and remains at its heart. Based at an old farmstead with several houses, barns, and outbuildings, the farm consists of 100 acres in organic food production.

In addition, we stabilized over 1,500 linear feet of Lake Aldo Leopold shoreline at Prairie Crossing, which has created an ideal habitat for desirable emergent aquatic vegetation that attenuates wave energy and stabilizes soils. These measures, combined with biofiltration provided by the STT, have resulted in exceptional lake water quality. Swimmers, anglers, and four Illinois state-threatened fish species enjoy the clean, clear water. Prairie Crossing has been the recipient of 14 awards for environmental restoration and planning. For more information, please visit www.prairiecrossing.com.

National Media

New York Times – “Farm-to-Table Living Takes Root” by Kate Murphy

New York Times – “Developing an Illinois Suburb with Principles” by David W. Dunlap

Wall Street Journal – “An Apple Grows in Suburbia: The Hot Trend in the Suburbs is to Mix Homes and Agriculture” by Stephanie Simon

Wall Street Journal – “For Sale: Condo with Chicken Coop” by Sara Schaefer Muñoz

Stormwater – “Developers Go Green for Suburban Stormwater Management” by Margaret Buranen

Shareable – “12 Agrihoods Taking Farm-to-Table Living Mainstream” by Beth Buczynski

Center for Humans & Nature – “Civic Agriculture in Chicago” by Gavin Van Horn

Grist – “Prairie Crossing in Illinois: The ‘Urban’ Farm of the Future?” by Breaking Through Concrete team

Grist – “Farming the Burbs” by Ariana Reguzzoni

Mother Earth Living – “America’s Top 10 Best Green-Built Neighborhoods” by Olivia Blanco Mullins and Stephanie Nelson

Rodale Institute – “A Different Kind of Community-Supported Farm” by Laura Sayre

Landscape Architecture – “Prairie flower: an ecologically conscious housing development begins to mature west of Chicago” by Rene C. Kane