Orland Park proclaims National Grasslands Week; volunteers outline restoration work at Orland Grassland

Mayor James Dodd proclaimed the week of June 2025 as National Grasslands Week and recognized the Orland Grassland Land and Water Reserve and its volunteers at the Village of Orland Park board meeting.

The proclamation highlighted the roughly 1,000-acre Orland Grassland reserve, its designation as an Important Bird Area and the role of volunteers and partner organizations in restoration and public outreach. Pat Hayes, volunteer site steward, delivered a slide presentation describing restoration phases, volunteer tasks and ongoing needs.

The proclamation notes that the Orland Grassland Land and Water Reserve "lies within the village of Orland Park" and described the site as a tallgrass prairie that supports species of conservation interest, including the Henslow's sparrow. The proclamation credited the Forest Preserves of Cook County as landowner and cited monitoring and plant-concern activities conducted with volunteers and the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Pat Hayes outlined the site's restoration timeline and work program. "02/2002, the restoration began. 02/2009, the Army Corps phase 1. 2011, Army Corps phase 2. And 2018, we were designated an Important Bird Area," Hayes said. Hayes described fieldwork tasks such as invasive-species removal, seed collection and distribution, and prescribed burning; she said seed is costly and must be sourced carefully: "It's very costly. It's not available everywhere." Hayes also listed invasive species the volunteers manage, including teasel, buckthorn, reed canary grass and Callery (Bradford) pear, and noted that state action to restrict sale of Callery pear is anticipated and that buyback/swap programs have been used in other states.

Board members thanked volunteers and discussed visiting the site. Trustee Leaflet said, "I love being here," and Trustee Lawrence said he would coordinate a board walk to see the restoration work and to better understand volunteer needs and visitor access.

Hayes and volunteers emphasized community participation: the site is supported by local school groups, scout projects and other volunteer teams; the proclamation and presentation cited partnerships with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and local clubs. Hayes described amenities including a 5.5-mile perimeter multipurpose trail and interior footpaths and asked residents to volunteer or attend outreach events.

The board accepted the proclamation, volunteers joined trustees onstage for a photo, and trustees encouraged more public visits and coordination between staff and the volunteer stewards. Mayor Dodd and trustees said they will work with volunteers on possible outreach and opportunities to showcase the reserve to residents.