Imagine yourself standing over a field of wildflowers filled with an array of beautiful butterflies and hovering bees. That vision will soon become a reality at Lake Lou Yaeger Recreational Area in Litchfield, Illinois.
The Litchfield Tourism Office and the Lake Department have been awarded a grant from the Illinois Native Plant Society Central Chapter for the development of a pollinator plot at Lake Lou Yaeger. This grant award will be used for the acquisition of 2.2 acres of pollinator seed mix which will be planted on the southeast side of the dam at Lake Lou Yaeger.
In 2020 the Litchfield Lake Department prepared the first pollinator plot on the southwest side of the dam. This initial plot is approximately 1.1 acres. With the continued development of pollinator plots the park will become a haven for butterflies, like the Monarch, bees, and other pollinators to thrive.
The Illinois Native Plant Society is an organization dedicated to the study, appreciation, and conservation of the native flora and natural communities of Illinois. The Central Illinois Chapter of the society consists of 20 central Illinois counties, and manages an individual grant program for this region. The purpose of the Central Illinois Grant Program is to promote the conservation of Illinois native plants and natural communities. Lake Lou Yaeger Recreational Area is currently home to 70 butterfly species, 700 plant species, 70 bird species, along with an array of other fauna.
The Litchfield Tourism Office and the Litchfield Lake Department are excited to receive this grant award and the support from the Illinois Native Plant Society Central Chapter for this project. Pollinator plots take a few years before they are fully developed, but soon visitors will be able to gaze over fields of beautiful wildflowers.
For more information, contact:
Sarah Waggoner
Tourism Coordinator | City of Litchfield
120 East Ryder Street | Litchfield, IL 62056
(217) 324-8147
www.VisitLitchfield.com
