WILMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - Wildlife officials are preparing for the arrival of an herd at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie as part of an experimental project. For the past two years, U.S. Forest Service staff has been planning for the return of 30 to 35 bison at the Wilmington-area prairie this fall. Officials unveiled the newly constructed handling facilities last week. They feature four pastures, a corral area and a year-round watering source on 1,200 acres of grassland. Officials hope the hefty beasts and their grazing will benefit the area's tallgrass prairie ecosystem and grassland bird habitat. Efforts to restore the land at Midewin have been ongoing since the national prairie that's about 60 miles south of Chicago was established in 1996. The 20-year bison experiment was proposed in 2012.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie prepares for bison herd
