A beautiful evening for a Party on the Prairie

A warm breeze, blue skies, and pastoral charm greeted guests at the Party on the Prairie, held on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Nygren Wetlands Preserve near Rockton, IL.

The bi-annual fundraising event benefits the Natural Land Institute (NLI). This year, proceeds will benefit Nygren Wetlands Preserve and allow NLI to continue its work creating an enduring legacy of natural land in northern Illinois.

The evening began with the music of Three Good Men.

The popular group 3 Good Men entertained the crowd at Nygren Wetland's Party on the Prairie.

Under the dinner tent, guests were served a complimentary cocktail and appetizers. Patrons had the opportunity to shop the silent auction before sitting down to a sumptuous dinner prepared by GreenFire Restaurant under the creative leadership of Shendet Ismajlaj.

NLI Executive Director Alan Branhagen gave an update on NLI’s goal of purchasing a 326-acre Stateline grassland habitat. The complex contains wetlands, ponds, and has high conservation value. According to Membership and Marketing Director Kim Johnson, they have seen numerous threatened and endangered species of wildlife on the property.

NLI will be closing on the property later this summer or early fall.

Long ago, the Nygren Wetland Preserve land was inhabited by indigenous people. It lies at the confluence of the Rock and Pecatonica rivers.

Over the years, the land transitioned from wild to agricultural uses, such as cattle, corn and soybean production, but none succeeded because of the unpredictable flooding on the property.

In 1998, Carl and Myrna Nygren willed their estate to NLI, making it possible to buy the 700 acres for the purpose of protecting wetlands in the region.

Through the creation of the Gordon G. Eggers Fund, an Endowment for the Nygren Wetland Preserve, the ongoing support of members, donors and fundraising events such as Party on the Prairie have funded the properties.

Nygren Wetlands is located at 3190 W. Rockton Rd.

NLI Board member Howard Knodle and his wife Lauren attended the bi-annual Party on the Prairie fundraiser at Nygren Wetlands, Saturday, July 20, 2024.

Coming up this fall, NLI will host several more events:

• Open house at the William and Gayle Keefer Nature Preserve on Thursday, September 26, 2024, 4-6:30 p.m.
• Fall Prairie Harvest Day at Nygren Wetlands Preserve, Saturday, October 5, 2024, 9 a.m. to noon.
• OAKtober Hike, Saturday, October 26, 1:30-3 p.m. at Lind-McGeachie Preserve, 6100 Fitzgerald Rd, Rockford, Illinois.

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