Open house at private Jerry and Kathy Busse Prairie Preserve

Spanning the Illinois-Wisconsin border, the Busse Prairie Preserve on Raccoon Creek is a pristine 327-acre natural area with wetlands, ponds, a lake, Raccoon Creek. It is home to threatened and endangered species and grassland bird habitat.

It is not open to the public, but on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the Natural Land Institute will hold an open house, giving the public a glimpse of the property for the first time.

Register online at https://www.naturalland.org/ or call 815/964-6666. You will need directions. Guests may arrive anytime during the event hours, 4 - 7 p.m., at 7329 W. St. Lawrence Ave., Beloit, WI. Allow at least an hour to explore on your own.

Dress for the weather and wear waterproof footwear due to wet trails. Mostly flat, easy to moderate hiking level. Refreshments will be provided.

In September 2024, this 327-acre preserve was named after Jerry and Kathy Busse, who purchased the naming rights. Jerry Busse is the retired CEO and Founder of Rockford Toolcraft Inc. It is located just north of NLI’s Lost Flora Fen on Raccoon Creek, west of South Beloit, and includes 196.52 acres in Illinois (northern Winnebago County) and 130.25 acres in Wisconsin (southern Rock County).

NLI staff will be stationed around the preserve at key points to talk about what can be seen from there and share future plans for the preserve and the enhanced meadow view supported by a gift from Nancy Maze. Guests will see grassland and wetland habitats, several small ponds, Lake AJ, The Vanderpoel Family Bur Oak Grove, and will walk along the Stephen and Dorothy Baits Trail, all under the big open sky. If visible, they might see a Bald Eagle’s nest in the distance (depending on the leaves of the tree). If the juvenile has fledged, they might see it flying around the preserve. Other possible sights include a Sandhill Crane nest (in the distance), an Osprey diving to catch a fish in Lake AJ, a Henslow’s Sparrow, Meadowlarks, Bobolinks and many other birds.

Alan Branhagen, Executive Director for NLI, said that the Busse Prairie Preserve “is like the Meadowlark capital of the world! They have a beautiful whistle that you are sure to hear while there.” He said to look for Bobolinks while you’re there, too and that “Bobolinks are known as the upside-down bird because the male is light on top and dark on the bottom, while most birds are dark on top and light on the bottom.”

The Natural Land Institute, an accredited conservation land trust, is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization based in Rockford, Illinois. The current service area covers twelve counties in northwest Illinois. NLI’s mission is to create an enduring legacy of natural land in northern Illinois for people, plants and animals. Since 1958 NLI has protected nearly 19,000 acres of land, primarily in Illinois with some in southern Wisconsin. NLI currently owns 3,471 acres (25 preserves) of protected land and holds 52 conservation easements (voluntary land protection agreements) on 4,589 acres of land owned by individuals and other conservation organizations. For more information and to donate visit NaturalLand.org.