Exelon Corporation
Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States
Certified through 2025
Project Name
Project Type
Crystal Lake Prairie ROW
Grassland
About the Program
ComEd, a unit of Exelon Corporation, manages the Crystal Lake Prairie, a 20-acre grassland in Illinois. The 19.6-acre site is a restored mesic prairie. Over 150 species of vegetation are found at the site, 59.3% of which are native. Notable species include big bluestem, false boneset, white prairie clover, purple prairie clover, rattlesnake master and slender mountain mint. The team's objectives are to actively manage to enhance the seeded prairie planting and wildlife primarily through control of invasive plant species, partner with the community on conservation initiatives and meet ComEd's prairie standards for biodiversity. Crystal Lake is one of over 35 sites currently in ComEd's Prairie Program.
Practices and Impacts
ComEd, a unit of Exelon Corporation, manages the Crystal Lake Prairie, a 20-acre grassland in Illinois. The 19.6-acre site is a restored mesic prairie. Over 150 species of vegetation are found at the site, 59.3% of which are native. Notable species include big bluestem, false boneset, white prairie clover, purple prairie clover, rattlesnake master and slender mountain mint. The team's objectives are to actively manage to enhance the seeded prairie planting and wildlife primarily through control of invasive plant species, partner with the community on conservation initiatives and meet ComEd's prairie standards for biodiversity. Crystal Lake is one of over 35 sites currently in ComEd's Prairie Program.
Practices and Impacts
- For over two years, the team has been managing the Crystal Lake Prairie. With the help of a dedicated team and a partner organization, Stantec, invasive species numbers are maintained at low levels. At least once annually, this team adaptively manages the prairie through chemical treatments, brush management, mowing, prescribed burns or over-seeding.
- After two years of maintenance and management, the site has seen an increase in native cover, indicating the net impact on biodiversity.
