Development at the Expense of Illinois’ Natural Wonders
Throughout my four years living in the heart of Illinois, jobs have come and gone. Opportunities have shifted, and relationships have run their course…
I thought that nature was my constant — but that wasn’t the case.
The wildest parts of Illinois are drastically changing too. As I quietly observe my little spot of solitude in the woods, what I see has me concerned for Illinois’ wild places.
Areas filled with what I thought to be the most beautiful wildflowers I’d seen are increasingly consumed by non-native species. The concentrated overgrowth of plants that don’t belong now crowds the trails I once enjoyed, rain or shine.
Season after season, invasive plants choke out sections of prairie and forest previously rich in milkweeds and other nectareous species essential to the sustenance of pollinators.
Fallen trees are stacked in piles… cut to make way for the trucks and equipment that will reshape this land for human use.
I see the balance changing along with the ratios from one population to another.
I notice how the deer are more skittish and hyper-attuned to my presence, knowing the noise of nearby construction impedes their self-protective awareness.
I observe hunters like the lone coyote arrive and settle in the wake of environmental disruption and the presence of opportunity.
Even now, in October, the youngest creatures feel too small to be ready for their first Winter… How manmade disturbance alters the way they grow, the way they adapt, the way they survive…
…How it changes their timeline — how soon they begin gathering stores for the cold months ahead. Or maybe just sensing the shortage of supplies to come, one way or another.
I watch as their safe havens, once the entirety of this land, rapidly disappear… Further and further overtaken by buildings and landmarks.
I witness their sense of peace diminish and their energy shift as they become less and less at ease in their wild home.
Where will the creatures go when there is no space left to thrive?
While this may sound like a loaded anecdote, the question posed is one of serious consequence. And the answer even more so.
This chain of events is already in motion — a butterfly effect.
Humans don’t seem to take notice until it reaches their doorstep… until it impacts the functionality of their days. But by then it will be too late.
While nature is resilient, it will take her far longer to recover from our impact than we have time to wait. Observing this decline, year after year, has been like watching nature suffer in slow motion…
For the sake of the land and our community, it’s time we make new decisions that consider what’s at stake in Peoria’s wild.
My owl friend watches over me as I observe the creek below — filled with piles of trash at every turn, blocking the flow of a limited water supply.
I see that these detriments are a choice — or rather a series of choices…
Nature does not cry, for she is busy adapting to change.
So, I cry for her, sitting upon the cool earth, beneath the comfort and shelter of age-old trees —
For every creature, and every kind of wildflower that I remember from my first years here — now mainly ghosts. This is a cry for help.
You will not hear hers; hear it from me instead.
This issue is bigger than eradicating threats, one invasive species at a time. We must start at the foundation to address how we got here in the first place…
How did we leave our plethora of unique habitats, trees, wildlife, and insects so vulnerable that they could be wiped out in years instead of decades or centuries? How did our actions and choices as a ‘highly evolved’ race fast-track a loss of biodiversity near our parks and homes?
And how can we do better?
What decisions can we make today to end this cycle as a whole? Instead of chasing down symptom after symptom…
It starts at our core — choices made inside our homes, how we raise our children, how we gather as a community, what we stand for, and what we value most. Is it a new manmade luxury that sets us apart? Or is it what’s underneath when all of that is finally torn to the ground?
Go for a hike on the trails of the Peoria Park District this weekend, and I promise you’ll find your answer.
Amongst the tranquil whisper of the birds,
rustling leaves of ground mammals preparing for Winter,
dewdrops in the early morning light,
and the refreshing autumn air against your skin…
savor the relief
and warmth
you feel in your heart.
Be safe and find your medicine this October,
-Ella
We’re in this together… And each of us has the power to make a difference when we choose to use our time, energy, and voice to advocate for the nature we love.
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