JC Ehlert Park Natural Area

JC Ehlert Park Natural Area JC Ehlert Park Natural Area is located
in the park at Sunnyside & Shields Avenues,
Brookfield, IL. All posted photos provided by Allen Goodcase of J.C.

About Dolomite Prairies

Natural dolomite prairies were never very common in Illinois, and can be found primarily in northern part of the state, where either the rocky glacial till has been exposed, or where the underlying bedrock lies close to the soil surface. They tend to be rather dry and well-drained, although moist areas also exist where the land surface is depressed. Dolomite prairies ofte

n have soil that is strongly alkaline. Unfortunately, most of the original gravel and dolomite prairies have been largely destroyed by modern development, although they still exist to a limited extent in parks and around abandoned military bases. JC Ehlert Park Natural Area was created by digging down to the bedrock, thus forming a dolomite prairie that contains a mix of wet, mesic, and dry prairie, which intergrade into each other. Ehlert Park Natural Area.

Early Fall
09/28/2025

Early Fall

September Sets In
09/06/2025

September Sets In

A welcome 2.3" Rain in 6 Day Period
07/13/2025

A welcome 2.3" Rain in 6 Day Period

A Mason Bee shelter has been added to the prairie! Unlike honeybees, mason bees are solitary, extremely gentle, and far ...
07/01/2025

A Mason Bee shelter has been added to the prairie!

Unlike honeybees, mason bees are solitary, extremely gentle, and far more efficient pollinators—making them a perfect addition to support a healthy and diverse ecosystem.

photos by Allen Goodcase

Happy flora & fauna after the 2.34 inches of rain.photos by Allen Goodcase
06/20/2025

Happy flora & fauna after the 2.34 inches of rain.

photos by Allen Goodcase

JC Ehlert Park Natural Area hosts Brookfield Native Plants Club, IL May 13th meeting.A healthy looking coyote was spott...
05/14/2025

JC Ehlert Park Natural Area hosts Brookfield Native Plants Club, IL
May 13th meeting.
A healthy looking coyote was spotted nearby after the meeting.

Friday was planting day.I planted seeds for ;• Culver’s Root• Golden Alexander• Blue Wild Indigo• Meadow Blazing Star• T...
04/20/2025

Friday was planting day.

I planted seeds for ;
• Culver’s Root
• Golden Alexander
• Blue Wild Indigo
• Meadow Blazing Star
• Tick Trefoil (Prairie)
• Rattlesnake Master
• Rose Milkweed
• Aromatic Aster
• Smooth Blue Aster

Wyatt Widmer treats invasives at the Ehlert Park Natural Area
09/07/2024

Wyatt Widmer treats invasives at the Ehlert Park Natural Area

Mountain Mint visited by a pararchytas decisus, a species of bristle fly.Adult bristle flies feed on flowers and nectar ...
08/26/2024

Mountain Mint visited by a pararchytas decisus, a species of bristle fly.

Adult bristle flies feed on flowers and nectar from aphids and scale insects. As many species typically feed on pollen, they can be important pollinators.

photo by Allen Goodcase

IronweedIronweed is a perennial wildflower in the Asteraceae family. Unlike other asters, ironweed flowers possess no sh...
08/04/2024

Ironweed

Ironweed is a perennial wildflower in the Asteraceae family. Unlike other asters, ironweed flowers possess no showy ray florets (think daisy petals) and are comprised of only clusters of disc florets (think center of a sunflower).

photo by Allen Goodcase

The Great Black Wasp is an important pollinator of a wide range of flowers. It is through the tiny hairs on the Great Bl...
07/31/2024

The Great Black Wasp is an important pollinator of a wide range of flowers. It is through the tiny hairs on the Great Black Wasp’s body that pollen can be attached to and then fall off at other flowers, which is how they pollinate flowers.

photo by Allen Goodcase

07/30/2024

Address

8965 Shields Avenue
Brookfield, IL
60513

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