Bison might soon call the Windy City area home

A small herd of about two dozen bison could be grazing on restored grassland south of Chicago as soon as this fall.

Officials plan to introduce a mix of young and mature bison at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, where the U.S. Forest Service and other groups have been trying to restore grassland at a site that was used as a U.S. Army ammunition plant for many years. The 1,200-acre area could eventually be home to about 100 bison.

Bison are an important part of prairie ecosystems, and they will help restore the site’s native grass species, the Forest Service says. That will improve the habitat for native grassland birds.

The first animals should arrive in the fall, said Greg Peters, a spokesman for the National Forest Foundation.

“We saw an opportunity to return an iconic species back to the native tallgrass prairie where they had existed before,” Peters said.

Over the summer, workers will construct pasture fences, corrals, hiking trails, overlooks and other facilities for visitors.

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