Shooting Stars (light pink flowers), Golden Alexanders (yellow), and Prairie Phlox (dark pink) provide a beautiful spring display at Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve. Photo: Alan Branhagen
NLI Buys Land to Help Protect Historic Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve
On March 17, 2026 Natural Land Institute (NLI) closed on 149 acres of land surrounding its 4-acre Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve (11500 East Big Mound Rd., Davis Junction, IL 61020) in Ogle County, Illinois. Beach Cemetery Prairie is a dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve and contains some of the finest remnant prairie remaining in Illinois, as well as providing a postage stamp of habitat for endangered plant species. Less than one-tenth of one percent of Illinois’ former 22 million acres of prairie remain. These remnants hold valuable plant genetic resources, as well as valuable soil micro-organisms and fungi that will be needed one day to maintain Illinois’ prime farmland. The site also protects the historic settler cemetery with the graves of the Beach family buried in the 1850s.
Shooting stars cover the prairie in the Spring at Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve. Photo: Alan Branhagen
Alan Branhagen, NLI’s Executive Director said, “The prairie wildflower display at Beach Cemetery Prairie is unparalleled beginning with shooting stars in spring and ending with asters in fall. It is a place to imagine what the original Illinois landscape looked like. The site is a relic glacier-created mound with a sweeping view to the former railroad tracks – now this open rural landscape will remain as such for future generations to experience.”
NLI was able to purchase the Ogle County land with funds received from the sale of 80 acres of prime farmland that was donated to NLI in 2025. The landowners, who wish to remain anonymous, stipulated that the land could be sold with the proceeds from the sale going to protect land that NLI otherwise wouldn’t be able to protect. In addition, funds from NLI’s Land Acquisition Fund, supported by many donors’ gifts to the fund, were used to fill the gap needed to make the Ogle County land purchase possible.
Long term conservation of such critically endangered habitats and plants requires a larger complex so isolated rare plants do not die out from inbreeding. NLI staff met with the adjacent landowner to ask if he would be a willing seller so that buffer lands could be acquired to help protect the Nature Preserve’s resources into the future. “The landowner asked how much land would NLI like to buy and our answer was ‘all of it’ if available” said Branhagen. “The adjacent land contains similar gravelly hills and an additional prairie remnant that can be restored to prairie offering long term conservation.” The landowner, after time considering his options, agreed to sell NLI the entire 149 acres.
The property is 85% farmland but much of it with gravel and shallow to bedrock soils that are not prime farmland. The land also contains two abandoned railroad rights-of-way that are covered with second growth woodland and the north and east boundaries contain hedgerows of habitat. There is a deep ravine on the north side of the property with maturing pines and trees including Black Walnut and Black Cherry. The habitat is great for songbirds to stopover and refuel on their migrations.
NLI will continue with the farm lease until it expires in 2027 and use those proceeds to help restore the land. Restoration of the remnant non-tilled areas will begin immediately with a priority on the remnant prairie. NLI is developing plans for most of the farmland to remain working lands with regenerative agricultural practices that meld conservation and agriculture. Fields may eventually be converted to native prairie plant seed production or grazing lands to provide habitat for grassland birds (the most declined group of songbirds). Tile drained wet/stream areas may be rewilded for wetland prairie restoration, floodwater storage and water quality improvement.
An open house to tour the property is scheduled for September 9, 2026 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The property is otherwise closed to the public until a further date. Watch for volunteer opportunities to participate in restoring the land. Anyone interested in becoming a site steward of this NLI preserve may contact the land conservation organization at 815/964-6666, info@naturalland.org, or visit www.NaturalLand.org for more information.
Gravestone of a Beach family member. Photo: Alan Branhagen
Aerial view of Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve looking north surrounded by the 149 acre farmland purchased by NLI on March 19, 2026. Photo: Curt Johnsen
Kaleb Baker (Illinois Nature Preserves Commission) in front of the railroad bridge pass through. Photo: Alan Branhagen
Kaleb Baker (L) and Kyle Hulbert (NLI’s Dir. of Land Stewardship), walk through the remnant prairie with prairie dropseed in the forground. Photo: Alan Branhagen
White pine planting. Photo: Alan Branhagen
Kaleb Baker (Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, left) and Kyle Hulbert (NLI Dir. of Land Stewardship) walk along the old railroad bed that is part of the 149 acres purchased by NLI on March 19, 2026. Photo: Alan Branhagen