New $4.3 million grant opens Illinois Department of Transportation land to habitat improvements

By Gilbert Randolph

Take a drive down the average road in the Midwest and it’s likely the land alongside the pavement is either a monoculture of cool season grass or worse, a tangle of invasive species. That’s why Illinois Quail Forever is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to create wildlife habitat alongside roads throughout the Prairie State. 

Less than one percent of Illinois’ prairie remain intact and with IDOT being the largest holder of land in the state, this $4.3 million grant has the potential to make a big impact for upland habitat. The aim is to make roadsides a source of wildlife habitat instead of being seed producers for invasive species. 

“The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is excited to partner with Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever (PF & QF) on a Prairie Highways – Corridors for Tomorrow initiative in Illinois,” said Jake Vancil, natural resources survey coordinator for the Illinois Department of Transportation. “The Prairie Highways initiative will convert roadside right-of-way land from a repeatedly mowed manicured grassland into wildlife and pollinator friendly prairie. By trading the mower for native prairie plantings, IDOT will transform thousands of miles of grassland into native vegetation along roadways to enhance wildlife nesting cover, promote flowering plants for pollinators, stabilize soil, reduce erosion and improve water quality by filtering runoff.”

The grant will fund six positions and equipment for five years. This includes a five-person habitat strike team and one strike team manager, trucks, UTVs, herbicide, seed and other equipment needed to effectively put habitat on the ground. They will be based out of Springfield Illinois, straddling the pheasant and quail ranges. 

“This grant is an exceptional example of how common sense, on the ground conservation work is accomplished by the Illinois conservation delivery team,” said Katie Kauzlarich-Stockman, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Illinois state coordinator. “We’re at our strongest when we’re working with our partners. It’s a win all around, for wildlife, for habitat connectivity and for integrating wildlife management into local infrastructure.”

Kauzlarich-Stockman said the new habitat strike team will be assembled in 2026, with the plan to quickly start improving roadsides in mid-central Illinois. A variety of management techniques will be implemented, from herbicide application and mechanical removal, to inter seeding and prescribed fire. Many of the areas being treated are remnant prairies. Creating the right conditions for the dormant seed bank to emerge can lead to the reappearance of rare native plant species. As birds begin to use these native plants as a food source and nesting cover, they can help disperse native seeds naturally and maintain a seed bank for the future.

The work along roadsides will also compliment the private and public lands work that’s already happening in the state. Expanding habitat quality and connecting different pieces of habitat are key parts of making sure upland birds have enough useable space to thrive. 

Learn more about what Illinois Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are doing to bolster the uplands here. Landowners who want to explore making their property more quail friendly are encouraged to use our Find a Biologist portal.