Snapshots of Somme Prairie Grove. For lots
more, visit our photo galleries.
Join Friends of Somme
Preserve on Facebook.
This web site introduces you to a wild and precious place that you can visit in the real world. Somme Prairie Grove is a 90-acre preserve in Northbrook, Illinois. It owes its survival to caring visitors, advocates, and volunteers. So, welcome!
Protecting Young Oaks and Hazels From Fire
The April thru July workday schedule is posted.
Young Oaks and Hazels—why do we have to work so hard to protect them from fire?
The Self-guided tours are for anyone who would like to learn about the flora and fauna. The Field seminars teach ecological restoration.
You can get to Somme Prairie Grove by car, train, or bus. When you visit, please stay on the footpaths and take only photographs and memories.
To enhance your experience, there are many guides that you may carry with you during a walk around the site. You'll see rare ancient savanna, prairie, woodland, and ephemeral ponds — the natural habitats for hundreds of species of endangered, rare or uncommon plants and animals. Most of the wildflowers and grasses that you’ll see are covered in the guides. Also see Breeding Birds and Trees and Shrubs for other species that may be found at Somme Prairie Grove.;
For a virtual tour of the preserve and a hint of the richness that you can experience, please peruse photo galleries of the preserve.
Somme Prairie Grove is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. It is managed by FPD staff and volunteer stewards.
See also: restoration insights, upcoming workdays, and frequently asked questions.