Old River Road

About the Program
Exelon Corporation’s ComEd is an energy utility company headquartered in Chicago. The Old River Road program manages 4.2 acres of prairie habitat in a right-of-way in Owen Township located outside Rockford, Illinois. The program began in June 2022 to help restore native species and wildlife habitat, including pollinators, predominantly through invasive species management. The program follows ComEd’s Prairie Standardization Plan for prairie restoration as one of more than 40 ComEd Prairie Program locations that cover over 500 acres statewide. This long-term corporate strategy includes a goal of integrated ecosystem management by combining biodiversity with environmental conservation and restoration, emphasizing prairie ecosystems that benefit native pollinator species.  

Practices and Impacts

• A 2022 inventory found a total of 63 species, 37 of which are native to the area. Plant species mostly include flowering herbaceous plants, along with some grasses and shrubs.
• Early management activities have included the selective use of herbicides to control invasive species.
• While there are existing threats from invasive species like buckthorn and reed canary grass, the project’s native plants cover 80% and include important species like prairie clover.