Environmental Field Stations
Augustana College owns and manages nearly 600 acres of ecologically significant habitats divided among three field stations in northern Illinois. The mission of the college field stations is to promote the understanding and protection of Illinois native ecosystems through field-based education, research and other scholarly activities.
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Dr. Kevin Geedey and students haul in a seine net at Green |
Acquired in 1991 from the ELCA, the 420-acre Green Wing Environmental Laboratory south of Dixon in Lee County is a mosaic of forests, wetlands and grassland remnants, with permanent buildings to house students and faculty during summer classes and field research.
Encompassing 67 acres of upland forests and two high quality hill prairies, the Collinson Ecological Preserve in Milan was purchased from The Nature Conservancy in 1992 with a gift from the Collinson Stone Company. In 2007, the hill prairies were formally dedicated as the Josua Lindahl Hill Prairies Nature Preserve by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission.
The 98-acre Beling Ecological Preserve was a gift to the college from the Earl Beling family in 1998. Located on the north shore of the Rock River at the junction of Rock Island and Moline, this wetlands preserve includes tiny William Carr Island. The new west Rock River bridge directly linking Milan and Moline, built on former field station property, was completed in 2007. For more information visit the field station website.
