Preserving Illinois Prairies takes viewers on a geological journey beginning more than 8,000 years ago, when shifting weather patterns and glacial forces shaped a magnificent rolling landscape that thrived for millennia. When European settlers arrived, more than 22 million acres of prairie stretched across the region, yet by 1900, all but a few thousand acres had been drained, cultivated, or urbanized. This documentary examines what was lost, what remains, and what is being done to preserve it. This free program runs approximately 28 minutes, rated G, and is made possible through PBS.