LIGHTNING ROUND PRESENTER CO-AUTHORS: Ryan Sorrells (Forest Preserves District of Will County); Michael Ostrowski (Illinois Natural History Survey) TITLE: Wetland floristics of Illinois Beach State Park ABSTRACT: In Illinois, nearly 90% of the Lake Michigan shoreline has been developed; the 10% of undeveloped shoreline can be found at Illinois Beach State Park (IBSP), south of Kenosha, WI. IBPS is part of a globally significant system of coastal wetlands and prairies that has been recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. This site contains critical habitat for endangered plant and animal species. However, historic land use changes, such as dredging ditches and building infrastructure, have disrupted the natural hydrology and species composition of this site. Simultaneously, shoreline alteration has disrupted the natural processes of beach erosion and accretion. Therefore, active management, such as beach rejuvenation and habitat restoration, is essential to maintaining this complex ecosystem. I will talk about a unique project going on at IBSP using nature-based solutions. In particular, I will focus on surveys to assess the re-vegetation of the beach after new sand was artificially deposited and evaluatefloristics of the different types of wetlands on site including marshes, sedge meadows, and pannes. BIO: Mike Krellwitz is a botanist with the Illinois Natural History Survey and the vice president of the Botanical Club of Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2021 and has conducted botanical field work in Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon, California, and Montana.