When I visited a solar farm in central Illinois, I expected to see clean energy and conservation working together. Instead, I saw acres of solar panels surrounded by grass that provided little habitat for wildlife. Just a few miles away, I visited a prairie filled with native plants, birds, and pollinators. The difference was impossible to ignore.

Illinois is home to some of the fastest-declining grassland bird populations in the country. Species like the Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink depend on native prairie habitat to survive, yet less than 0.01% of Illinois' original prairie remains.

At the same time, thousands of acres of new solar development are being built across Illinois. While renewable energy is essential for addressing climate change, many solar sites are planted with generic vegetation instead of native prairie grasses and wildflowers that could support birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.

That's why I am calling on Illinois leaders to create a Bird-Safe Solar Standard. Any solar project receiving state renewable energy incentives should be required to:

Plant native Illinois prairie grasses and wildflowers
Create habitat that supports declining grassland bird species
Develop habitat plans with guidance from ornithologists and conservation experts
Clean energy and wildlife conservation should not compete with one another. By making small changes to how solar sites are managed, Illinois can generate renewable energy while helping restore the prairie ecosystems that our birds depend on.

Sign this petition to support a Bird-Safe Solar Standard in Illinois and help ensure that our transition to clean energy protects both the climate and the wildlife that call our state home!

This petition was created by students4solutions, a student-led, nonpartisan organization equipping young people to push for action regarding environmental issues that affect their community.