July Featured Sites

Illinois Nature Preserves Commission 60th Anniversary

Round Pond Nature Preserve

The Round Pond Nature Preserve complex protects 419 acres of the original 1978 526-acre Round Pond  Illinois Natural Areas Inventory  (INAI #0012) site in perpetuity. Located in extreme southern Illinois in southeast Pope County, Round Pond includes numerous high-quality Grade B swamp communities, Grade B southern flatwoods, and provides habitat for over a dozen state-listed threatened-and-endangered species.

Round Pond Nature Preserve

Location

Round Pond Nature Preserve is a spring fed swamp complex that sits upon a historic lake terrace in the Bottomlands Section of the Coastal Plain Natural Division (#14b). It is within a few miles of the Ohio river and is one of the last remnants of the historic swamp complex that once dominated the landscape of this area of southern Illinois.

  • To learn more about the Natural Divisions in Illinois  click here .

Use the interactive map to explore the location of Round Pond Nature Preserve within the state of Illinois.

Dedication

The  Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC)  assists landowners, both public and private, through voluntary dedication or registration of their natural lands in the Illinois Nature Preserves system. These lands are protected in perpetuity via the  Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act . Protection of the Round Pond INAI site is unique in that it relied heavily on partnering organizations to achieve its Nature Preserve Status. Without the help of partnerships for pre-acquisition of high-priority natural areas, Round Pond may not have been protected.

Beginning

 The Nature Conservancy  purchased two tracts comprising 206 acres of the Round Pond INAI site in 1985 and 1986. They dedicated their portion as Round Pond Nature Preserve (NP #378) in 2014.

Additions

In 2018, the  Illinois Audubon Society  purchased 347 acres, including 213 acres of the original INAI site. This purchase was protected as the Round Pond South Addition to Round Pond Nature Preserve in 2019.

Present

Both portions of the 526 acre Round Pond Nature Preserve are now owned by the  Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) .

Round Pond Nature Preserve

History

Little is known of land-usage prior to the 20 th  century, though the surrounding landscape underwent significant changes with conversion to agriculture and drainage of standing water via ditches, tiling, and levees. High-quality timber was logged extensively prior to the original INAI and surrounding habitat was used as pasture, though it is believed that livestock had less influence on the high-quality areas.

Five natural community types exist within the site: swamp, shrub swamp, wet floodplain forest, southern flatwoods, and upland forest. Plant diversity is incredibly high throughout the site, and a recent 2019 survey conducted by the Illinois Natural History Survey identified over 600 species of vascular flora.

Round Pond Nature Preserve Vegetation

Natural Communities

Swamp

Swamp

Round Pond Nature Preserve contains over 63 acres of high-quality Grade B swamp. Nineteen acres of this natural community are found along a historic wetland slough at the northern end of the site, whereas 44 additional acres meander through the southern end of the site. The canopy consists of scattered mature second-growth bald cypress and water tupelo, indicative of depressional swamp and deep slough habitat. Buttonbush and Virginia sweetspire shrubs occupy shallower water depths within the swamp.

Open-Canopy Swamp

Open-Canopy Swamp

The canopy in the north swamp is significantly more open and contains extensive areas of open-water habitat. Within these locations, unique vegetative mats form from dead organic material held together by numerous root systems of sedges, shrubs, forbs, and trees. On these mats, conservative plant species such as water pennywort, mosquito fern, and numerous smartweeds grow.

Wet-Floodplain Forest

Wet-Floodplain Forest

Transitionary wet-floodplain forest exists between the swamps and slightly higher-elevation southern flatwoods and/or upland forest. Though this natural community is significantly more disturbed than other portions of the site because of past land usage, the understory still contributes an impressive display of lizard’s tail, sedges, and rushes. Red maple, sweetgum, cherrybark and pin oak dominate the canopy.

Southern Flatwoods

Southern Flatwoods

Originally unrecognized as a natural community from the 1978 INAI, southern flatwoods are both abundant and extremely diverse at Round Pond. In fact, the Illinois Natural History Survey graded a portion of the flatwoods community as high-quality Grade B. Canopy composition consists of numerous oak species, from poor-soil growing post oak to bottomland-dependent swamp white and cherrybark oaks. Many hickory species (e.g. shagbark, kingnut, and mockernut) are present. The understory often contains spicebush and thickets of smilax, which provides nesting habitat for migratory bird species such as American redstart and hooded warbler. Woodland/flatwoods indicator plants include numerous sedge and rush species, many of which are conservative, and forbs like Indian pink, purple and four-leaved milkweeds, and penstemon. This natural community is highly restorable.

Wildlife

Animals

Over 50 bird species breed at Round Pond, including numerous listed as Species in Greatest Need of Conservation in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan such as the swamp-loving prothonotary warbler and the tree-cavity nesting red-headed woodpecker. Although this site exists as an ‘island’ within an agricultural matrix, due to its large size of over 500 acres, numerous migratory songbirds sensitive to fragmentation effects breed on site. Dozens of herpetofauna call this site home, including historic records of the state-listed eastern ribbon snake and eastern narrow-mouth toad, and the wetland-dependent venomous cottonmouth. Although a formal bat survey has not been conducted at Round Pond as of yet, it is likely that many critical species forage and breed on site.

Pictured: Cottonmouth

Plants

Plant diversity is incredibly high throughout the swamp natural communities as evidenced by a mean Floristic Quality Index (FQI) C score of over 5. The majority of state-listed threatened and endangered species are found within this natural community. These include cypress-knee sedge, a unique plant the grows in open-water habitat on the knees of cypress and downed-logs. Additional listed species include American snowbell, narrow-leaved arrowhead, broad-winged oval sedge, greater bladder sedge, and one-flowered hydrolea. Wood orchid is found along the edges of the swamp community. Other conservative plants like blue flag iris, water pennywort, and numerous sedge species are common in these areas.

Pictured: Blue Flag Iris with Cypress-Knee Sedge in the Background

Click the arrow to the right to view various plant and animal species found at Round Pond Nature Preserve!

From Left to Right: American Featherfoil, Four Leaved Milkweed, Narrow-Leaved Arrowhead, Foxglove Penstemon, Virginia Sweetspire, Indian pink, Greater Bladder Sedge, American Snowbell, Cottonmouth, Cypress-Knee Sedge, Blue Flag Iris, and Lizard's Tail.

Managing Threats

Threats

The largest threat to Round Pond Nature Preserve is the invasion and proliferation of exotic species, both plants (e.g. Japanese chaff flower, Japanese stiltgrass, common phragmites reed, reed canary grass, etc.) and animals (e.g. nutria). Persistent control of exotic plant species and vigilance when detecting new populations of these invaders is critical to the health of these natural communities. Specialized treatments are necessary to protect the sensitive resources on the site. A secondary threat is the possibility of de-watering in the swamp features. Fortunately, much of the Nature Preserve is surrounded by a levee that keeps water on the site. Moreover, a portion of the non-dedicated INAI site is protected in perpetuity via a Wetland Reserve Program federal easement and is permanently inundated.

Round Pond Nature Preserve

Management

Management goals of Round Pond are to maintain and restore the natural structure, hydrology, and characteristics of the natural communities, control exotic plant species, and maintain and enhance populations of state-listed species. To do so, staff time and funding sources such as the Natural Areas Acquisition Funding are used to execute management actions like exotic species treatment, native-invasive tree thinning in the flatwoods to allow more sunlight to penetrate the understory, and prescribed fire in the upland forest and flatwoods.

Round Pond Nature Preserve

Visiting

Round Pond Nature Preserve is open to the public and follows the Rules for public use of Illinois Nature Preserves. At this time, no formal parking areas or trail systems exist. If visiting this preserve, please use extra caution to not introduce or spread exotic plant species throughout the site.

Contributor: Kevin Sierzega

Editor: Heather McLean


Sandstone Bluffs

Fern Rocks Nature Preserve

Fern Rocks is a Nature Preserve owned by the  Illinois Department of Natural Resources  and makes up part of the  Giant City State Park . The State Park, established in 1927, is one of the largest and most popular state parks in the region. The primary objective of preserving Fern Rocks was to protect endangered Illinois plant species as well as the sandstone bluff and forest communities. The sandstone bluffs along the trail can tower up to 100 feet above the forest floor. They are judged by geologists to be from the Pennsylvanian era (around 250 million years old). This site is also a premiere habitat for birds – from the giant Pileated Woodpecker that frequents the tops of tall trees to the much smaller Carolina Wren seen flitting around the swampy thickets.

Location

Fern Rocks Nature Preserve is located within Jackson County in southern Illinois. The small community of Makanda sits immediately to the west, while the nearest large population center is the city of Carbondale, seven miles to the north. Fern Rocks lies less than a quarter mile south of the southern extent of Illinoisan glacial activity, which occurred from 300,000 to 125,000 years ago.

Use the interactive map to explore the location of Fern Rocks Nature Preserve within the state of Illinois.

Natural Division

Fern Rocks is found within the Shawnee Hills Natural Division. The Shawnee Hills are a mostly unglaciated region of rugged topography featuring forested landscapes of rocky hills, dry bluffs, steep cliffs, and deep shaded ravines. More specifically, Fern Rocks is found within the Greater Shawnee Hills Section, which is dominated by a band of Pennsylvanian sandstone approximately 10-miles wide and stretching east-west across southern Illinois. Fern Rocks lies on the north side of the Shawnee Hills, so that it drains to the north into the Big Muddy River drainage. More locally, Fern Rocks is drained by the small Stonefort Creek, which wraps around the Nature Preserve before entering Drury Creek to the northwest.

Pictured: Sand Stone

To learn more about the Natural Divisions in Illinois  click here. 

History

Native Americans from the late Woodland period (500 – 800 A.D.) are known to have lived in and migrated through the area that is Giant City State Park, but additional use of the area by Native Americans before and after this period is very likely. Settlers from Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina arrived in the area by the 1800’s and attempted to set up farmsteads, though the topography and soil of the area were poorly suited for farming. By the 1870’s the site was known to botanists and was also visited for its scenic beauty. Aerial photographs of Fern Rocks from 1938 reveal that the flat ridgetops, low stream terraces, and some of the upper slopes had been cleared of trees for farming, timber harvest, and the development of recreational areas. A clear cut of some of the floodplain forest area was documented in the early 1960’s as well. In the present day, most areas of the Fern Rocks contain mature timber, varying in age from old second growth to medium-age second growth, however the presence of weedy and exotic species in some areas maintains a legacy of the most severe disturbances.

White Trillium and Celandine Poppy (left) and Sandstone Cliffs (right)

Sandstone Rock Faces Along Trillium Trail

Fern Rocks Nature Preserve encompasses a north-south ridge, which includes a flat ridgetop, relatively steep slopes to the east and west, and sheer sandstone cliffs at the north end of the ridge. Several forested natural communities are distributed across these different positions on the landscape. At the north end of the ridge below the bluff line, wet-mesic bottomland forest lines the floodplain of Stonefort Creek, rich and rocky mesic upland forest occurs on the low slopes, and mesic sandstone cliff and sandstone overhang communities occur along the cliff face itself. Higher on the landscape, the upland communities on the site include large areas of dry-mesic upland forest, small pockets of barrens along thin-soiled bluffs, and old field communities on the flat ridgetop. The entire 177 acre site was dedicated as a Nature Preserve on August 10, 1973.

Plant Diversity and Research

Fern Rocks Nature Preserve lies in a position of exceptional biodiversity within the Shawnee Hills Natural Division and the site’s topographic variation allows it to provide habitat for an incredible diversity of natural communities, wildlife, plants, and other organisms. One of the most unique features of the site is how its diverse flora has been the subject of a long and rich history of botanical study, largely due to the site’s proximity to Southern Illinois University. As early as the 1870’s the site was visited by biologists Stephen A. Forbes and George H. French, the latter of whom first described the area as “Fern Rocks”. Plant collections from these visits led to the description of new plant species, including Forbes saxifrage (Saxifraga pensylvanica var. forbesii) and French’s shooting star (Dodecatheon frenchii).

Forbes' Saxifrage

French's Shooting Star

In 1953, Robert H. Mohlenbrock conducted surveys to publish a complete list of plant species within Giant City State Park. His final tally, based largely on surveys within the Nature Preserve, was 801 species. Botanical study has continued in this area in modern times, as research on state-listed plant species is currently being conducted by Southern Illinois University. 

Pictured: Blue-eyed Mary

It is the geologic beauty and floral diversity of this area, largely appreciated because of the botanical study it has attracted, that were the primary justification for its proposal as a Nature Preserve by John Schwegman in 1968. At that time, Giant City had already existed as a state park for 41 years and many areas of the park had been developed for recreational uses, eliminating their native plant communities. The area now making up Fern Rocks was judged worthy of protection for its continued natural quality by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in 1973.

Pictured: Dwarf Larkspur and Celandine Poppy

Bloodroot

Wildlife

The most outstanding features of Fern Rocks are its communities of plants associated with low floodplain woods, low rocky woods at the base of the sandstone bluffs, and on the cliffs themselves. Spring-flowering forbs in these areas draw crowds wishing to see and photograph the beautiful displays of color. The stars of this early season show include white trillium, celandine poppy, dwarf larkspur, white and yellow trout lily, forest phacelia, blue cohosh, doll’s eyes, blue-eyed Mary, pink valerian, and many others. Highly conservative forbs that flower in these areas somewhat later include poke milkweed and great indian plantain early in the summer and American spikenard in the fall. Fern Rocks contains a diverse community of ferns in these areas as well, including marginal shield fern, walking fern, and maidenhair fern. On and below the north-facing rock faces are several species suited for cool, moist habitats, some of which represent relicts from past glacial periods. Late alumroot is abundant on lower cliff walls, while plants such as French’s shooting star, Forbes saxifrage, and bishop’s-cap have become quite rare at the site.

Click the arrow to the right to view more plant and animal species found at Fern Rocks Nature Preserve!

From Left to Right: Wild Hydrangea, Haircap Moss, American Toad, Blue Cohosh, Reindeer Lichen, Solomon's Seal, Luna Moth, Maidenhair Fern, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, and Common Polypody.

Management of Exotic Species

Fern Rocks has a very high number and abundance of exotic species. Vines such as round-leaved bittersweet, wintercreeper, and the annual grass Japanese stiltgrass dominate disturbed areas but are common even in some high-quality areas. Shrubs such as autumn olive and bush honeysuckle are common in flat ridgetops and some forest interiors, while the rapidly invading Japanese chaff flower presents a major threat in disturbed areas and along trails. The rich moist soils at this site are highly susceptible to invasion, but the most likely explanation for the number and abundance of exotic species at this site is the long history of land disturbance and heavy visitation from the public. Flat upland areas which were previously farmed have converted to shrubby old field communities dominated by exotic shrubs and vines. Floodplain forests that experienced heavy logging in the 20 th  century now contain large populations of multiflora rose, round-leaved bittersweet, and wintercreeper. And while the popularity of Giant City’s hiking trails is of great benefit to the site and the public, almost a century of frequent use has spread many exotic species up and down the trails.

Yellow Trout Lily (left) and Sandstone Cliffs (right)

Management Techniques

The site has been managed in recent years using a combination of prescribed burning, extensive exotic species control, and woody vegetation clearing. Technical work involving rock-climbing gear has been used to remove wintercreeper from sheer cliff faces. Treatment of herbaceous exotic species in Fern Rocks is complicated by the great diversity of native plant life that persists in the preserve. Prescribed fire has been used to manage areas of upland forests within Fern Rocks, with burns conducted in 2017 and 2023.

Sandstone Overhang Along Trillium Trail (left) and Rich Mesic Forest (right)

Domination of the Flat Ridgetop

A particular challenge to management at Fern Rocks Nature Preserve has been the extremely disturbed and invaded condition of the flat ridgetop that sits on top of the site. This area was previously farmed but has now become completely dominated by exotic shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants. While the restoration potential of this area is low, it presents a problematic seed source located directly above valuable natural communities below. Therefore, management of the ridgetop is focused on comprehensive woody plant removal and exotic species treatment, with the hope that native grasses may later be seeded to stabilize the area and hold the ground against reinvasion.

Rocky Forested Slope (left) and Celandine Poppy Growing Along Trillium Trail (right)

Volunteer Efforts

Fern Rocks is a well-known and well-loved site and volunteer groups have been involved in removing exotic species from the area around Trillium Trail. Groups from the  Sierra Club  and  Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves  have assisted with removing wintercreeper and Japanese chaff flower.

Sandstone Cliff Face (left) and False Rue Anemone (right)

Future

Fern Rocks Nature Preserve presents the challenge of protecting a tremendous amount of botanical biodiversity at a site with exotic species threats. There is little doubt that invasions up to this point have reduced the quality and diversity of native plant communities at the site, and the rapidly invading species present here create a significant threat not just to disturbed areas of the site, but also to the most diverse. Even the scenic beauty of the site’s sandstone cliffs has been diminished somewhat by exotic vines and stiltgrass that cover some of the rock faces. Despite these threats, the native plant communities at Fern Rocks remain exceptionally diverse and provide habitat to many rare and state protected species.

White Trillium

The site continues to be a beloved area for recreational use, made more special and valuable because so much of the public attention at Fern Rocks is focused on the native ecology of the site, particularly the plants. As a result, staff from  Giant City State Park , the  Division of Natural Heritage,  and the  Illinois Nature Preserves Commission , and volunteers from several groups have committed a sustained effort and resources to Fern Rocks to combat exotic species. Plans for Fern Rocks are to continue that work, while refining techniques to fight exotics by removing the most problematic seed sources and focusing efforts on corridors for the spread of new invaders.

Celandine Poppy

Pictured: Trillium Trail in Winter

Visiting

Giant City State Park is one of the most popular and well-known natural areas in southern Illinois, and the opportunities for hiking and nature-viewing at Fern Rocks are a significant part of the park’s appeal. Fern Rocks can be accessed and enjoyed via the regionally famous Trillium Trail. The trail provides excellent views of sandstone cliffs and opportunities for nature-watching in all seasons but is particularly well known for its outstanding displays of spring wildflowers. Parking lots provide easy access, and the trail can be taken as a short flat stroll below the cliffs or as a rugged 2-mile loop that traverses both the bottom and the top of the cliffs. Giant City State Park provides exceptional resources for nature interpretation, including an excellent visitor center and a busy schedule of educational programs throughout the year, including regular wildflower walks within Fern Rocks Nature Preserve.

Pictured: Trillium Trail Entrance in Fall

Are you interested in a self-guided tour of Trillium Trail? Print the  Giant Trillium Trail Brochure  and take it on your hike!

Rock Steps Ascending the Bluff

Want to know more? Watch this video about Trillium Trail within the Giant City State Park!

Giant City State Park: Trillium Trail (Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 2014)

Contributors: Jill Fox (Giant City State Park) and Stephen Tillman

Editor: Heather McLean


Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve

Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve is one of the highest-quality black soil prairie remnants in Cook County, with a profusion of rare and conservative prairie plants and insects. It supports outstanding examples of mesic and dry-mesic prairie, recognized on the  Illinois Natural Areas Inventory , as well as high quality examples of dry mesic and mesic black soil prairies. Although the site is a small preserve, it is one of the most floristically rich and biodiverse areas in the south suburbs of Chicago. High quality tallgrass prairies like Old Plank Road have almost disappeared from the face of the earth -- a vanishingly rare part of our natural heritage that deserves to be appreciated by future generations.

Pictured: Prairie Vegetation

Wild Quinine, Tickseed, Compass Plant, and Rattlesnake Master 

Location

Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve is found in the Village of Matteson in Rich Township, an extreme southern portion of Cook County, situated within the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division (#3a). Its geologic features were shaped by the moraines left by Illinois' most recent glaciation event. The site occupies the former Penn Central Railroad right-of-way and is in close proximity to Butterfield Creek.

  • To learn more about the Natural Divisions in Illinois  click here .

Use the interactive map to explore the location of Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve within the state of Illinois.

Dedications

The 9.8-acre Nature Preserve section east of Central Avenue was purchased by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, dedicated in 1994, then transferred to the Village of Matteson in 2004. The 3.6-acre Nature Preserve section lying west of Central Avenue, known as the Dewey Helmick addition to the Old Plank Road Prairie, is owned by Rich Township and was dedicated in 1997; its south end abuts the Butterfield Creek Wetlands Land and Water Reserve which is 83.6 acres in size and also owned by the Village of Matteson.

Pictured: Prairie with Hoary Puccoon, Marsh Phlox, Shooting Star, and Coreopsis

Rough Blazing Star

History

Read through the timeline below to learn about how the site went from an unprotected railroad to a dedicated Nature Preserve!

Early Use

While it's not clear there ever really was a wooden plank road, its time as a railroad was undoubtedly crucial to the survival of prairie nature at Old Plank Road. To prevent collisions with wandering cows, the railroad's right-of-way was fenced off, preventing the loss of prairie plant species to overgrazing. Critically, frequent fires, either set intentionally by the railroad as a form of brush control or unintentionally by wheel sparks and cigarette butts tossed from passing trains, maintained healthy and diverse prairie sods into the modern day.

Saving the Site

In 1976, the then land-owning Penn Central Railroad ceased its operations at this site, and left its right-of-way unused. That same year, the Grade A and B prairie remnants here were included on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory  In 1980, the Old Plank Road Trail Association was created by volunteers to partner in the protection and management of prairie and to promote the creation of a regional trail, which was constructed in 1996. Since that time it has been regularly used by hikers, bicyclists, and prairie enthusiasts.

Prescribed Fire (Left) and Rattlesnake Master in Remnant Prairie (Right).

Uncontrolled Invasives

In the 1980s and early '90s,  The Nature Conservancy  and  Illinois Nature Preserves Commission  helped empower a community of local stewards to work as partners in providing quality care for this important prairie. Beginning around the mid-1990s, as regional support for many local conservation initiatives waned, the prairies gradually came to receive less and less needed care and constituency. By the early 2010s, much of the site had degraded from invasives and brush, and some of its key features seem to have dropped out. The linear nature of the site means there is little buffer for the prairie from invasives and land changes around it. Overstretched staff simply could not afford the hundreds of hours a year the prairie needed to maintain its health.

Working Together

Like saving angels from the nearby  Orland Grassland Land and Water Reserve , the  Orland Grassland Volunteers  stepped in, taking time from stewardship of their own 900-acre site to provide some of the care the Old Plank Road Prairies desperately needed. Then in 2021, the newly-formed  Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves  sponsored a kick-off event for a new stewardship community expressly dedicated to the care of the Old Plank Road Prairies. Working in close partnership with the Orland Grassland Volunteers, Nature Preserves staff, and landowners, the new Friends of the Old Plank Road Prairies are becoming a model conservation group for the region. Not only have all these groups together made great strides in increasing needed care for the preserve, but local businesses and organizations have taken notice, providing space and funding for restoration tools and a shed to house them in. With all the love and care they are receiving these days, the future for the Old Plank Road Prairies has never looked better!

Top Row: Collecting Porcupine Grass (Left) Prairie Dock (Right); Bottom Row: Spring Prairie (Left) and Site Workers (Right).

Plants and Insects

Prairie lily, prairie gentian, Leiberg’s panic grass, short green milkweed, and rough prairie lettuce are just a few examples of the hundreds of prairie species found on site. The very rare white prairie clover was once reported at this site, but may have dropped out in recent years due to site degradation. The rare snowy campion was reported from a savanna remnant further west along the Old Plank Road Trail, though it is unknown if this species still survives there. Though no intensive surveys of insects have been reported, many prairie-conservative insects are expected to persist at the site; the rare prairie cicada has been reported from further west along the Old Plank Road Trail, though it is unknown if this species still survives there.

Pictured: Cream Wild Indigo

Keep Scrolling and click the arrow to the right to view more plant species found on site!

From Left to Right: Rough Blazing Star, Flowering Spurge, Ladies’ Tresses, Hoary Puccoon, Stiff Aster, Obedient Plant, and Leadplant.

Threats

Invasive Species

The main threats to the site are invasive species including teasel, crown vetch, reed canary grass, purple loosestrife, common reed, and sweet clover, as well as brush encroachment from American plum, native dogwoods, non-native honeysuckles, European buckthorn, callery pear, osage orange, sumac, and others. Invasive species can displace native species in original plant communities, decreasing plant and animal diversity. Brush encroachment also decreases plant and animal diversity by shading out sun-loving prairie species.

Heavy Use

Vehicle trespass and dumping of garbage and yard waste are secondary threats to the integrity of the preserve. Dumping smothers the rare flora and introduces new weeds or noxious chemicals into the preserve. Off-road vehicles and other types of heavy trampling can stress or kill the rare fauna, compact or damage prairie sod, and introduce new invasive species.

Pictured: Prairie Vegetation

Site Proximity to Residential Areas (wood betony)

Management

Volunteers with the Friends of the Old Plank Road Prairies, the Orland Grassland Volunteers, Nature Preserves staff, and contractors conduct brush control in winter months, manage invasive weeds, during the spring and summer months, and conduct prescribed burns during the dry parts of the year. The Village of Matteson and the Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves are sponsoring ongoing removal of large trees that shade the prairie. Management and restoration efforts will continue and grow with the support of many organizations.

Pictured: Prescribed Burn

Planning the Burn

Active Burn

Prairie Restoration

Recently, the Friends of the Old Plank Road Prairies have begun a seeds program to facilitate restoration of the site and increase habitat for rare plants and animals. Hundreds of prairie plant species were collected from the remnants along the trail, combined into appropriate mixes, and broadcast in disturbed prairie areas recovering from invasives and brush. In the years to come, competition from these plants will also help resist new invasions by brush and weeds that threaten the site's biodiversity.

Pictured: Seed Gathering

Collecting the Seeds

Prepping the Seeds

Visiting

Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve is open to the public. There is a regional bicycle path which is publicly owned, and bisects the Nature Preserve. Visitor use is high but is generally restricted to the asphalted trail. Litter, mowing, dumping of landscape waste, unauthorized trails, and trampling are prohibited.

Many Groups Work Together to Help the INPC Preserve and Manage the Site

Contributor: Christos Economou (Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves)

Editor: Heather McLean


The Rich Vegetation at Pilcher Park

Pilcher Park Nature Preserve & Land and Water Reserve

Pilcher Park is a large, diverse forest complex located on the east side of Joliet in Will County along Hickory Creek. The Nature Preserve & Land and Water Reserve were established to protect and provide ongoing stewardship for the high-quality natural communities, wildlife species, rare plant species, and other natural features. Its old-growth prairie grove is recognized on the  Illinois Natural Areas Inventory  (INAI) for its high quality mesic upland forest, seep, northern flatwoods, and wet-mesic upland forest. Pilcher Park is also well-known for its outstanding spring ephemeral display, as well as being an important migratory stopover that provides habitat for breeding forest interior birds and being one of only two areas in Illinois that have a high-quality wet-mesic upland forest.

Dedications and Registrations

The  Joliet Park District  is the primary landowner of Pilcher Park, however, the  Illinois Audubon Society (IAS)  was instrumental in helping the park district secure 80 acres in 2017. IAS is also the current owner of the 3-acre addition dedicated in 2023. The site protects a total of 406 acres.

Read through the timeline below to learn more about the site dedications and registrations!

2018

293 acres was dedicated as Nature Preserve.

2018

110 acres was registered as a Land and Water Reserve.

2023

3-acre addition was dedicated as a Nature Preserve.

Natural Division

Pilcher Park is found in the most recently glaciated portion of Illinois called the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division (#3a). It consists of glacial deposits piled high into forest ridges with intervening low wetland areas. It has a diverse terrain, including marshes and bogs, springs, prairie, and forests, which support many different wildlife habitats. It is the most biologically diverse Natural Division that hosts numerous Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Illinois.

  • To learn more about the Natural Divisions in Illinois  click here .

Use the interactive map to explore the location of Pilcher Park Nature Preserve & Land and Water Reserve within the state of Illinois.

History

Past Use

Most of Pilcher Park was not historically logged or heavily grazed; the inclusion of its forest communities on the INAI and presence of very old trees (one bur oak was cored/dated to more than 300 years old!) are indicators. It has, however, been affected by the lack of fire, proliferation of introduced non-native species, hydrological changes, and erosion.

Protection

Pilcher Park was conveyed to the City of Joliet in 1920 by Robert and Nora Pilcher, with the stipulation that it be left in its “wild and natural state.” The inclusion of this site in the  Illinois Nature Preserves System  formalized that wish, and is a fitting tribute to the Pilchers. Other land donors, namely the heirs of the Higinbotham estate, and Mary and Richard Barr, doubled the park's size.

Growing the Site

More recently, the Illinois Audubon Society secured funding from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation for the acquisition of additional wooded acreage considered highly desirable for residential purposes. Illinois Audubon Society's 2023 addition to Pilcher Park Nature Preserve will be donated to the Joliet Park District, completing preserve design of this 406-acre site for the public benefit.

Natural Communities at Pilcher Park

Natural Communities

Pilcher Park is recognized on the INAI, and has long been regarded as one of the showcase forests of the Chicago region. It is a very diverse complex of forest, wetland, and aquatic communities, including wet-mesic upland forest, mesic upland forest, dry-mesic upland forest, wet floodplain forest, northern flatwoods, seep, and both perennial and intermittent streams. Many of these vegetative community types intergrade strongly with each other.

Wet-Mesic Upland Forest

Perhaps the most unique feature of Pilcher Park is its Grade B wet-mesic upland forest, comprising approximately 50 acres of the site. This is a very unusual community type in Illinois, with only 61 high-quality acres existing in the state; the remaining 11 acres occur within another site in Fulton County. Wet-Mesic Upland Forest are created by poor drainage on level topography, along shallow drainageways, and in seepage areas. 

Seeps

The INAI also recognized the many Grade B seeps found throughout the site as notable features. They are located along intermittent and perennial streams, and other small areas within the flat mesic and wet-mesic forests, where groundwater surfaces spread out. There are 9 mapped seeps within Pilcher Park, which collectively total about 7 acres. Many other smaller seepage areas exist along intermittent and perennial streams, and strongly intergrade with the wet-mesic and mesic upland forest communities.

Hickory Creek

Hickory Creek is a prominent feature that runs through the Pilcher Park Land and Water Reserve. The floodplain soil is made of Lawson Silt Loam, which is deep, silty alluvium, and poorly drained. It provides habitat for more than 20 native fish species, but their populations are being adversely impacted by the presence of a dam just below the Land and Water Reserve, and other habitat modifications.

Wildlife

Pilcher Park is one of northeastern Illinois’ premiere woodlands with outstanding spring wildflower displays and old-growth trees. More than 270 native plant species have been documented within Pilcher Park, and at least 11 species of birds with moderate to high sensitivity to habitat fragmentation breed on site. Birds which live at Pilcher Park require large blocks of forested habitat, such as pileated woodpecker, Acadian flycatcher, wood thrush, red-eyed vireo, and ovenbird.

From Left to Right:  Ovenbird , Large-Flowered Trillium, Immature Great-Horned Owl,  Wood Thrush , Virginia Bluebells,  Acadian flycatcher , Bloodroot, Pileated Woodpecker, and  Red-Eyed Vireo. 

Managing Threats

Invasive species such as oriental bittersweet, bush honeysuckle, privet, and Japanese barberry are targeted for control by cutting and selective treatment of herbicide. When invasive species proliferate they completely alter the natural character for which the site is recognized. The control of invasive species, along with the re-introduction of fire, have very good potential to restore ecosystem processes and healthy forest structure in the Grade A and B areas of the site. Another threat is stormwater runoff from adjacent development threatening the hydrology of wetland communities and streams on site.

Pictured: Seep Community

Vegetation at Pilcher Park Nature Preserve

Visiting

One of the best features of Pilcher Park is its nature center and public programming. The Joliet Park District promotes environmental education and family activities compatible with the site's preservation. This preserve can be accessed off of Gougar Road or Highland Park Drive. It has both ADA-compliant trails and more rugged foot paths as well as a paved drive through the site. Activities allowed include hiking, birding, and botanizing; paddling and fishing in Hickory Creek; visiting the nature center; cross-country skiing and cycling on designated trails; and picnicking.

Interested in volunteering? The  Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves  is planning a volunteer stewardship program at Pilcher Park!

Contributor: Kim Roman

Editor: Heather McLean


Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve

The Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve comprises 130 acres of former agricultural land that is actively undergoing conversion back to natural vegetation. It is best described as a mosaic of old fields, tree plantings, and managed grasslands on gently rolling terrain. Due to its agricultural history, there are no high-quality relict natural communities remaining here – what is left is the topographic template upon which former natural communities once evolved and upon which the Solderholm family is re-creating natural habitats.

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve

Location

The Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve is located in Section 8 of Pine Creek Township in Ogle County. It is found along the western boundary of White Pines State Park approximately 8.2 miles west of the City of Oregon on White Pines Road. It lies in the Freeport Section of the Rock River Hills Country Natural Division (#2a) and within the Middle Rock River Conservation Opportunity Area. This Natural Division is characterized by rolling hills and dolomitic limestone bedrock overlain with a thin mantle of glacial till, as well as outcrops of dolomite and limestone occasionally found in the region.

  • To learn more about the Natural Divisions in Illinois  click here .

Use the interactive map to explore the location of Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve within the state of Illinois.

History

Scroll through the timeline below to learn about the history of Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve from pre-European settlement to naming the site!

Prior to Settlement

The reserve was primarily prairie prior to European-American settlement of this region in the late 1830s.

Presettlement Land Cover Map which Illustrates the Dominance of Prairie. Yellow is Prairie Cover and Green is Timbered Land (Source: Digitized U.S. General Land Office Plat Map ca. 1837).

Early Surveys

Surveyors working for the US General Land Office mapped “timber” along Pine Creek in the area that is now White Pines State Park. The surveyors encountered prairies on the gently rolling uplands found a short distance away from Pine Creek and again encountered timbered areas in association with small creeks and steeper topography. These wooded areas were likely very open in structure and contained some shrub thickets that were maintained by prairie wildfires. Mesic prairies were likely common and contained species typical of the Grand Prairie of Illinois. The dominant grasses being big bluestem, Indian grass, and prairie dropseed. Wet prairies were likely encountered in association with Spring Creek and contained cordgrass, bluejoint grass, and various sedges.

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve

Registration

The site was registered within the  Illinois Nature Preserve System  in 2014. Paul and Carol Soderholm are the original owners of the reserve, but have since donated the entire reserve to  The Nature Conservancy, Illinois Chapter . Paul and Carol still reside on adjacent land and actively manage the reserve with assistance from staff of Nachusa Grasslands. In addition, they also established an endowment to help manage and restore the reserve well into the future after they are no longer able to do so themselves. Land protection is arguably one of the most challenging aspects of conservation. We should all be humbled by such a generous gift, and, for the fact, the Soderholm's chose the Illinois Nature Preserve System and The Nature Conservancy at Nachusa Grasslands to oversee their legacy.

Paul and Carol Soderholm

Edward F. Vassallo

The permanent registration of this land is named in memory of Edward F. Vassallo, loving son of Carol Soderholm and stepson to Paul Soderholm. A prayer garden and memorial for Edward are a centerpiece of this reserve.

Prayer Garden and Memorial for Edward F. Vassallo

Although Ed was a native New Yorker who worked daily and diligently in the theater arts - he loved being on the prairie.  He found it a huge change from the hustle and bustle of city life. As soon as he got here he immersed himself in everything from splitting wood to logging to taking down trees to clearing, brush, etc. So when Ed passed we thought it was a fitting tribute to name the place after him. Matter of fact, sitting in a hospital bed after the first several chemo treatments he said, "I'm going to the prairie to heal." If he had been strong enough to do that, we feel he would have healed. That's the life giving power of a Nature Preserve" - Carol Soderholm

Edward 'Ed' Vassallo and Paul Soderholm

Site Importance

The 130-acre Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve represents the most significant land protection at White Pines State Park since 1927, when the park was first established to protect a rare extant stand of mature white pine trees and other northern relict species. This additional land protection prevents incompatible land development from occurring near the western boundary of White Pines State Park. It further protects the scenic and aesthetic natural characteristics for which the park was established. The site also serves as important buffer to Pine Creek, the State Park, and the White Pines Nature Preserve. As well, the grasslands exceed the 80-acre minimum size requirement for registration as habitat that supports breeding populations of area sensitive birds, such as dickcissels and Henslow’s sparrow.

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve Proximity to White Pines State Park, White Pines Forest INAI Site, and White Pines Forest Nature Preserve

Spring Creek

Spring Creek flows through the west part of Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve with associated small wetland features found along portions of its narrow floodplain. The creek flows into White Pines State Park where it joins Pine Creek and later Rock River downstream. The entire reserve drains into the adjacent state park and hence any actions taken on the reserve to reduce soil erosion will have a positive impact on water-quality and aquatic habitat downstream.

Spring Creek

Wildlife

There are presently no documented occurrences of any state-listed plants or animals on the reserve. A population of the state-threatened plant sullivantia occurs on the moist cliffs located nearby in White Pines State Park and  Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (INAI)  site. Extant white pine trees and other boreal species are found in the adjacent White Pines Forest State Park and Nature Preserve.

Pictured: Tiger Swallowtail

Various Vegetation on Site

Future Plans

Each year, the reserve is improving with management, but it is an ongoing process. The Soderholm's and volunteers from Nachusa Grasslands continue to use prescribed fire to help manage the prairie plantings of the reserve. Prescribed fire is a key factor in maintaining a generally “open” landscape for the benefit of grassland dependent birds and other grassland wildlife species.

Prescribed Burn Crew

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve

Invasive plant species are the primary management concern at this site. Mowing, herbicide treatments, and the reintroduction of native plants with prairie seed from the nearby Nachusa Grasslands help facilitate invasive species control. The long term goal of the site is the restoration of natural communities and high-quality wildlife habitat. Permanent protection of the land is a key factor that attracted the involvement of The Nature Conservancy and it's volunteers. The Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve will continue to be restored and managed to reflect the original prairie and oak savannas of the region. One day, the site may be open to the public, but for now - it is by permission only.

Contributor: John Nelson

Editor: Heather McLean


Illinois Department of Natural Resources

One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702

Round Pond Nature Preserve

Swamp

Open-Canopy Swamp

Wet-Floodplain Forest

Southern Flatwoods

Sandstone Bluffs

Sandstone Rock Faces Along Trillium Trail

The Rich Vegetation at Pilcher Park

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve

Presettlement Land Cover Map which Illustrates the Dominance of Prairie. Yellow is Prairie Cover and Green is Timbered Land (Source: Digitized U.S. General Land Office Plat Map ca. 1837).

Paul and Carol Soderholm

Prayer Garden and Memorial for Edward F. Vassallo

Edward 'Ed' Vassallo and Paul Soderholm

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve

Round Pond Nature Preserve

Round Pond Nature Preserve Vegetation

Forbes' Saxifrage

French's Shooting Star

Bloodroot

White Trillium

Celandine Poppy

Rock Steps Ascending the Bluff

Wild Quinine, Tickseed, Compass Plant, and Rattlesnake Master 

Rough Blazing Star

Site Proximity to Residential Areas (wood betony)

Planning the Burn

Active Burn

Collecting the Seeds

Prepping the Seeds

Many Groups Work Together to Help the INPC Preserve and Manage the Site

Vegetation at Pilcher Park Nature Preserve

Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve Proximity to White Pines State Park, White Pines Forest INAI Site, and White Pines Forest Nature Preserve

Spring Creek

Various Vegetation on Site