C United Stqtcs Forest Washington 14th & Independence SW Eepartment of Service Office P.O. Box 96090 Agriculture Washington, DC 20090-6090 -
Reply To: 4060-3
Date: March 19, 1991
Floyd J. Marita Regional Forester USDA Forest Service 310 W. Wisconsin Avenue Room 500 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
Dear Dr. Marita
Enclosed is the approved otice/Designation Order and Establishment Record fo ithin Shawnee National Forest, Pope County, Illinois.
Sincerely,
,- . u,-?-yL STANLEY L. KRUGMAN, Director Forest Management Research r C 4 d * b -.. t 'I
DECISION NOTICE/DESIGNATION ORDER
Decision Notice Finding of No Significant Impact Designation Order
BY virtue of the authority vested in me by the Secretary of Agriculture under regulations 7 CFR 2.42, 36 CFR 251.23, and 36 CFR Part 2i9, 1 hereby establish the Burke Branch Research Natural Area. It shall be comprised of lands described in the section of the Establishment Record entitled "Location".
The Regional Forester has recommended the establishment of this Research Natural Area in the Record of Decision for the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. That recommendation was the result of an analysis of the factors listed in 36 CFR 219.25 and Forest Service Manual 4063.41. Results of the Regional Forester's Analysis a e documented in the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement which are available to the public.
The E :ke Branch Research Natural Area will be managed in compliance wizh all relev'tnt laws, regulations, and Forest Service Manual direction regarding Research Natural Areas. It will be administered in accordance with the management direction/prescription identified in the Establishment Record.
The Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan is hereby amended to be consistent with the management direction identified in the Establishment Record and this Decision Notice/Designation Order. This is a non-significant
amerdment of the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. I b9 CFR 219.10(£)).
The Forest Supervisor of the Shawnee National Forest shall notify the public of this decision and will mail a copy of the Decision Notice/ 3esignation Order and amended direction to all persons on the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan mailing list.
Based upon the Environmental Analysis, I find that designation of the Burke Branch Research Natural Area is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. (40 CFR 1508.27).
This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR Part 217. A Notice of Appeal must be in writing and submitted to:
The Secretary of Agriculture 14th & Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250
And simultaneously to the Deciding Officer:
Chief (1570) USDA, Forest Service P.O. Box 96090 Washington, D.C. 20090-6090 The Notice of Appeal prepared pursuant to 36 CFR 217.9(b) must be submitted within 45 days from the date of legal notice of this decision. Review by the Secretary is wholly discretionary. If the Secretary has not decided within 15 days of receiving the Notice of Appeal to review the Chief's decision, appellants will be notified that the the Chief's decision is the final admin-istrative decision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (36 CFR 217.17fd)). - ERRATA SHEET 1. Figure 4. - Due to a printing error in the topographic map, Forest Road 1382 appears to enter the SW corner of the RNA; the road does not cross the RNA boundary. 2. Photo Record - negatives areunavailablefor photos No. 9, 10 and 17-34. 3. Authorities for biota nomenclature, unless otherwise noted, are as follows: Flora: a. Fernald, M.L., 1950, Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th ed., American Book Co., NY. 1632~.
b. Little, E.L. Jr., 1979, Checklist of United States Trees (Native and Naturalized) Agri Handbook No. 541, Forest Service, USDA.
Fauna : a. Banks, R.C., R.W. Diarmid, A.L. Gardner, 1987. Checklist of vertebrates of the United States, US Territories, and Canada, Resource Publ. 166, Fish and Wildlife Service, USDI. 81p. b. Holsinger, JR, 1972, The fresh water amphipod crustaceans (Gammaridae) of North Am., Biota of Freshwater Ecosystems. Identification Manual No. 5, EPA. 89p. c. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.I. Bond, V.R. Br:ooker, E.A. Lachorer, R.N. Lea, W.B. Scott, 1980, A list of common and scientific names of fishes from the U.S. and Canada, 4th ed., Am. Fisheries Soc., Spec.-publ.No. 12, Bethesda, MD. 174p. ' d. Sutherland, D.W.S., 1978. Common names of insects and related
organisms. Entomological Society of America. IjZp. l 4. Management Prescription, page 25. a. Management Prescriptions will be developed in cooperation with the North Central Forest Experiment Station. be Recreation Management - Recreation will be discouraged. Fences are not needed to achieve management objectives. Gates installed across old roads and trails have eliminated ORV use problems. 5. Administrative Records, page 26. The Director NCFES, reviews and approves research plans and activities. The Forest Supervisor authorizes use of the RNA. If the RNA becomes a part of cr- Congressionally designated wilderness, the Regional Forester will become the responsible official for approving research. BURKE BRANCH RESEARCH NATURAL AREA
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST
JULY 31, 1987
'i. US GOVERmENT PRINTING OFFICE 1953 - 425-976 - 41516115 FS-6200-7 (10/73) Figure 1. Location of Burke Branch Research Natural Area shown (with arrow) on copy of J. A. Bier's Landforms of Illinois map, Ill. State ------Geol. Surv., Urbana, 1980 Figure 2, Location of Burke Branch Research Natural Area shown (with arrow) on
copy of Illinois- ---.Official Hightva~--A --a M~J-I, 1985-86, Department of Transportation, Springfield Figure 6. Location of Burke Branch Research Natural Area shown on map of soils taken from Soil survey of Pope, Wardin, and Massac counties, Illinois ------by W. D. Parks et al., SCS and USES, in coop, with Ill. Agr. Exp. Sta., Urbana, 1975
scale 4" = 1 mile
382 - Belknap silt loam 427 - Burnside silt loam
986 - Wellston-Berks complex 339 - Wellston soils
340 - Zanesville soils 955 - Muskingum and Berks soils
214 - Hosmer silt loam post oak and blackjack oak
SAF 1/52 - white oak-black oak- northern red oak northern red oak
SAF f/53 white oak yellow poplar-whi northern red oak SAF /I52 white oak-black oak-northern red oak Figure 7. Map of Burke Branch Research Natural Area showing SAF cover types; the upland is Kuchler PNV /i91 (oak-hickory) which includes SAF types 40, 52, and 53; the bottomland (SAF 59) is Kuchler PNV 1/94 (mixed
mesophytic forest) ~ scale 4.5" = I mi.
forest
bottom1.and. forest mes i c barrens ‘)J dry-mesic upland for'es t
Figure 8. Map of Burke Branch Researcll Natural Area showing natural communities; the barrens site in the soutlxwest- corner of the area is now very small, and the former barrens sites located on the north fork of Burke Creek are now almost completely eliminated by shading from woody plant encroachment scale 4.5" = 1 mi. A USDA-~OR6$TSlRVlCt IPHOTOCR~PHER COPY ASCS photo DATE SUSM~TTED [ (Ccpy made by PI. D. Hutchison) I September, 1 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEAOOUARTERS UNIT LOCATION (See FSM 1643,521 .
INtTfAL DlSTUl#UTfON OF PRINT# AN0 FORM 1100-5 I
0wo ala 0QlV. FQREST C DISTRICT 0PHOTOGRAPHER Dgtr
LOCATION PIRMANIINT CONCISE OESCRIPTION OF VIEW
aerial. view of Burke Branch RNA
Vienna Dist
* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1 1600-1 (a/& USOA-FOREST SLRVICL I P*OTOG~AP~~*COPY of ASCS photo DATE SUBM$TIED (Copy made by )f. D. Wutcirison) I~eptember,li PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEADaUARTERJ UNIT LOCATION (See FSM 1643,52) lNtTIAL DlSTRl8UTlON Of PRlNTI AM0 FORM 1llOO-$8
Fig Figure 9. Copy of ASCS aerial photograph taken August 12, 1938 showing location of Burke Branch Research Natural Area
Figure 10. Copy of ASCS aerial pt~otographtaken October 12, 1971 showing location of Burke Branch Research Natural Area - USoA-COffEsT .sCRVfCl! PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SUBM~TTEO S. Z2 Harris, Jr, I September, 19t PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEADQUARTERS UNIT LOCATION .. (Sac FSM 1643,521 INI?#*L blSTllll@UTtONOF PRINTS AN0 FORM t1100-11
Fig
h U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-f57/208 3-1 F-ll UsaA"~i3R&$TSgRVICt 1 PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SU~MITTE~ S. E. Harris, Jr. I September, 19; PHOTOGRAPHtC RECORD HEADQUARTERS UNIT 1 LOCATfON (Sac FSM 1643.52) 1 I fNlTIAL DllTRllUTtON OF PRtNf i AWD FORM 1100-1:
Fig. Figure 11. View of north .fork of Burke Creek looki-ng clow~stretnrn at rocky channel and showing limestone exposure in background -photo by S. E. Harris, Jr., Oct, 7, 1986
Figure 12. View of north forlc of l3urke Crcclc looking downstream and showing large imbr i.ca ted blocks in stream ct~annel -photo by S. E. Harris, .Jr., Oc-t. 7, 1.986 .rc. USOA~VOR~ST88 RVICE PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SUE$M1TTEO S. E. Harris, Jr. I September, 1 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEADQUARTERS UNfT LOCATION (Sue FSM 1643,52) lNIT1AC DllTRlDUTtON OF PRtMTI AND FORM 1600-lt 0wo a DIV. a FOREST OfSTRlCT PHOTOGRAPHER Ogte IHSTRUCTtONSt Submit $0 Woshlnvton Office In uadru llcote Porrrisnenf numbers will be assigned and the forme be dlrtributr el fellera$ (1) Woshlnpton Oiflcr, (2) RO or ~tah~f3~3estor Center and (4) Photopropher.
PERMAN .N 1 CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF VIEW
fi u.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ' 1973-730-157, 208 3-1 USDA-FOCIIEIT iLlTVICL PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (See FSM 1643.52) I gNITI*C CltlfRtBUTION O? PRINT8 AN5 CORM 11100-lr C] wo a10 0DIV. FOREST C DlSTRlCT PHOTOGRAPHER Pgt.
Fig
* U.5. GOVERNMEFir PRIYTING OFFICE 1971-73A-lG7/7nR 7-. Figure 13. North-facing slope on south fork of t31.1rke Creek showing exposures of Glen Dean Limestone; trees are white oak (Quercus alba), red oak (Q*- --rubra?, and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) -photo by S. E, Harris, Jr., Oct. 8, 1986
Figure 14. View of barrens along south fork of Burke Creek in southeast corner of section 5; species incfude
big bluestem (Andropogon- - gerard--- ii) , Indian grass (Sorghas ~rumnutans) , sunflowers ( ----lielianthus spp .) ,
and tickseed (Coreopsis.------tripteris) -photo by M. Hutcllison, June, 1981 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
0wo DIV. a FOREST C DISTRICT PHOTO~RAPHER 0.1.
CONCiSE DESCRIPTION OF VlEW
view of barrens in southeast corner of section 5 at Burke Branch RNA
St u.S. GOYERNMENTPRtNTtNG OFFICE 1973-730-157/'208 3-1 HLAOQUIR TERS UNIT
0wo C] RO 0DIV. - ._(3 FOREST C OISTR~CT PHOTOGRAPHER [lgt* d and tht fomlr will be dlstrlbutec
LOCATION CONCISE BESCRIPTION OF VlEW
at Burke Branch RNA
Sk U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE . 1973-730-157/2C)R 3-1 Figure 15, View of barrens in sotittleast. corrter of sclc.tiort 5 (same location as Fig. 14) sllowir~g encroachment of woody vegetation since 1981 -photo by M. Hutctlison, July 23, 1986
i~~L(:j;r iloli~til~), I:ig~ir~10. I?osirtih~~~c~ti(Sil-pt1i~1111------;i pra ir ie species cornntort iil tile I);~rren.r:n t Burke Brarrch -photo by li.1. tIutchison, July 23, 1986 P1. D, E-Iutchison I September,- 1 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HRAOQUAR TZERS UNIT 1 LOCATION (See FSM 1643,521 I I P INITIAL Dl8TRllUTtON OF PRINT8 AND FORM 1100-11 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (See FSM 1643,521 Figure 17, Sugar maples (Acer sacc'rlarum) in narrow mesic bottom along south fork of Burke Creek -plroto by Pi. Hutchison, July 28, 1987
i. igure 18. Scot~ring uti:;ll (I:c~tt-- - -iwtitrn - - - - - sp .) growing along the banks of the south fork of Burke Creek -piloto by M. Ilutcl~ison,
- nr\ Tiil~r78 19R7 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
a wo 080 0plv. 0 FaREsr c DISTRICT 0PHOTO~RAPHER r1.t.
LOCAT ION md BW lor CONClSE OESCRIPYfON QF VIEW
south-f acing slope at Burke Branch
Vienna Dist. USDA-COREST SERVICE PHOTOCRAPXER DATE SUBMIT'EO PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (See FSM 1643,521
INITIAL DllTRIBUTlQN OF PRINT8 AN0 FORM 1S00-1%
Fig. Figure 19. A wllite oak (Quercus----- alba) stand on soutli-facing slope in northwest part of Burke Branch RNA -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987
Figure 20. Large white oaks (Q~~ercusn Lbn) i-rr n wlritt. oa1.r- -- --4-- black oak-northern red oak stand on a north-facing slope along the north fork of Burke Creek -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987 INITI*L, DI(ITRI8UTIQN Of PRINTS AN0 FORM 1100-lr
O WO 010 a DIV. FDREST DISTRICT PH~TO~RAP~ER0.1. INSTRUCTIONS4 Submit tcr Wsshlngton Office In uadru Ileata Permanent numbers will be assigned and th~form6 b. dlcttibt a. follor.l (1) Weshlngton Offlc.. (2) RO or ~+a%-;.st or Center and (4) Photographer.
Fig.
1) U.S. GOYERNMENr PRINTING OFFICF 1977-770- 157 '?QR ?-, PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (See FSM f643.52) I I
Fig.
fi U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTIpG OFFICE . 1973-730-1 57.'208 3-1 IA~A-1lei Figure 21. Large old post oak (Quercus stellata) in post oak- blackjack oak stand along south-facing dry slope in nortlh part of Burke Branch WA -photo by M, EIutchison, July 28, 1387
Figure 22. Large old scarlet oak (~uercus-- ---coccinea) irt post oak-blaclrjlqcl oak stand (~;~melocation a5 Figure 21) -photo by 711. Efutchison, July 28, 1987 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
a wo 0110 D~V. FOREST r DISTRICT f-'J PHOTOGRAPHER 0.1. Perrnsnent numbers will be assigned and the fomr will be distrlbc, est or Center and (4) Photographor,
LOCATION CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF VIEW
sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and
growing along bank of Burke Creek at Burke Branch RVA Vienna Dist,
U.3. COVERHMENT PRINTING OFFICE . 1973-730-157/'208 3-1 * 1600-1 (R/ HEADPUARTERS UNIT
0wo [I~Ro 0DIV. FOREST DISTRICT @PHOTQ~RAPHER 0.10 d and the fama will bo dlstrlbut
LQCATION CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF VIEW
large sycamore (Platanus along bank of Burke Creek at Burke Branch RNA
Vienna Dist. Figure 23. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) trees growirlg along bank of Burke Creek in southeast part of RNA -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987
Figure 24. Large sycamore (Platanus occ identalis) along bank of Burke Creek (same location as Figure 23) showing channel scouring and widening -photo by M, Hutchison, July 28, 1987 PH070GRAPHIC RECOFiD I (Sac FSM 1643,521 a NO a10 a DIV. @ FOREST C DISTRICT PHOTOGRAPHER ~qt.
CERMAN EN Y' CONCISE ClESCRlPTiON OF VIEW
looking north along Forest Service Road 1382 bordering Burke Branch RNA
Vienna Dist.
1600-1 fb/67) U$oAeC08CgT 8eRVlCg PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (Ssc FSM 3643,SZ) I INIT?AC DiITRI~UftQNQF PR~NTRAND FORM 1000-l t
Fig.
EZ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1 F-33 - Figure 25. Looking north along Forest Service Road 1382 which forms part of RNA boundary along northwest side (RNA is to right or east) -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987
Figure 26. Eroding bank of south fork of Burke Creek showing reworked material (sands and pebbles) from terrace deposits and older formations -photo by M. Elutchison, July 28, 1987 rr- USDA*CORLIT 8aRVICg PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SUBMITTEQ k1. D, Hutcl-tison ( September, 19 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEAOQU~RTERS UNIT 1 LOCATION (See FSM 1643.52) 1 t INITIAL DllTRfDUTION OF PRINT8 AND FORM l(iOO-l~
Fig. U30A*tOR&l~SlllVlCI PHOTOGRAPHER . PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (Sue FSM 2643,521 I I -- 1NITIAL Ol8TRtlUTlON OF PRtNTl AWO FORM !roo-t r
Fig. Figure 27. Close view of pebbles in bed of Burke Creek; this is reworked material eroded from deposits in stream bottom and from older formations upstream; note conglomerates; fossils are abundant here -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987
Figure 28, Close view of eroded Glen Dean Limestone along north fork of Burke Creek on line between sections 3 and 4 -photo by Fi. Hutchison, Oct. 7, 1986 USoA-C ORE8T @gRV!CL PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
lNlT8AL DllTRl DU TtON Of PRINT8 AN0 CORM 1800-t r O We ~ROa~iv. =FOREST CD~STRICTOPHOTO~RAP~ER 12.t. INSTRUCTfONSt Submit to Wcrshingtan Officr in uadru Ilcate Permsnent numbers will be asslgned and the form4 wii( be dlstclbute os foliows~ (1) Washlnpton Offlc., (2) RO er ~ta%eflmiestor Center and (4) Photographer.
Fig. IN~TIAL D~~YR~~UT~QNOF CR~NTS AWO ranM tooo-t 8 0We aRO a OIV. FOREST DISTRICT 0PHOTO~RAP~ER a@* d and the fama will be dlstrlbutec
LOCATION (Stet*, PO feet, CONCISE OESCRIPTIBN OF VIEW
eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) along Burke Creek at Burke Branch RNA
Vienna Dist Figure 31. A common crayfish (probably Camarellus shufeldtii) at Burke Creek; this is a Coastal Plain species barely entering Illinois -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987
Figure 32, An eastern box ttirtle ('Terraperre carolina), a -_^____I ---.. very common reptile in the sandy bottom along Eurke Creek -photo by M. Hutchison, July 28, 1987 s-w Ud~A*COff~aT#&RVICf PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SU1IMIPTECi $2, D, Hutctlison I September, 192 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEADQUARTERS UNif I LOCATtON (See FSM I643.521 I lN$TthL DlITRlI)UT1ON Of PRtMT8 AN0 FORM IlOO-i t
Fig,
fi U.S. COVLRNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-1571208 3-1 USOA-?OREST SgRVICc PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SUBMITTED ff, r), I'futchison ( September, 28' PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HLADQUARTEIRS UNtT I LOCATION (See FSM 1643.52) I tNlTIAt DI8Tr(l#UTlON OF PRINT8 At40 FORM 1800-tr 0 WO RO 0 01%'. a FOREST DISTRICT 0PHOTOGRAPHER 0.1. INSTRUCTIONSI Submit ?a Worhlnqton Office In uadru ltcate Permsnent numbers will be assigned and thr fome be dirtriibufsd a* follew8t (1) Wsrhlngton Offlcr, (2) RO or ~fo%dmiestor Center and (4) Photopropher.
Fig
fi U.9. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-330-157/208 3-1 n ir Figure 33. A ringneck snake (Diadophis purrctatus) at Burke Branch RNA
" -photo by M. Hutchison, Oct. 7, 1,986
Figure 34. Ginseng (Panax quinquef 01ius) , a spec ies 1 is ted as Threatened in Illinois, is fairly common on the mesic sandy bottom along Burke Creek -photo by M. Hutchison, Oct. 7, 1986 B u r Re Bra rjch -F?h'lq -- I, ' -III t opt )
Rpe Ge, llie i F,' * a5 F; *A7 F,g. 28 9 F(JeAd7 3 - BurKe stanch F avrKe ranch RMIt - BvrKe 8ral~cXRNA ac/pKe ararzch '~i~k SIGNATURE PAGE for RESEARCH NATURAL AREA ESTABLISHMENT RECORD Burke Branch Research Natural Area
Shawnee National Forest Pope County, Illinois The undersigned certify that all applicable land management planning and environmental analysis requirements have been metyin arriving at this recommendation. Prepared by Max D. Hutchison, Field Representative, Natural Land Institute; Steven Olson, Technical Assistant, Natural Land Institute; and Stanley Harris, Jr., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Geology, Southern Illinois University Recommended by
Recommended by 3 t!P' Date %
Recommended by Date iji~/qi Eastern Region\ I. Recommended by Dat& .,4,. J 6 -North Central Station
and that boundaries are clearly identified in accordance with FSM 4063.21, Mapping and Recordation and FSM 4063.41 5.e(3)
'1 1'1 fLE PAGE
Establzshment Record for the Burke Br-snch Resear-ch Platural fir-ea wlt hlr? the Shawnee Natronal Forest, Pope County, L1Jrnm.s ESTABLISHMENT RECORD FOR THE BURKE BRANCH RESEARCH NHTURAL AREA WITHIN THE SHUWNEE NATIONAL FOREST POPE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
'The Bur-ke Rranct~ Researct~ Natural I-It-ea (RNH) r s a 206-acre (83.4-hectare) tract owned by the federal government and managed by the U. S. Forest Servlce, Shawnee National Forest (Figure 4) - It contalns relatively undisturbed natural c=ornmunlty types, L .e, clry upland forest, dry-rneslc upland forest, nrrd rrteslc uplarlcl f ore2 t. ( Flgur-e 8). Tpret-e 1% a small remnant of the ineslc harr-ens r723~.~1raI. commun~-ty, a type that 1s very r-ar-e xrl the Midwest (Fzgure 8)-
Tf~ereare three plant species Ccno~dn fr-om Bur-ke Braar?ch that; are r-ecc\rnmended for Regional Sensitive status 111 the Shawnee Na tianal Forest , Land and H~SUI-Ir-(3e Plar'ragefner)t; FSLar? 1.986 : beard grass ( G,~.m.n.c?..~.o.~,o..~.a.n!b..lg.u.u:s.) , b 1 ac k cot7ost-1 {..C.i.m.,l..cl.fu.g.%.J..,...... 1.. . 1 , arrd a looses t r if c C LE.Y.3,.!:.!~!a.~.t?.l..~!. f...~.2.~.!?"~..i..) Three plants are present;, great chickweed ( 9.$.g.l.l.a.r,.~..a.pu.b.e..r.,a. 1 , 1de rise a 1 ( H.~.d.r.a.%,t..i...;:. ~.ar:)aclerj..s..i..%. ? a nd grass leaved 1i 1 Y ( ~."c~.~:~a.n..t:.t-~..Xxxuu~n.st-.;3.m..X..na,Yrr 1: ha t are nee National Forest Listed Species (Shaw'nee National Forest, Land and He~,ourceManagement Plan, 15786)- Three of t.ha species listed above ar-e 111in0i.s Endanger-ed pl-clr'lt~: tl.17~ beard grass, great (;hickk~eecl, and the Lm~sestr-ife, The gr.at.;s leaved 1. fi y and go1 denscal. ;3r-e 1. i <7;t:.ec:1 as il'lr^~?ai:etf9cj ~n Zll.iriois. G i rise r2g !,P,.~.~>,.~,x ) bJ11 i (1: h (3 1 59 occurs li.~iLhir~the RPJA, is n SJ:.;ltt:.e rhr-eatened Species (Natural Land Institute, 1981)-
Two St7ak~nee National Forest I-i~Ledanimal. species ar-ES reported from the RNA, the logger-t?ead 15hrike (L-a.Fi,,.u.s;.
...... ludovicianus)...... ,.. , ...... ,...... ' .... '...... and f3ei?l:icl.c'% b~ren (T.l~r:.y.~!!!an.~?.:~.k.~3.~-i.~=.k..i...~..~ - They are also Illinois Threatened Species,
The Burke Branch RPIU le, qeol oqzcnJ. lv s ~grtzfI (>ant , i t LS ln t- he 11or-therrlmo?t par t of the Mzsfzrs-;J ppl En~baf~rterlt,t 21 pa-t: of the Gulf Coastal Plalrl) lout 1s ,I ~sutherne\:te!>c;jor-i of the Shawnee Hrlls (Ross, 1964). It-, corlt,a~ns c~t-it;ur-ops of Mlsslsszppzan, Cretaceous, rer-tlary, and Ple~~t~cenc sediments, The two rrrazrl branches of Bur l.;e Creek cjl~playa sharp contrast in the beds of the chanrlels, ant3 tll~rr! ,we excellent 5xamples of geologlu featur-es and g~?ornor-phlc processes n~Chrnthe RNA (Flgures 1-1, 12, 27, and 28j,
Fotlr Society (~fArrter- can For-esters (YAP) (::cI1JPY^ LypeS arz present: Type 40 (pc2"~t oak-bIack~ack oak), Type 52 f whiCe oak-black oak-norther n red oak ) , Type 53 (whl t s f2a!4), and Type 53 (ye1 low poplar-whx te . odk-r?ur'ch~.r-rl r ed oak! - Types 40, 52, r3nd 53 ar-e lndzcated as r~seded j-17 t,fte !?PIG system (Shaurlee f.Jd Cxona 1 For es t; , I- nrld ;3rlcl Rec-;c=.l-~r c:e Mnr:c%gement Plan, 1386). TWO Kuel?ler- P(:,ten.t;xal rlatural Vege tatlan j PNV ) ~(~vertype% ar-e pr-sserl t :: oak--hxckory forest and ntrxed rrtesophytic for%c,t. Zetieral var 1ar7t:s artd small stands witA ott3er- dorrilrlants ar-e also pr-e~er'lt(Fxgure 7).
The RNA is the major part of the Burke $1-anch Botanical Urea Natural Area identified by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (1978) as beir~gof significance because: 1) it had been recognized as a special use area (a Botanical Area) by the Shawnee National Forec,t, 2) it had mediunt and high quality rnesic barrens remnants, 3) it cor~tained a State Endangered grass ( G,~.m.n.o.~,o.~.o~.~.%~~~.b.l.g.u.u."~. 1 , a take EndarvdePed 1oases r- 1f e ( .~..~.z.i.!nrc.r_l,i..g~... ~7 S t.a te E rtda rwer-ed chickweed (.Z..%..~..l..3..2..r.%.a~!~.b.3,~a.), sever-a1 o they r-ar'e plants (INAI, 1978; see Uppendix I).
Burke 8r-anch 1s a part of the Barrer~ Ct-esk wat,ershecJ ~hlch drain^^ north and east and erlters the Ohro Rsver -iust; south af the eastern end of the Cache RY-ver-Bay Crrrsck Basin (Frqure I ). The RNA zs wlthrn tho Less~rSt?ab~r1~<~3 tirlt~ Sect~onof the 5hawnee Hxlfs Natural Dv~lslor\an4 1~ a prlt t, of the Inter~or I,c)w Plateaus Phy~~~c~gr-apt-~l~r3rxov~r~ce (Schwegman, 1973).
The Pub1rc I-and Survey sur-veyor-s, descrxbt ng thts regron 1n 2806,. noted the lack of good txnlber'. f\ ma jar part of two to~~nshrpsrn the region was called "bat-r~nz" OI- "barr-en Land," The soil was generally "poor," artd ther-e Here brlerc, and brust-~ythrckets LJI t11 scattered, I rrrjby bl acfr, r~akc,and post oaks. Gr-ass was carnirlon In kf~ear-ed.
The Burke Br-anch RNU was In prrvate owr7erstlip pt-rut- to zts acquzszt;ron by the federal government ts become 3. part: of the Shawnee Plational Forest, Most of the property Mas purchased cfurxr~g the period 1937-1949; one trar: t was acquxred in 1963. Ver-y lrttle of the upland xn the RP4U has ever been" eul t~vated or- signif icar~tly 4x3tur-bed by tlvestack, There are young forest stands ~-nthe wzcJer par-ts of the stream bottoms that were once agr~ct~ltr_rraLfxelds (Fzgure 3). These bgere orlgzrlally open barf-ens that wer-r; cultxbated or pastured for several years and the!] ,-tbC3ndor\ed dur~.ny the 1950's. The barrenc, veyetatxon had par t3allv recotdered by the 135Cl's and 196OYs, but; bdc~ody encr--oachrrlent in recent years has almost el~minated Lhe barrens grasses and forbs (Figures 9 and 10)- There has been sorne sel.ectzve logglng ~n most of the area but none f siqnifrcance 1r1 recent years. Due to the rugged ter-rain and thrrl r-ocky oils, t;he area has never been suxtab1.e for agt-i~uitural use. Tr-ees grow slowly and are of poor for-m and qual~~tyFor lumber over most of the area.
The area xs not particularly scer~io, and access rs rlat easy. There has been very little publ~cuse except for ~llegal~ff road vehicle r-lzding in the gravel c,tream beds and along the stream banks. An occa~xorfa1 hi~ntcr t:r-clsses the area or walks the str-earn bar-tks.
In 1365, the ~+r-ea was first recoqru7etJ as being slgnlf zcant because of the presence oft: sever a1 r-ar-e plant specres. It was listed as a signifreant natural arc3 by t,he Illrnolr Nature Preserves Commrssion rn f 966 I Tllornpsort ,~nd Hutchis~n, 1966). The area was proposed for 5tudy as 8 Botanical area by the Shawnee Natlonal Forest In 1'370 (Forest Service Handbook, Shawnee Supplement No, 9, November, 1970).
In 7 Dr , David Funk of the F(~ra-,try fr>z~>rnt:e~~ Laboratory, C:arbot?dalc;, Illxno~s(Forest Servxce Research Branch) reported c3n his fseld ct-leek uf the E3ur-ke Branch area. He r-ecommended establlshmentaas at? Rl'\ltLt. 1-43 s LP t ter also documents tha"cnlstrlct Rarlger C1utts and Fm-e~f; Supervxsor Hendr icks concur-red and that the loin t R3-bIC-PIE RPlA Cornmlttee endorsee-1 the rdea. On June 3, lf3@(3, a draft ec;tablic,hment report for E3crrke Branch was r ecerved by the Shawnee National For-est. It had been prepat-ed Ln 13-78 by personnel. at the Forestrv SCJences Lab ~r)Car bundale (Shawnee National Forest, Land and Resource Management Plan, 1976).
Durinq the Illinois Natural Areas Inventor-y of 1976-78, the area was identified as being of st~ate-wide signlf icance for its mesic barrens and rare plant species.
In 1981, Dr , G~orgeRxrldc of the For ec;t,ry Sczences Lab ~t-I Carbondale prepared and suIr>rnit;t;e(J at) "EvaJt~i~tLor1 of Potential f;ec,ear-c:fl P.lat.ural Ic-\rea3 rn t;0~~ttf2rn 111rr1(~1.~," 111 th~sr epor t , Dr. f?xrlk r ccorrlrrter\ds t4haf; tho UL!~ke Br anr~h~lr-e,: be designated as an RNW (Rxnk, 1981)-
LWND MANAGEMENT PLUNNING
The Burke Branch natural area ~s r-3~:01~tfnerld~?d[or de~sgr-mtion a% a research rlat~tral area 117 the Larld ~3nd Reso~rr-ceManagemer\t Plan, Shawnee Na t J onal f- ore5 t , dpprove(J rlovernber 24, 1986 (see SNF, Forest Plat), I-Spe~~irl3. Feature Marlagemer~t) . The erlvironmentai arla 1 ysls as a par-t of the plann~ny process suppor-ts the recommends tlon to establish the RNA (SNF, Frnal EIS, 2-66, Identlf~catlot? and Management of Specla1 Fea turec,) . It 1s currerltly belng protected under Management Prescrlptlon 8-2.
OBJECTIVES
The ob_]eetzves of establ~sl-ling the Bur-ke Br-arlch Research Ma tr~ralF-lr'ea are to :
1) preserve pr~strne forest, (-jrassland, anti geo 1ogica.J natural sr tf-~atjor\s For r esear-clt, ~t,~~dy, c1bserv~3, tlt‘lr~, 1noni.tarrt7g, artd educatronal actrvltres that rna~ntaxrt unmodif led condz tlons,
2) preserve and maintain genetic diver-sity ,
3) protect against ser-iouc, enviror~mer~taldisr-uptlor~s,
4) serve as reference area for the study of succession,
5) provlde onsite and extens~oneducational actzvities,
6) serve as baselirle area For rneasurj-ng long-Lerril ecological changes,
7) serve as contr-01 area Tor fnanrpulatlve research,
8) rnonl tor effects of resource rnanagemerlt t;e(>t-in~yues and practices.
One small remnant of the rneslc barrerrs natural cornmunrty 1s st111 yreserlt at the Burke Branch RNA. It 1s less than 1 acre ( .4 tcrectarec,) nn sxze, Other rrleslc bar r ens sites knob~n kc:, be present; prlor to the r-ecer'lt er~croachn~ent; of woody vegetatron (and subsequent sbladinq of t l?e t~arrenq forbs at3c.A yr-asses) (nay be r-estorable wrth rnariaqc;merlt; (F~guri-; 8) The anand particular ly tnesLe reLS (2 cominun J ty type cor~srderedby The Pla Cure Cornervar\cy to be crltlcally endangered throughout ICS range (crz tically rrnperlled both globally and zn the State, buth arl element rank of GISI). In pre~ettlementtlmes, the barrens rrl tt~ls reglon were a mixture of woody shrub3 and prairie spe(:ies. They were generally ort poor drouthy solls. Alar~gthe stream bottorns, the barrens occurred on low sandy r-idges that r/Jern masic and subject to o+~et-flobd, In J8(30, c31~l~s;ka11 c3f tt-115~ t;oc~tfsh~pwas barrens w~thscattered tr-ees, t;t?~(=t(ets, and small yr-c>ves, Today, the clrrglnal barr-erls c:ornrnun L ty type has almost drsappeat-ed xrf the f.lzdwest due to agrrcult~rral (311~s turbance, exotics, and the encroachment of trees, Plany of the original barrens grasses and forbs can strll be fol~nd along Bur-ke Creek, especially xn the southwest corner of the RNU (Figures 14, 15, and 16). Enough barrens plants may strll occur at other site3 on sandy r~.clges; along the not-th fork of Burke Creek for the communrty to be r-estored to I. ts preset tlement corldz tlon.
There are e,xtes MX th hngh ta very hzgh qcralz ty nat~iral communr ties, 1. e. cjry upland forest, ~T~--IIIE?SLC ~~pland
forest, and rrt5src upland forest * Tt~erlr-idrstur-bed st,ands ar e mostly on steep rocky slopes and ~n place.? that t~avebe~n unsuitable f~rayrlculture drld dlffleult to 109: lnd~vrdual trees on the tfun dr-outhy so11s are very 1 (F~fjur-e22). kiryh quality forests are rar-c Ir> the Mrdwest,
The Burke Branch RNU ~ncludesSC-SF types 40, 52, anel 53 that are 1 isted as needed in the Rp.I#-I system (Strawnee National Forest, Land and Resource Managemet.1t Plart, 1186). There 1s a diversity of natural community types and species present that adds to the value o-F the area for resear-ch purposes,
8 en t-d grass ( G.~.m~no.~.o.~.o..n.a.mi?..i.~.u.u.s. 1 , 3 P la 11 t r*ecomme nded for Regional Sensitive sbtus, is a bar-rens species that was known to be present in the RNU until about 1960. A brief search for tt- plant in 1387 was unsuccessfr~l, bl-rt it may still occur here. This is also an 11 Iintais ~ndangered Species,
B 1ac k ~oplos 17 ( G.:~.~~..~~,~~=..i.,f.~u~.~.~.r:.u.~.i.-F..~..1..~i..a.1 , 3. P 1(2 n t I'. ect3@flfllerlcJIed for Regional Ser~sitiie eta tus, I.,.; a wac>dIar?d <:;peci.es that occurs in the RNU,
6 1ooscs r- if ( I,.~.%.k!rn.~.~.k!.S,.~..f.i:.~!.s.e.~.:J-..) , 3 P 1~3-lrt t r- ecommertded for Regional Se13sitive stattis, is a ~~oc~dlandspecies ttla t-, was known to be present it7 the Rb4U until ;~tbai_!t 1966. (4 brief search for the plant in 1387 &as unsucc:essfu.l, br~tit may still occur here. This 1s also an I'llir-lois Endanger-ed Species.
Gu- ea t I:: 17 ic b~eed ( t,,l,,,,,,,,,,; S t1a1r~r-1~253 f.la t; L o tW'r;l I. irz For-est Listed Species, a woodland pLas~t; that, c.>cc;urs ), rt the RPJU. It is also an Ill.inoie, Endanyersd Species,
Go 1densea 1 MY..:...... 7 a Fore5 t L i 5 tf2c-A Species, is a woodland plant that occurs in the RNU. It is also an Illinois Threatened 'Species,
T he g r ass 1e av e d I i1 Y ( ~,.t;.~,n,~.n..t..t~.,i..uu.mm9.~.;lrr?..:j:,.ri.e.u.~!n.) , a F' res Listed Species, is a woodland plant tt-)at occur's in the F?NA, It is also an Illinois Threatened Species.
irise n4 J...... 7 a n I 1. 1 i r7o i 7" 1.7 r-ea te f-IfZ?d Species, is a...... woodland plant that occur-s in the I?NR. Ginseng i.s a 5pecies f international cor~~err~,and i ts harvest is regulated in Illinois..
The 1ogye r head shr j- Ice ...... "...... ' i 2 a b :i t-d reported as occurring in the RNA. This i~a Forest Listed i-=' i-=' species. It is also listed as Iilinois Threatened.
The Be~dic k ' 5 n ( T..h.t-.~.o!~.~.r!.~.~.b.%.w~,l.e.k ..i...i..) a b j. 1-d reported as occurritly in the RNU, 'I his is a Forest Listed Species that is also listed as Illinois Threa ter~ed, TI-le 8urke Branch RMA rs geoLog~c;311y .;~gnifscar~t, It has be&-ock o~rtcrcsps of several formations and e>:cellent examples of ;3. d~verslty of qeologlc feattjr.5~ at t-t-~e norther-nmcjst ext.ens1ot-i of the Pizsslssrpp~Ernbayment- !her-e is a sharp contr+st zt-i the becis (sf the two malr\ stream channels in the RNA, and in the character of r~or-tltversus south slope orientation,
Burke Creek and its tributaries have GCJ~deep into the bedrock exposing sandstones, limestones, and sha Les of the Mississippian formations. Cretaceous and fertiary s=~ravelcz are also exposed and rrtake J rnuct~ of the c,trAeanr bed material . Sandy and gravell), bottoms a Long the c;ha17r?cIc, have a diversity of plant species, Many of the bar-r-ens species are plants usually cansidered t~ be mou-e character-istic of the pra~riesTurther to the rmrth and west,
Thrs ar-ea zs su~table for t-esearch, (;lenlonstr-at~on. and/or 1 earr~lnqexperxence apportun~taes. r;or'~GJ t t1c)n~at-e deal for research on prairle-forest zuecessl onal and inter-face questions, for studles of; rock k~eatl~sr-,I rjy arvJ pedalogical research dependent upon the presett,Lcnlent quality ~f the srte, and for studles of vegetational In.stor-y and geography of plant species mrgratlons.
PRINCIPAL DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
7 I-le E3urI.ce Br-anct~ Resear-(:It f\1,7. tr1r-,11 r e: 15 I rt (-1 r el-atzvely rugyecl <;e(?,t,~o~~of the I_E~S~-~CSI.Sllab~rlee Flr 112 .~ttkis nor-t.t-ier't2nlr~st e>d.enw or) of tl~efl LSS 1 srO1pp1Eirtk~ayri~et-11, f F 3 gur P 1 1 . The becju-ock 1~5 PI ~sszs~1pp1~lr-i~clr~ds torle, 1 l,flie..: totle, g~r~d shale capped t1-1 Cretaceous and Tertzclry sands arid qr-avels. The area sncludes deeply rnclsed streams with V-C?,IiapetJ valleys. The two main branches of Bl-~rkeCr-eek jam wlttlxrl the RNA bok-~r~dar~es,and they display a sharp contrast I n the beds of thezr char~nels. The north for-k lids boulcler-s and cobbles of sdr1d~tot7e~JX th so(~1e 1~nies tone C Fraur-e I 1 1 ; the? south fork has crl bed co17sxstzng largely of: pebbles (Fi5-lur-s 27). A smaller sou th-f lowzrfg trzbutar y br-arlctl er?t%rs Ltte r~arthfork, and a textboolc exanlple of an alLufdlal f,-2t-1 r~tlar-ks I. ts junct3.0rt, The narrow flood plaznr; have 10b~ r rdyes of sar~d, Elevatron wxthin the RMA ranges frc~rn550 feat; (167.6 meters) to 360 feet (109,7 meters) above mean sea level,
The stt-earns are rlearly dry durang the sutnrner- t~ndfall months, but there are zsolated pools that rna~ntarn a pcjpulat I on of f ~r,hes, Ut least: two spr1ng~(cjrle 017 the nor-tt? fork, and 011~011 the south fork) help keep per-ntnr~erlt water In the streams,
There 1s a d~ve-rsaty plant specles ~.JI ttl Il;tk;\t. t;at, types r-elated to a~pecst, soil depth. and bedrock and ~xu.1 types. TI-ie at-ea z nearly a11 fcsresttd, altt-IOUCJII a asrnall barrerls remnant on the south Ftsrk of Bitr-ke (2-eel. The sandy bottoms had more extensive barrens, dominated by prairie plants, in presettlement times, liere, and in the adjacent r-ocky woods, is where most of the r-are plants know1 from the area occur. The dry upland forests are d~friinat;ed by post oat/, ( Q.u.~..c.c.~?..s.s..ta.k.l_..a..ta anc3f b1. ac k.J ac k ( Q. ..b~i t h thi eke ts 04: -F ark1 eberr~ ( v.a.c=.c.l..n.l,u.m. t3.r-.b,or:.g.u!n.? I: F igu r-e 2 1- 1 - Scarlet oak (GI,. ~.g,~*~..i.,.n.g.a.)is also common (Figr.~re22). r't-ie dr-y-mesic ~1pldnd forests are dr~rnir~atedby b~t~iteoak ~dith some northern red oak (a- ....7 black ~ak v.g..A,. u..t..it?.a*1 7 and southern red oak ($2. f.a.l.c=.g..t.2.)(Figure 20).... The fnesir-: bottoms ha'$@ white oak, tuliptr-ee (L.~i...r..l..9.d.e.~:~.~'~':.9,r:!. t.. 1. QJ.~,:; iU..A..m.u..%, C-PF- ) , nor ther-n red oak, rivet- birt=tl ~.~,,c..L.~.,~.,??.~~.,i..~..~.?.l a nd SY cam0 r'e ( P..k..a,.t.aa.u.s.9. ~...... t..... (. F I. gu re 1 7 1 . The barrens remnant has Indian grass ( 'Q'...... "'..'!. b iq bl estern ( C3. .n.~.r...... 9.e.r.a.r.d ..A,..%. ) , r 0%i rlk~e ed < S.~..~..P..~,.~..~..~ ....i.....- ntegrifol...... ium ) , and tickseed (C.o..r.e.o.~.s.i.s..tr:.i.pte.r.i.s.) ( F iclui-e 15). There are many ferns an the north--facing s topes bordering the streams: Ther-e are three plant spec iec, Cinolii~t~ F r-om f,i.ie F?!J r-'1d,e Branch RbIU t-, ha t are t-ecomm5nded for Ref;]ional- Serisj. ti.\~e s ta tus ir7 tt~eShdk~rree Mat j.onal Forest, Land and F?FI?SC?IJ t-CE? Ma nagernen t~ 1an ? 2986 : beard w-asc-; G.Y.!~..O.Q.P.Q~,Q.~~,;~.~.Q.J~..~.LJ,,~.Z, 1 , b 1ac k co has h ( C..J-~~..i..c.,l..-f.u..~.~.r.u.~.k.f".o.l..h..c?.) , a t-ld a 1 oases t r if e L.~.~..i..m.a.c.h..l..a.f...r.a.%.%.,~..l..) - Three plants are pr-esent, great h1 c kwe ed ( .z..t..~..l..l_..a..r..i..a.P.U..~.E..E.~.1 7 70 1CJe nsea 1 ( ~'~.52.~:.3.s..t.~.'5. e.a.r1.a.cf.~;..~."3..~..s.), and g a5% 1 caved lj 1Y ( [email protected]?..t.~::!.,i...lr!..n~.g.~:.a!.c.l..r?,e.u..fl~. 1 that are Shawnee National Forest I-isted Species tSt~awrlee Na t ional Forest , Land and Resoclrce t'lanagcnien t i-7lar-I, 1'986 ) . Three of the species listed a.bove are I11-i nois Er~dar?gered plants: the heard qrass, great chickweed, and k.he loosestrife, rhe grass leaved lily and q01den~eal are 1 isted as Threatened in Illinois. f2i f7 e nc7 ?.2,!2.i?.X. 4.u.. i..n~~.u.~~-F.o..Z...~..u..~.~, k~t7ict-1also Q~CU~S ~~ithin the Rr*,l&, is a StaLe Threatened Species (Natural Land Institute, 1?81). Two Shawnee National Forest Listed animal species are reported from the RPIU, the loggerhead shr-ike (L,~..at,,J-,u.s...... lu dov i c i anu ) and t he B ew 1c k " s~re r~ ( ~.h..~.:~.~.m,;=l.r;~.c.s.Q.!?~J.%..ck.;i ... I..) - They are also Illinois Thr-eatened Species. LOCUTION The Burke Ptranch Researel7 I\Ja tural i4t-ea 1.5 (3r1 the 'izet?na Ranger District of thz Shawnee National Forest. It is in Pope County, in the extreme southeastern tip I of Illinois. Latitude is 37 14' North, and longitu33 is 88 31' West. The area is in Sections 4, 5, and 8, Township 15 South, Range 6 East of the 3rd P,M. (Figures 3 and 4). BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE NORTH-SOUTH 1/4 LINE, 27 CI-IAINS SOUTH OF THE NORTH 1/4 CORNER OF SECTION 4, TOWNSHIP 15 SOUTH, RANGE 6 EAST 3RD P.M., POPE COUNm, ILLINOIS. THENCE SOUTH ALONG SAID 1/4 LINE APPROXIMATELY 33 CHAINS TO THE CENTER-SOUTH 1/16 CORNER OF SAID SECTION 4. THENCE EAST ALONG SOUTH 1/16 LINE APPROXIMATELY 10 CHAINS TO THE CENTER-WEST-SOUTHEAST 1/64 CORNER OF SAID SECTION 4. THENCE SOUTH APPROXIMATELY 7 CHAINS TO THE NORTH EDGE OF BURKE CREEK. THENCE S 53 W APPROXIMATELY 7 CHAINS TO THE TO THE BASE OF A NORTH FACIYG SLOPE. THENCE SOUTH APPROXIMATELY 8 CHAINS TO A POINT ON THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID SECTION 4, 43 CHAINS EgST OF THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SECTION 4. THENCE WEST ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SECTION 4, 43 CHAINS TO THE, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID SECTION 4. THENCE WEST ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SECTION 5, T. 15 S., R. 6 E. APPROXIMATELY 3 CHAINS TO THE EAST EDGE OF A FOREST ROAD NO. 1382. THENCE NORTHWESTERLY FOLLOWING EAST EDGE OF SAID ROAD APPROXIMATELY 15 CHAINS TO THE NORTH EDGE OF BURKE CREEK. THENCE EASTERLY ALONG THE NORTH EDGE OF BURKE CREEK APPROXIMATELY 11 CHAINS TO THE LINE COMMON TO SECTIONS 4 AND 5. THENCE N 40 E APPROXIMATELY 64 CHAINS TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. , Access to the Burke Branch RNA is best beginning at Golconda, Illinois, the county seat of Pope County. From the il-.~ersectionof State Highway 146 and C ~ntyRoad No. 1, take County Road 1, (say City Black Top) south out of Golconda approximately 8.5 miles to the intersection of County Road No. 159. Then take County Road No. 159 west approximately 2.5 miles to the intersection of County Road No. 161. Then take County Road No. 161 south approximately 1.2 miles tc ,he intersection of Forest Road No. 1382, Taking Forest Road No. 1382 south appro: 'mately 1 mile will lead you to the Northwest corner of the RNA at Burke Creek. Elevation ranges from 550 feet (167.6 meters) above mean sea level on the ridge ~n the northwest corner, to 260 feet (109.7 meters) above nean sea level at the southeast corner where Burke Creek ?eat~esthe RNA, UREU BY COVER TYPES The Burke 8ranch Research Pir% tt~raL At-ca is rleclrly a t 1. forested. The following are SUF and Kuchler PNV cover- types represented within the RNA (Figure 7): SAF Cover Type Kuchler PMV Type Acres thotares --I----C----I---III------&------.---'------.------ #40 post oak-- g31 oak-hickory blackjack oak %52 white oak--black n91 oak-I-~icliar-y 100 40.5 oak--northern red oak tt53 white oa1.c 891 oak-hickory 36 14-6 H53 yellow poplar- "it4 rr~ijced white (3al.c- nlesophy tic nar1;het-n red oak forest Uccording to the I11i narc, Piat;uraJ.. Ur-eas Jnven tory f 1378) data for- the B~~rkeBranch BotanzcaJ_ Urea t'Jatura1 Area, the f(->llob~zngtypes (that clearly occtjr wit1-11n the RNA) were descrzbed: i'\.l a t LI I - a 1 (2o m rn u 1.1 i t-, :/ P I a I\t Corninu i I I L\J ___I___X- ,--I---1 *-_ "_-I_"--..I_ _"-I------_.__,--_I- - __---....-- ,__XI_l_I_ __X_.X ._-- ^ -1 , -_-....- "., . * I I Mesic barrens big bluecstem Dry upland forest sou therrl r-9d oak-black post oak Dr-y upland farest chinlapin oak ~r-)i--me9icupland f bres t wt.rite oak Dry--mesic upland forest LJ~-I.I te c.a!c,--nor ther-n r cd (>alp! sugar inaple Mesic bottomland forest sugar maple-sycamore Successional field bluestern spp. The folJ owrng natural ~:ornrnun~ty types ,:;-cf. r eco:jr~zzed and mapped by the authors (sf t\-11s r-epor t ( see (ijel~crxp t~~\r?'"s under Fl~c3): dry upland forest dt-y-mesic upland forest mesic bottomland forest rnesic barrens PHYSICAL AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS The climatological data are from the co1lect:ion station at blew Burnside. 'The period of r-ecorcl is 1931--64. I'd ew Burnside is 30 miles (48.3 kilorne terc,) north-northlr~est ~f the Burke Branch Research Natural Orea. The Follok~ing description is CQF~E~from the ;o.i..l~S.&!.rv.c.~. Q.F. P.o,&:.e., k!,8,.~.:d,,L,,,~,7 a.n.d. M.a.s.c-.a.c.G.o.un.-t;..i..~.c,. , 1..2.3,.i..r~.o.i..~. ( 197 5 ) : Ttle Pope County ar-ea has the (wrlt3. net1 tal climate typrcal of southern Llln I tlo dnrittal temperature rdncye 1.5 about LOO rfegt'ee3, c-~IJ ~nfne r- maxzmums r-each 1000 F. or rnore about two- tt?xrxds ~f the summers. Nlnter mznzmums are zero t_rr below durlng about half the wlnters. Low pressure areas anti thelr associated weather fronts brlflg FreyucrlC changes zn ternperature, humzdzty, cl-oudiness, arid wind drrectlon much of the year-, Annual precxpxtat;ion at:er-ages about 46 J rwhcl;s dr7d r-driyec, f r-c:,m abou 1: 32 to (2 1 t lcl~rs. Pr-ec~p1tat~or115 farly e+,enly A I r_ t, r I bt-I t, o r,l tt\rsuqhotlt the '; aver-age dal ly rnaximum temper a t:ure 1s rlear qr3a F , for both July and August, January 1.5 the coldest month, and both January and Febr-uary have had temperatures as low as -150 F. The five rnor~tt~s fr-om fdovember thr-ough March ea~hhave 14 to 24 days In which the mlnrrnum dally temperalur-e falls below 320 F. December-, January, and Febr uary aver-aye 3 to 5 days each 1.n b~t?lch ntax1 fntjrr) dally temperature does not exceed 32~F. The number of days between the average date of tYte last f reezlrrg ternperature rn spr-I nq and tho aver-age (.kite of the fxr-st f t-eezxr~g Len~pcratutc? In fall rs between 187 and 20f3 days. 7em~jertlt,~res vary consistxmtI.'y' be t~een r-~(.lqe L3rfd va1.tey locatiirns dur irjy a f reexec,. t he most; common type of Freeze ln fllrnols, The Burke Br-anch RNA 1s zn a rugged section of the Lesser Shawnee Eirlls that pi-ojec ts south lnto the northernmost extension of the Mississ~pplEmbdymerlt. The Shakdnee Wills are wi thln the Interror Low Plateaus Physiographic: Province. The Missrssxppi Eg~~bay(~l~ntZS a part of the Gulf Coastal Plain, Burke Creek and xCs tributar-ies have cut deep V-shaped channels exposi ng sandstone^, l imestones, and shales of the Mississippian f or-ma tlans, Sands and gravels of: Cretaceous and Tertiary arje cap the high ridges. The r-ocky stream channels have nar-r-ow sandy Flood plains. The area is aLmost -^all forested, Urle 5rnc~11 barr-ern sl te in the sou tftwest curner of the RNA has art open catwpy with grasses and forbs, Much of the area 1s rocky with th~n sails. South-facing cslopee, are drou'thy and \lave a thsn covet- of trees that; are short, llmby, and of ten partly dead. Hlong the nortfi-facmg slopes ar~din the *ztrean~bottofr~s, Ll'let-e are star-rds of r-elatlvely large tall Lr-ees, Sonlo level sztes krl the stream bo ttarns were once cleared for agr-lcu 1 Lur-e, They are now young forest: starlds wzth saplzny ar~d pc~le--sl~e tlmber , The followlr~gnatural cornrnur~lw types QC'CIJ~ 1d~thfr1t-,t7e Burke Brartch Resear-ch Natural Area: dr-y uplartd Farest, dry-mesic uplartld .forest, mesic bottomland forest ar~ci t~~e~ic bar-rens (F~gure8)- The barrens remnant that 1s ~tj.11 recogn-izable rs less than 1 acre ( 4 hectares) lt-I ar-ea. Other barrens conlinunity sites that exxsted as r-eeently as 1976 are also located on the rnap (Figur-e 8). Encrc_>a(~l~mentr. of trees and subsequent shadi t7g has almost; el ir~~~r~atedthe barrerts grasses for bs f rorn thoc,e SL te~!,trI the nor- tlq f iv-lc of Burke Greek. The dry upland forest and dry-mevc upl.ar~jfor~st: s.:l.tss are rlot completely Along sur-ke Cr-eek atrd i t,s north and south for!,:^, Ltret-e is a narrow but level bottomlat?cl forest-, area Fir17)- The dominants in the old-growth stands are "r,-1-1iptree, whj. te oak, sugar maple, iw-ld northern red oak ~.Q.u,.~.~:*c.u.s..!':!&..K?.!:.a.L Successior7al stands (areas that Mere once clear-ed) are domi nated by sugar maple, red maple ( U.c.e.r. .ru..b..rc!.!n~, ashes , and elms. I-litlong the stream' bariks are r,'i\v)er b1.r-ch aild 1-nr.gc sycarnares (Fijur-e 24) . E3 1 a c k 9u m ( f.!.Y3.%:2. 5.... 1 i occasional, D(wJ~Q~~( C..~?.K..U.Y.~.f..Z.~.!:..i..~.~. ) ?3 rid b 1- I-J beec h . P:...... iftl-je LlrlijFrst-,orY- 1-t in t;t.ii% firlesi c f ltoodplai rl t;ha t 1-o~~sarlcly - d.cncx suppor-led a barrens a:ornmu rlity dorn i na t.ed by prai r-j.s far bs 2nd grasses. I:n preset,tlernent; times, these bat-rens had I ncliarl grass, big bIuestem, little bluestent, t-0sirlkite6x.l~ tickseed, and species now very rare in the region, such as bea.rd gr-ass ( S.~.m.rl.o.~.~.so.r?~.C~.~>.,~..S.L!.Y..S. 1 y horned rush ( R.t~.~.r~.c=.t:~.o.s.r?~~s.~::.~~. ~..."i.~.i_L.g..1...?:.?:.2..k.3.), a nd Y €3 11 0b.J ge t 1an ....3.L.b.a.) . r he r-ES were thickets of shrubs, including sumac U?,?f].u..s. ~~.g.p.~..~..:l.,.~,..~,~.~~ ha e l ...a.m.e.&.l.~.a..~?.~. 1 , dogwoocf f c;.o.~,rt.w.$. ~PP, 1 , a nd sassa f ras ...... - I-arge l1 fTtbY Pas t 023 14s bde 1-e occasional and scat tel-ed alortg t;l.te Floodp1;3in, Most, of Lhc original species can still be fourtd in the barrens i-efnnatrf-, that occ-ur-~ssot1 th of Burke Creek, butinvading saplirtgs arld Japanese 17oneY suck re .*.o... are slow1Y shadi ng the natural opening (Figure 15)- On the dry-mesic slopes, par-titularly where nortk~-facing, the forest 1.2 dominated by white oak ;:rr)d northern red oak, Black oaks are commor-i on some sites, and there are local stands kdhere white oak makes up Y(J06 o.f the canopy. Ttlliptt-ee is occasiorlal , artd you ther-n r-ed oaks ( bo t h .!~.~..~..T.G.G.~.f a..L..c.i?..C.a. .f..a..l;l.caL.i'1 and Q.. f..~,.&..~.~..t;.a.~.-m.o.d,a.e.f .g,l...i,,2.) are not uncommon. Hickories (especially r;,s,r,y.a. q._l.,i.b.,r:.r.) ar-e widespread but not abundant, V'her-e is a diversity of sizes and ages, and 5cat.tered trees are 30 ~neties (76.2 centlrneters) in dlarneter C rZlgur-e 20). Or3 the dr-y r-ocky slopes, especially where south- and west-facing, the trees are st.lordet- and have wider cr-otws, Mr~chof this dry foresk area is dominated by white oaks with occasional large scarlet oaks, black oaks, and pignut hickorie~(Figure 1.9). The very drauthy sar?dstnne slopes have post oaks, blackjack oaks, and thickets of farkleberry. The dry slopes with lirnestone outcrops have chinktapj.rt oaks ( Q.ME..~.G.U.CJm.uh.l.e.fl.b.% .1::.9..5...1.. 1 ancf redceda r-3 ( J.LJ. .n..l.e.%..r.~~.$.cl..&. ~.s..i.n..i,~;;1.11.3.) Mosses and lichens ar-e cornmon, and canopy gaps have for-bs and grasses typical f dry woodlands in sou tt,~er.r? 1Z J. irmis .. Smal 1 pa tches of 1i t; t. le In 1ues tern , beggat- ' s L ice ( L?,g,3rn,pd,j:,k~rj], spp . ) , goldenrods ,,spp , ) , and. kdoc?dLarrd st~nfLol,~er- c ~.~.~.,.~.~..Q..'~.~~.U..S.. !...... a 1-e c ofnmo . (2 reE? rik~ 1- ie rp (, ~~n,,~,.,l,,a,~~, b.a.n.3.-.no.x.) is locally abundant- There are three plant species t. 1 11i no i5 . GI. f.jseng ( p.a.vj.8.>c..... :..,.,,,.,..,,, , c-.~1-1 j ~1-73 1 50 0(2(1:u r- 5 within the FIPIW, is a State Thr-eatcned Species (I\iat;ctral Land Institute, L381). Plo Federally Endangered or- Tl1r-eatei7ed ar-rirnal species are currently known from Burke Branch, The 1ogger k-tead shr- iI.ce ...!...... 8 f-,f? Bew iek ' ~ret-1( T.h,.c.y.a.m.2..~.e.$,b.e.w.%,,c.k.,%..i. are t~~oi r"=po~-LecJ as occurring in the RPJA, T't-rese ar-e Shawr?ee Ida tiorti2 I. For-est; Listed Species and are also listed as Pht-eatened ir~t;fie State, 1 is likely that the red-shouldered haw!.< (p,.u,.~~,~.p",. ,,,...... ,...... 1i nea '.'...,...~'....*'.'. tus ) and the C~~PEr 3 hawk ( ~-f.c=.~..i..~.k..t;.~..t~:..C:.~.~.P..Q.K.~..~. 1 a f-e regular visitors to the area, The 5tr-eams have pet-manent pools that maintain a f~sh popuiatlon. Several speczes of mznnob~s (Cyprznldae), c,unf'ic,hes (Centrarchl-dae), and darters CPerczdae) are corninon in the clear waters. The cave C E.u.r.y,c.~,a. L.y.~,.lfu.il.a,) 7 beer3 reported from the RNU. Most of the animals common to the region probably occut- in, or occasionally use, the RNCS, especia.lly the larger mammals such as the ~dhite-tailed deer" (Q~.o.c=.o.*.&..e.u.5...... te ( G.an.,i..si .... gray fox U..~.Q.GY.Q..~. c.i..ae.r.e.o3..-s.e..nnn~.eeuu.~.> , raccoon ( Pv:.o.c.~.~.n. .L,.~..L..Q.!:. J opossum ( D..~-d.e&,.~..h,.~..z.!!?.~-PcJ.Q.P..~"~.L..~.~ 1 , and c,l r ay ~qui r re 1 ( 3.22.. Y...E.Y,.%. c.a.ro.l..hne.n.s.h.s.)- Pleistocene loess rnarttles the uplartd and for~n~much of the sox1 on the slopes. It 1.5 thxckest on Lhe ridge tops, as muctr as 12 feet (3,7 meters) 1n places, arld is (3f utw30r-rn sxlty texture. flounds brown chert gravels utlderl~e the loess on the hill tops and rxdge crests. Some clay and fine-grained sand cs~~tcropson the upper slope ~n the old roadway at the northwest edge of the RNU. There zs yuartzitic sandstone beneath the upper- slope, and 1 ifnestone outcrops on the lower- slopes and rn the stream bed (Figure 1) White sands and gravels at-e carried ali>rig the 3tt-earn channels froin their oi~tcropsto the west, * The Mounds gra\~elsare not well exposed in the Rf..lQ, but: loose pebbles ar-e found on the slopes, and i r-on--cemented blocks occur at eroded places on the upper- slopes (F~yur-c 27). The It ar- Spr 1 rjgs Saivds t;c=,r.re ~c'.~=LI~~,xEIsthe J I- ~r rnldc,lopec,. Some Ledges and IQW03xffs sf-e pr-eser~t, but ~nterbedded shale zones cause breakup of the r-eslstant quartzose layer-s. Blocks and boulder-s are scatter cd over the slope. ~t"~eseare abundant; 11-1 the channels of the ttr~o not-therrl etrearns (Flgur-e 11). The sandstone 1.3 ti?irlrler- (3r1d outcrops xn the upper slope of the south valley, Few blocks reach the stream channel, The Glen Dean Formation ccjrlta~ns both l~lrle~t~tledncf shale. The shale rs rarely exposed; Ross (1364) r epor-t-, a bryozoat-I-rich shale urli t 7 to 15 Feet (2..I to 4.6 meters) thicdc xn the middle of "ce formatlor). Massxve l~mestorle units near the top and bottom of the formation form Ledyes, U prominent ledge 4 to 8 feet (1.2 Lo 2-4 rnet~rs)extends along the south valley bdall some 50 feet (15.2 meters) above the valley floor (Figure 13). The two n-lain brar7cI-re3 of 8~1rkeCreel4 dlcplay a sharp contrast 1r-1 the beds of !:he channels. rile 17orth fork has boulders and cobbles of sands tone, and sorrle 1 imeslone, ir~h~le the soutt;t-r fork consists largely of pebbles, kieadk~atercj c>f both are in areas of gravels and sand belorlg1ng to the The maturely drssected nat~~r-sl2rea also ar'icltrdes a thud sleep-slded valley. It flows south to enter the north fork, All of the valley bottoms contam narrow ffoodplalns. The floodplain surface material ns a mix of silt and sand becoming more sandy with depth (Fzgure 26)- Stream channel banks expose coarser material beneath, especially ~n the north branch. An unusually well-developed alluvial far] has for-med at the junction of the nor-th-sow th valley wi'th the rlorth for-!: of. Burke Creek, Several distributary lda ter-ways mark ti-~e surface, some havir~g u-ecer-it accumula tzuns of cobbles and lar-ge boulders. The topographic crass sect~.~r)is gen t;l y convex . The Burke Creek channels are pr-es~ntfy dcl!eper?1ng, resulting also in the deepennng of trrbutarzes (Figt~t-e3). On the a1 luvial fan, the wester-n chantlel has deepened considerably. Wotdever , in high kdater over-f-lotld, t\ja Lers course down the fan, and at the toe, a I t3-f- the cjxstrrbu tarzec, are c,rullled and have re tr-eatlrjg falls LWO LO thr-ee feet (0-6 to 0.9 meters) h13h. The nlost obvnous Recent and (nodern actrve g~3ofl)~r-p171~ processes 31-e degr-ada tnona l processes of erosiotl by r-unrung water and fl~assuas t-,irty. The thr-ee dzssec t i ng s trear11 vr31beys are trlbu tary to Rarrcrl Week, wl-uckz csdes- L ts for tn to the deeperung and aqqradatmrml cycles of the (3t\~r~R3vf?r, Thec;e cycles c?tc:ct~r-red dur i ng the Ple1st;ocene f---r~oc\I?,L1ntJ1 Lhe~r h~st.ot-y 2nd (:,?uses re st111 a matter oF dlsagreernent and research among geomarptla9.ogls ts , After the post-Paleozoic interval of 11p11ft atld erosion, the surruundxng regxon was depressed and r-er=elZ~ecl e deposition of Coastal P1ai.n sedzrnents Largely rran-rnarxne) at the north end of Lhe f"lusi5sipp Embayrn~?nt. Cret,~cecztls gravels and sands at-id rnterbedded clays once coverecj t:hs area (probably Tertiary sccllments as ~\rell_), T heqe &33057 t~ are eroded away Tr-om the RNU area, except for- a Fzw i-emnants, Lhouqh they still cover the r~plat~d117 ttie headwaters of Lfle two mann brar~chec,of Bur ke 0-eek. Prior to Pleistocene dissection, a body f al3uvnal gravels at~dsands covered the entire region south of the Cache River-Bay Creek valley, Remnants of these brow?, rounded and pol nshed (=hert yr-avelez c~ccuron the r-ldge t;ops 3-n the area. rhey are mostly obscured by loess, Lhougks the pebbles, and even cobbles, are r-eadr ly r-ecogr11zabl.e L 12 the stream beds iFzgure 27)- Drssectisn of that gravel surface had o~'~k.~tteclf:-lt~r~r~q tt?e Ple~stocerleEpoch. The orlly deposl ts of Lt-)at L;lccje nr-e the wind-blown sl 1 ts IIJ~IICII nll~r~t 19 t he t~plat~ci- l'fiese r~lt_s are the major trlater lals Lrl IAII~-LCI~the nloder r? SO~~Shave been f orrned , The f 1.oodplaxns of tlhe t~oLargest, vaf leys .show typxcal over-f lo~f eaCures such as r?a t;ur.a.l. levees, deposx trona l bars, and scour charmefs, However, rn October 1986, af ter very heavy rains, over-f lo& eviderrce was not; obsarved. The thud (north-south) valley clearly has a dsepenlng channel - Ttus channel has a bedload of cobbles and boulders (Fiytlre 1J-1- Though these rocks are very large, they are ,.jarnrr~ed rt-i Imbricate fashion agaxnst trees and each other (F~+gur-e1.2). Un znterestxng feature 1s a dam of r-ocks filling orle citanrlel arld causlng a diversion into a tributar-y c-.hanrlel, Ttus has caused oonszderable deepening, untjercutt,lrlcj, ar~dsluhplrly of: the valley slope, Numerous r-wky guLl.~es are found, especxally on the srdes of the nortkler r7 v,3lleys. IJr~concentrated sheet 1r~~ast71'3 a150 z '5 ~yrl~f i~ar)t erosional process, On the steep valley slopes, sedlmerlt can be c,een caclgklt bet-lind obe,tructror\s. Mass wastrng 12 11keb~~~8~lr-~rnf rcarl t, Sarids l;or-re boulders arid cobbles are scd t tered dwhin the -~/alley s1~3pe.z; boulder fields occ~~r-rn sorne places, Slumps re r-a t 17er common along the 5 tr-earn channels, Uther- f-ormfs f mass kdasting are t-iot obvious, except rock Tall at the lob^ sandstone cliffs. Solutxon of the Glen Dean L..zmf?c,tc~r~elias rdrciet~ecl tlle 1ott1ts and (A~~soLvecithe rack ~ur-facec; (FL~JuY-~~ sprlrlg 1s located c~nthe souttj branch riear- the ~de5t m;lt-gxrl of the natural wea. It eerrterges frarn the [tkcrtestorltrj (->rl ti-ie south valley wall at floodpla~nl.evel. C-Srlc_,ttler i2ff~aJ.l c*.;prltlg f lvws into the north fork near t;he west boundat-y of the HPIU, F?f:Char-lec, A. Ross. 1364- Geology c')f the Paduoah arrd Smi thland quadrangles in Illit,~ois, I llinois State Geological Survey, Cir,cular 360. 32 pages plus map, S. E. Warrrs, Jr., (2, k;i, Horrel.1, and 0- J 1377, Explor-xrlg the land nncl r-ocks of sou ttlern L llsrlo 15, ~.i geologreal. gurde, Sou ttlerr~ I11 Lr?oxs IJr-i L'J~~-SLty PT-~~s, Carbondale. 240 pages. .,...... Soils,...., '.~,..* (Figur-e 6) Soils are derxved prrmar-lly fr-orn the loes~cover. Loess 1s thrcker on the rxdge crests where ,3 so11 proflle 1s moderately well-developed. It LS also Lhlckst ~ii north-f acl ng slopes, a charact;er~stxc ttlr-c~ughc~~t t he 3-[tawnee Plat~onalForest where slopes nr-e steep. On the csoutt-.r--fac~ng slopes where the loess 1s very thin, some sand frcscn the underlying bedrock IS ~ncorporatedwl tt.1 tt?e loeszal 51.1 t. It 1s rnalnly on the dr-outhy, south-faczrlg, upper- sl~opes here the dry fcrest vegetatron 3s FOII~I~~ Ralnwash and Frequent repe titior-rs of fr-eeze- ti-law are dorriz rlant processes. The hazard of eroslon rs ver-y severe, The Belknap srlt loam (382) occurs xn a small part of the RNA, along Burke Creek rn the southeast corner, rhxs 15 a deep, somewhat poorly draitled sol1 on bottorn Iarsds. 11: formed rn sediments along streams and rs low 11-1 content of organic matter, It is usually acid, The Burnside ~iltloam (427) occurs as a narr-ow band along the valley bottoms in the two mar1-I t:r rbutar-ies of BurI.ce Cr-ee1.c (Figure ~ 26). I: t f csrrned i. n The Wellston-Berkc, cornplex ( 986) is rnapp~!(A r t;he north-facing slope at the south edge of the RNA and rrt ravines and on rugged ?I-opes Y. I-he nor tl-west, (3or-ner. Irmestone clrffs outcrop near t17e sol~tt~edge, 2nd tllere 1s a small cave on the slope, These e,oil.s -Forriled 1t-I 1 oess arsd underlying materral weathered fro% c,a!jdsto?.te or shale. They are low rr7 orgarlic matter- and ar-e strongly ac:kd. Uer-1:s soil has less clay than Wellston sorl. The Wallstcsn 3011s (33'3) are rrmpped separate frorn the- 8erks C,OI~S on %c>lne c>f the south- arid west-fac;Lnq, rrjld to Lob~er slopes. Tt~ess s~ tes are drouthy and stony ar~r,t r~re rrios t 1y on satlcfslorle . The Zanesv~lle so~lc,K?.54O) are rttappcd on tlpprr- qlopes, ~nostlysouth-Facxrzg, but kdhere there are fet~.~er-st,or\e~ ar-~d rock outcrops, They formed rn loess and materxal bdeathered from sandstone, s>.ltstone. and shale, They are rnaxr~ly 'loam ~rthSome stones, are rnedlum to strongly acxd rn I-cactlcsn, and have a fraglpan. They are low rn orgaruc matter content and are very subje~t,to erosron, The M~~~kxr~gurnand Berttc, sails (355) rerrtapped alortg the upper valley slopes of the rlorth-3outf1 tr-rbutary and also or1 some c~f the south-fac1r-q arld r-~ot-th-fa~~.ngrocky slopes above the main streams. These are stony sozls that formed rn srlty or loamy materral. In c,orne places, ther-e are 1irnestone outcrops; in others, the bedrock rs sar~dstone. They are low rn organic matter content, arc acid rn reactlan, and are subject to erosion. The Wosmer srlt loam (214) oc2cur-s ,is i~~?r-)/ rlar-r OM bilrtd~ alo13g the r-idge crests in the ar-ea.. It forrned iti loess, has a fragipan, and 1s usually strongly acid. .....Reference: .....,,.. '..,...... ,,...... ,.,... ' ...... W, D. Par-ks, et al. 1975. Soi 1 sur'vey of Pope, Wardin, and Massac counties, ILlinois, Soi 1 Con~ervatlon Ser-vzce and Forest 5er vzce, 1r-1 cu~per~:t 1017 1~~1ththe I1 Linors Wgrrci~1ture Exper~mertt Stat~or7, Ur-bana, Illsnois. 126 pages plus [naps, All of t;he RNA is fedet-a1 land acquired by the U. 5. Forest Service as a part of the Shawr~ee National Forest. Most of this area was purchased during the period 1337-1949. The last acquisition Mas 1969, There are no outst;anding rights. According to Appendix E of the Shallinec Ptlational Forest, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Land and Resource Management Plan (1986), there 1s low potentla1 far the presence of fluor-ite, lead, zrnc, 1 and gas, There is no coal in the vicinity. There are no known hsstor-lcal 51,tes or f:erneteri es ~dithin the RNU. Same r3F the stands of young t~rr~ber-1.~et-8 once snmll f xelds that t-tad been elear-ed for- agrrcul kur-e or- used for livestock pasture, IMPACTS AND POSSIBLE CONFLICTS The Shawnee Natzonal Forest's Lnnd ~trnd Resource Management Plan (1380) contains standar-ds and c-;~uL~~~L~\Essf~r the marlaganlent and protection of sPecj 211 arrsas, zr~clucl~rw ttle pt-oposed r--ec,earct> na tural ar eas . T tle";ti? nr;?rid guldellnes pt c2vrcAe 1;he basis for' cc>r\t'lrct r e~cllc~tror). There are no outstanding fnlr-ieral rights on any part 0f the Burke Branch RPJA, Accordirrg to Uppend~x E of the Shawnee Matrorlal Forest, Fxr~al Env~r-or~nlent;aI Irnpac: t Statement , Land and Resource Managernen t Plan ( 1986 ) , tf-~er-e 1s low p~ter-ttsalfor- the pr-esence of -F3.uorlte, lead, 73 rlc, 011, and gas. There rs n~ Coal ~n the vlcxtirty. Thzs area 1s flat urlder any range aLIotiner~t and LS unsuitable for livestock qrazrny, It LS nearly all forested. There rs no known rnterest ir~developing Lltls area $or lxvestock, The soils on the steep rocky slopes are subject to ex trerne erosron, and 1vies tock use IA~OU1d l~ave undesirable effects ort the sorls, rsa tural plant cornmc~rtities, and rare specrcs xrt the ar-ea, ...... Timber Ull of: the poterttial resear-ch natura-2 areas ~det~trfi9d L. n the Shawnee National Fores t Land at?d Fiesou I-ce Mar7~%gerrle1?t Plan ( 1986) wer-8 ~~ns~rl(ered 1 rlappt-opr 3 ate For- tlmk,er- productkon. These lands wcr-e rmt it7~1~1c3fed1n Llee Si~a~dnce T.la k xonal For-cst t1 n~k~erbase, Cotisey~~~r~tly,tie adldx t tr3rrtaL kdlthdrawals ~d~llbe r eyulred. The protectxon and management of Burke Branch as an RNh will maintain the minimal erosxorral concfiLzon of the kdatershed, and tI7us help protect the rrJater qual1t;y f the recipient streams and rivers, Protectiot7 c_:f the natural vegetntlve cover- in the area rnay be art atnportant factof- in rrtaintasnir~g the urlpolluted cbtart?cter iintsl cog1 ttlatet c, of the tr-ibu tary s trean~s of Mart-en Creek kligh water qtlal i t.y 1.5 impor taant: for- the pr-o tecrtzon of t-are pLariIr,s ar?d 3rixrn~ls I~J~LC~Iare dir-ectly associated with kite beds of tttese straa~ns (Figure 31)- ...... Recreational values'-. Except for sorrle xllegal. off road v~:l~rcler-~dany, tttcre has been lxttle r-ecreatlonal use of the RNA In ttie p(2st- fin occasional deer hunter cr-osses the area, z?nd tdhere LC-. ev~denceof ~n.f"r^eyuer?Lt~orsebac:I< r~dznyaI-orlg the ~si,r~?ani edges. Off I-oad \~ehxclerrders use old r-oads and traxJ-~ along the ~estedge of the RNA, and rn the past, have rrlacfe Lrails zn the gravelly streanr beds and along Kt-1e1r bank?. There are no special attractkorrs to cause public use to I t~reai~=,e3igl-nf kcantly . Adequate eupcrvrsiorl and rnanagcrrter~t should prevent serzous detr-rmental r-ec:r~;3t;t~t?~?l OCJZ f ~-(XII develop 1 ng . (See k,,b .Ji+rJt)PJp Managemet7 t sf the area as an f?NW 1- I. help to pr-eset-ve habitats -for all wildlife and plant species nat;kvc t;rs the site, c-' ,-,erne rna1nt;enanc~ ks r-equ 1 red to r.ot~Lr (3 1 ex0 t 3 r::? (I~ICI keep woody I_ rlvaslon f r-om el 1mi na t-,lnfj the bc'%t-r-~r~f",r'ornmti t-I 3 ty , bcl t SLIC~5I\r4l~ l(-2 rlc> t; (~~usF?any srgruf ,I csn td krnpat t f.)r r-e.-;rjI t xr? any cot7f 13.6t ~xthott-leu- uses If? the \,/lcLr?l. ty, The RNA is kd~thinthe Bur-ke Br-ancl~RARE PI area pr-opr~sed by \Jarlous groups for c;tr~dyas a wilderness at--ea. St was not-, recocnmet~ded for bzli Ider-nes~study i. 17 the Shab~r~eePja t iona1 Forest, &Land nd Aesoctt-.ce Mnnayen~er;lt Plat?, 1: XI--7, L?86, 152e LXRMC;i'ee,+j ?dc 1..r.a.n .-,. e.o..s ..t;.at.. t..i..o..n...... ~.l..a..~ 2. ,&$'$ There s-;i-~ouLdbe rlo Forest Serv LCP. t-rnrisportatzctt? plans &-+J=G-~ that conf l~ctwith pr.otectt;1.0t7 of. Ltte RN&. For-est Ser-v1.c~i.& \).Jg Road 1382 was j~rnsrc\~~erA1t-7 1987 i smcm tt?efA nr~ddr-3.3- rted , th water- bars c=onst,ructed) (Flgur-e 25) . T hxs -2border-5 a part; of the lzrest edae of- %he RNrrrS, and rriay enter tl~eRf\Jl\ bourldarles for a stli-,~.--t drstanee f rts exact I_cr>cat;l~n t.~a~, dxf f icult to determzne durrrlg the Fxeld bdor-k f ~t- t4his repur t) (Figure 4). Gates have been zr?stallecA t,o dwert URV traffic away from the RNA, No other roads are in the RNA, and none should be r~eeded for Forest Service rnanayer~lent of properties in the area, Ttie prlmary ~bgectlveof the Rurke t3rartch I?c?se;lr-ch Pla t~rr-a1 fir-ed rrlar?agemsr7t k5 t:c> protee t ~+rld rnai. rl t21 i7 I t,~ natural char-ac ter-, i. e, to preserve the ar-en fr cmn ctnnatu~-al d~sturbance, T11e purpose of marnagerrtent 1s to prov~+de,I# ar-en t,o Il luc, trate arid typz f y for r-esear-ch and elt-icatxor~al pclr-pc>%es, some of the 1mpc.r-tant for-esJ, and bart ens t-ypes representative of the P1~.rslb~e~t,as well as other plant cornmunr txec, that have specral arrd unique ct~ar-acter~stlcc,of screntl f zc ~nterestand lmpor-tance. Exot:.ics ar-e r-lot: a ~er-~.oI-~spr-~bJ.efri .I 1'1 tf-~efcr-c~y;f:e~A p;;?r,-t, of the RPltS, but.; r-'ecr\c~valand cc2nt.t.-01. QF cr:?~"t;air~;?(gt.-c?%='; 1 s,,8 E? species t hro~~qho~~t the area, such (2s ";.~patti~.~eI~rjr~ey~rluc) 11: ( L.~.n.i..c.%..r.2.*%.a.~.~.l!..l~:2.cl.) , ~ou1 d be de i ab 1e - such C:(>I-I ~r-01 is important to protect the barrens and rar-e plant..;. Prescrrbed but-nlng and hand removal ~f tx-ees ,3nd ~;t~r-ubs are per-mrtted to help control ~XOL~CSi+r?d Lhe J.~V~C~JOFSt3f woody veyet;atiot~ lr~tco the r?atur-ally open areas, 1.3. the barr-ens. I t: zs asf$umed that the Ler-\der~i:y sf 113tzur-a I (3,lpenznqs Ln the Plldtdest to succeec-1 to for-ec,t wxll. r-cc,uIt; 1-n the drsappearar~ce of these cornmurritres k~lthoutflr-e t>r the r-epl1cat~onof cor7tr01 fneasures that kept tt1ef11 open J t? presettlement tlmes, In1t~ally, artr~t~alburxn~ny I he necessary, but eventually, pt-gescrxbed br~rr-nrlg t~r11 rtot be necessary every year, and a regular schedule of vegetatzve managerr~ent aetrvllzec, will be developed as r-cst~lts are mani tored. Those sltes zdentrf~edas barrens zn ear-11er reports wzll be managed for- rest~ratzorl of tohc barrens vege tntxcsn ( INN, 1978, and SNF ttar'idbot~l.c, St~awrleeSupplement No. 3, 1970)- ADMIPJISTRUurTVE RECORDS cfr4D PRO T EC 'T IC7f.l The ~lcjrnirn~tra tor I pr-0tec tor olc the Bur ke 8r-a~h Research Piatur-al Wr-ea 1s: Distr-ict Ranger Vienna District USDU - Forest Service Vienna, Illinois 62395 The research coordinator IS: Dlrector North Central Forest Exper ltnent StaLioil 1992 Folwell Uve, St. Paul, MN 55108 The research data f 1 le 3-'3 maxnta~r~edby the rtor th Central Forest Ebcpersmen t Stat 1 ail ar'rcj tl-~eStiat?lnse FIatrorlal Forest Headquarters, Marrrsburg, 1111118 LS b2'346. I" he Natural kiers tage Dlvlslon 3 tI7& 11 lxr101.~ Ctepar tirlsnt of- Conservatzon, 524 S. 2nd Street, Sprlngfxeld, IlLzt'ross 62706 also nlalnta~r~sa flle of the natctv-a1 area, Plant C,~E?C'J_PS collected if7 the area have been deposited In lterbar ItJrn at Southern IIlzr~ozs Un~verslty at Carbor~dale, Ill_lnois 62301. REFERENCES 8ke3r", J. A. 2360, Landforms of S1.1zrlrsl"s. I tlf~lo~.~State Geofoglcal Survey, Urbana, Map. Eyre, F, W. 1380, Forest cover types of the United States and Canada, Society of Urnerican Foresters, Mashington, D. C, 148 pages, Forest Service Handbook, Shawnee Suppletner~t; f-lo.. 9 1370. Management plan for Burke Branch €30 tanlcal Hr-ea, Sflawnee P4atiotlal Forest, Illinois. Shawnee P!atior?al Forest, Harrisburg, lll~nais, 12 paqes- Warrxs, S. E 3 6- C.d, HorAt-ell, and 0% Zt-b~~rl, 1377. Explorznq the land and rocks OF ~0ut1-~er-13I111t>ox%, i3 geological guide. Southern Illlr~orsIJnll~ct ~xtij' PI.-~SS, Carbondale. 240 pages, r Nat~~ralfireas lnverltory. LC? 76- 78. Pii"t\ )c3(3 t conducted by [Jnxver-srty of I1llncszs and t.I3Lur'al IarlcJ Xnstitu te urtder- contract to Department of Conser-vatlon, CWea data on file arid available Fr-ocn the Ill~r?o~~s Department of ConservaLion, Springf zel-d, Illrrlo~sOff lvlal ki~qhway Map, 1385-86. L) 43 p 3 1- t; [TIE! n t- to F T'rar~spor-tatl on, SprrngFzelcA. ',lr is, W. 1'764 - PQ Let) t la1 t t I L v"r~x7e tant I c:r~. Spsc~aI P\,ttt,t1(:;3t:~.on flu- 36 , 01lier 3 t3a11 (;eoc?r (ipl12 c: Cdocie ty , bleu 'or- flap and " t tar~ct~?.L LO ~-~c,~~r.rrpar~f tt tic Plap . " ~N~lttib(~t~F~VLS~O~~J by li. 5, Ge(~1. S~r-~/ey1r.1 1969) Llttle, E. L. L953, Cheek lkst of natzve arid r~atural~~zed trees of the {JnlLed States (~noludlr~yAlaska). I\qr z cu l t~rre Hatldbcs~k FIG. 41 , For es t Se r-v J. ce , Mashxngton, D, C, 472 pages. Natural Land 1 nstztute. 1981. En(-lanctered LCI~I~tht ezi..~t-\~d vertebrate anxrnalc~ and t~acscular plart ts c!f 11 11r1uxs. Rockford, XlLrno~s, 189 pages plus appcndlces. Par-kc,, W. D,, et al. 1975, Soil.. Survey of Pope, t-dar-dl n, arid Massac countxes, Illinoxs, SOL1 Censer-va tron Service and Forest Serv~cr,~rt cooperation wlbh the I lllnols Ugr-xcul tural Experiment S tatlor), tJrbana, Illznois. 126 pages plus maps. Public I-and Sur-vey. 1806. Field notes and plats of ttte ~r-iginal land survey f t3r t;he State ::,f 112 j.rtojs, Origina1 documents at the I: 11 inois State flr-ct^.ri:,e?~: Spr-ingieXd. Rirjk., G 1381. Evaluatron r:,f potential I-esearcsh natut-al areas xn sout;t-.lern Illinois. !*lor Ltl Cer'r Lr-al For-es t; Experiment Statlan, Forestrv Sczerlccs Laboratory, Car-bondalc, Illinois. 3 pages. Rolfe Survey, 1890 to 19"-3., First topographrc survey of the State of Illinois. Illinois State Geoloyieal Survey, Urbana, Ross, C. U, 1964. Geology of the Padi~cah and Smithl-and quadrangles in Ill~nois- I State (3eoloy~cal Survey, C~rcular360, ~rbana. 32 pages plus map. Schwegman, Jw E. 1973. Comprehensive plat-) for- the 1llzr-101-s Nature Prec,erves System Pat-t 2-- rtte ilat-ural. d1$~zs1orrs of Illinois. Ilrs Nature Frsser-ves Cornrn1ssiot-j, [curre17t address: 524 S, 2nd St . , Spr-rnyfleld, 11-1. J. 32 pages plus map. Shawnee Pdational For-est rrtap (scale 3.14" 1 L rr~ile), [J, S. Depar-tment of- Ugricul twre, For-est :;ervxce, Shawnee National Forest. 1986. La/-td ar7i:j r-'esoc~r-i?e managenlent plan [with FinaI Envi t-onmenta1 Inipnc t Statement and Appendices], Eastern Region, USDA-For-est Service, Washington, D. C. 3 volumes with maps. Thompson, M. P,, and M. D. I-tutch~son, 1'767, 111fcr-cnat~ot-~ and evaluatisnc, ~or1cernxr7q nd t~r-al. ar ~3~si II southern lIlxno1.s durrng I'N.J~LIC~L~i17d I-Ir3e,CC,. Repor- t prepared by the C(:,oper-a Lxve kJ L 1d11 Fe t?c%cc2rctt Laboratory, Soutliern f 11 rnols IJr-~vers~ty , ,~tsiA ~pt~t-tsolet-i by "Lhe I11 z nols f.Ja Lure Prec,etxves Cornnl~sslon ,3i-1(A Southern ILlrnols University, Carbondale. 20 pages. United States Geological Survey map (riiodzfied for USDU Forest Service use), Paducah NE Quadr-anglee, 7.5 ' series- 1367. CL S- Government Fr-zr?tlr.lq OTf-1c.e. Hest, K- A. 1980. U t4rl tur-a1 I4er-I taae t-for the Sha~~r?cer\latxor~al f-or-cst fSll~nolc,i: I\ rz?port cr? protec tzor~ and management of !-latxonn 1 For EC;t 1133,ttir a1 areas. Ill~no~c,D~3pi3r't~l'lenL of Cc~r~~ervat.~~tt,Bef~t(~r-~. 557 pages, Whl te, J. 1978. Illinois Natural Areas lr~ventorytecl~nlcal repor- t , Xnven tory performed under car7 Lrac t to tile IL1rnoz.s Department of Conservatron by the Depar trnen t of Landscape Archl"Letur-e, [Jrt~vers~ty of Zll~no1s. {Jrbana-Charnyargn, artd the PIn turd1 Lrrrld Irrpendxces, WorLk~en, W, H, 1866- Geological st~r-veyof 11.1 ~rlojs,Vol 1 I, Cl~apter XVIIL Ill~noisState G~oJ-(:~gzcalSr~r ?/e\f, Urbana. Pages 428-455. APPENDIX I. Computer printout of data collected for the Burke Branch Botanical Area Natural Area by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, 1976-78. Note that the boundaries of the INAI area differ from the RNA boundaries; the INAI area includes some pine plantations that were left out of the RNA. Ill irtoi s Nattir.n 1 Atbeas 1rlvc:rlt or-y Na i,nr:t 1 I,:-rrlcf 1rls t i t tt I. e REFERENCE NWcllBER: 81 AREA NAME: Burke Dranch Botanical Area NATIJRAI, AREA CATAGORIES (It SIGNIFICANT FEATURES: CAT, CODE / DESCRTPrrlON V Sllawriee Nat i orla 1 Ft:,rSes t special use area 1 R(73.8 IT 233 Gymr~opogon amti i ~UUS SarlfIy bar.t-~\tia 1 or)$! s t rf~311i) IT 234 S .t- el J a r j a puber-a ( Roclcy c:r.ev i ces i rl WOW~S) TT 235 Lys imachi :I fraseri (Along crr-ek bnr~lc) EXCEPTIONAL FE ATIJRRS : CAT. CODE / DRSCRTPTION TT 180 C in1i.c ifuga r-uh iful i a (Rorky wr~octs1 1 106 C11:tmnel ir- i uin lutetun (Rocky woork j VII 1nter.mi ttettt strearr~ I,E(:A TI LOCATION: 'I'Wf' I?NG I' ST7C ~Il~I~~'l'F~1~(11 141?fl'r7J2 OllATIr~1~~1~~i 15s GF: 3 11 !JR(jR4vR 12 I ,% J 5 113s 6E 3 f, R?\t Slt I f3 15s 6E 3 8 1 15s 6E 3 9 21L3R4 SPECIFIC STREAM : Burke Crwk STREAM SYSTEM i Wilter Slrr(1 j : 27 Messar: - t3:ly 1.11nlc n ig Grallrl Pi r:r.r-c? J! i g Cr-rvk sysl rm LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT: 59 MUNICIPALITY: - nolte MAX TMUFI A1,TITIIJIE: 550 PllYSTO(;R,4P'fl IC 1JN IT: 50 Slt~wnrt..Itrill s Sec: l i or) MA.JOR FEATURE : 48 Erosiorinl hills irl hrdi-o(rlt (in~diun~loi~ss) GEOf,OG TC FOIIMATTOIVS : 21 Cj Peor-i a Loess 218 Cahot SOTI, ASSOCIATIOW ( STATE ) : SOIL ASSOCIATION ( COIJNTY ) : FIosmer Zar.~esv-iI Ie- We l1s t cjn NATURAL CObIMUNTTY 3.8 Mcs.ic barr-en NATIJRAI, D IVTSION AND SECTION: 1% IIesser. Sttarwee tIi 1l s Sec-;.t-,iorm, Stlar~neeIfi 1l.s T) ivisi COmlisNITY CtIhSS : 3 Savc~i~r~a RARITY INDEX: . 5 Very rare NATURAI, QIJALSTY : 2.00 acr*es of' gmde B ; 01 cl Ci el rls, ~.CV(LS~.t i II~ 5.00 acr-es of gr.aclt. C ; 0 lrl f i PI tls, rt2vrr. t i r~g SAF COVER TYPE: * Not c-ol le(: f,etf NATTJRAL COMMlJN ITY I. I Dry uylanct forest. NArflJRAL DIVISION AND SECTION: 13b I,r-.sser Shnr~tleeIIills Sect ion, Sltawnee II-i 11s D.iv isi COFfMUNITY CLASS : 1 Forest RARITY INDEX: 4 Rare NATTJRAL QIJALITY: 80.0 ar:rps of gr.:tcfe (1 ; M:lt;ur-e secoriri gr-owtfi SAF COVER TYPE: % Not c:rl 11ec.1 PC! PLANT GOMMIJNTTY: 336 Ql1e1-csi1s fa I cat a, Spr-~rli st1 or?k r-! .i CL(m .. kz Lj ffi NA~~~IRAT,TI 'I VI s TON ti~l~sEcfr roN: I 3t I,esser Shawnee fi i ll s S~cti or^, Sltsrqr~e~Il i 11 s 11 i tl i s i CObnIITNITY C1,ASS : f; Cultural RARITY INDEX: 0 Not collected or- tlot alq>li.c:able NATTTRA L CtiTAI, f TY : 70,0 acres of grade E ; pi nes PLAN'I' COFIMIJNI TY : 167 Pi r~usspy. ,pines NATIJRAJ, D IVTSTON AND SECTION: 1311 Lesser Sharsrnc~r. I1 i 11s Sect ion, Shawnee II i 11s b) i v is i COF,BIIJNITY CT,ASS : G Cult~iral RARITY INDEX: 0 Not collected or not apyl icat)ie NATFTRA L OIJA L ITY: 50.0 3crPL.s of gracfe D ; Old f iel-ds, rsegr-owttl PLANT COME.II!NITY: 12 Ar~tlrnpogons yp. ,f-) 1ues t cm grasses DIVERSITY INDEX: 4 TOTAL i\CRf?AGR : It00 OWNERSEiLP TYPE: 2 Pui>Iic NIMBEII OF OWNERSIIIPS: 1 {JSE OF NATURAL AREA: 22 Research and educat i (311 v i s i t s USE OF SIIRROIJNDINC; 1,AND ( 0& wiI.tllar~d 1 : 70 USE OF SIJRROUNDING LAND ( % tlevr?lope(l I srtd ) : 0 NEARl7ST SLISA: 9 St. 1,r~u.i~(Mr-lclisoli and St.. Clair. c-ount irs) NEAREST SCIIOOL: 85 Stiar.;nee Ct3rru11ttrl i t y Co 1 1 ege, I(ar.tl:jlc NITMBER OF NEARBY D.O.C. FACTT,TTTES: 3 MANAGEABILITY: 1 PRESERVAT fQN STATITS : 2 Putrlic 'land, formally rlesignatecf as a rlatllra.1 area TIIRE ATS : 4 No lrnos~n threat. SPECIES LISTS: 1 Worlrfy pl ~n t.s 2 F~rnsand fer-n a 1 l ie:s 4 Amphibians, rept.i les, artcl mnrrimnls 5 Other species 1ist SAMPTJTNG FORMS : - tloIle I1 JSCTISSION OF PHESENVATJ ON VAT,UKS : The Shawrlee Na t; ional For-est re(:og~lizes Dur-ke Rr.ar~c:h as a spec: i al use area t o be mi~r~flgedt.t-) protect its UII~~~IPhot an ic:al V~~IICS. If ftiw metli urn' and hi gfl qua1i t y mes ic 11arr.etl t-elnnants a11d t Ire ~"riCi~tlgPr'f~cf.grass Gyrnr1rq)ogon amt) i (plus, an ranclanger-etf 1oases .,t r. i f e ( I,ys im:lohi n f r.2scr-i) , anti the enrl:311ger*ed chi ckwoed S t~llario 'pllfjet-n. A r~t.~~nlx~(7 f ot her* r-at P anrt unusua 1 pl an f s c)c*cur- a l r)tlg t,tlr gr.avc.1 l y st rtr3:\rn :tnil i.oc.lry s I opc. CTTATTON # 486 Tllinoi s Nat.ure I-'I-r-.serves Comnt i ss ion, 1W't . T 1 l iric~is N:t l 111-6% Pt.~.sr>~-vrst wcs- yea r-eport , 1969- 1970 + I11. Nat:ttr-e Pr-eserves Comm. , Roclr f or-d., 50 p. CTTATTON # 491 Illinois Na t ure Pr-~+st3rvc.-.sCornmi ss ion. 1973. T 1 1 irto i s N:tt ~II-ePrr:sl;ervcs twr, ycrtr. K-eport , 1971 -72. I1 1. Nat;ttr.e Pr'eser-ves Comm. , Rr~c:kft~r.ci. 65 p, CTTATION # 833 Anderson , R. C + , and +J, Sc.f~wc~ar~. 3 971 , The rcs yorlse3 o f soilt her-rt I1 t i nc~is barwren vegetat;ion to prescribed burni nga Tr-arls. T 11. S tat,e Acad, Sci, 6.1: 28 CITATTON # 1475 Schnegman, J. E. 1972. A4tl.i t iotts tro f.hr flora of ISlirlois. Tmrls* Ill. State Acad. Sci. F;5(3-4):42-44. CITATION # 1473 Sc-f-jwegntan, J. , anti R. 11. Moll l r-.xlbrock. 1968. Nr) I es or1 t tlr. flor-n of cx t r rxrnr-. soutiler-n Illinois, Traris. 111. State Acad. Sci. 65 : 317 -319. APPENDIX 11; Copy of Page 21, Shawnee National Forest, Land and Resource Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix E illustrating the role of the Burke Branch Research Natural Area in natural diversity 0 MP~UE t E~alua~ionof Proposed NX's SAF Cover Type W cover types in relation to s Yes : In RNA in Kentucky, 1968 : RNtl Directory Yes : FLidwest exanple Yes : Not in any RNA Yes : Pfidwest exmple Yes : Midwest exanple Yes : Central llidwest exwple Pb : In RNA in Iridj ana No : In N?A in Indiana Yes : Not in any RNA, florthem : Example Yes : Ibt in any NU Yes : Not in any RNA Yes : Northern example Yes * : Not in any RTW 'Ihis table is from a Regional Office 4060 menr, dated October 27, 1983. The rn rccormwds that we provide minimrm coverage of all SAF coves types indicated as needed in the above table. A 4060/1920 mem, frcm the Regional Office dat-ed Deceirber 22, 1983, ~tpdatesthe above tab ie. This m places SAF cover types into three categories. One, in which there is no representative nationally; two, a category in wtLich there is only one representative; and three, a category in which there are two RNA's representing the cover type. These categories are as follows : Not Represented liz one In two RNA's SAF' 40 SAF 55 w 53 Based on the above infomtion, establistmnt of the follawi-ng MIA proposals were recmnded to provide minhcoverage of the needed SAE' cover types. SAI;' Cover Tvnes AWd Ridge 40, 44, 52, 60 Barker Bluff 40, 46, 52 Wlrke Branch 40, 52, 53 I-ahe Pine Ilills/Otter Pond 40, 52, 59, 60, 65, 75, 76, 87 Panther fbllaw 40, 54, 55 SItAIBEE tUTIOP.IEU, FORE3T - FIEU EIS E-21 A r\ APPENDIX 111. Copies of pages selected from the Shawnee National Forest, Land and Resource Elanagement Plan documents describing the Burke Branch Research Natural Area and documenting the recommendations of the Forest for its designation and management -Mesic barrens c ity. -Loosestrife ( -Black cohosh Federal Threatened or bdangered Species: No records docmnting presence of a Federal T h E Species in this area. - Sensitive Species (proposed) : -Beard grass ( -Black cohosh -bosestrif e ( Forest Listed Species: -Great Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) . -1aggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicuanus ) . -Bewick ' s Wren (~Ornanesbewickii) . Cave Hill The area is located in Sections 34 and 35, T3S, R7E and in Sections 2, 3, and 10, TlOS, R7E, Elizabethtown Ranger District, Saline County. Area : 465 acres. SAF Cover Types : Genera 1 Infonnat ion : Cave Hill is a large sandstone cap with underlying lhstone outcrops near its base. Glades are broken by the bluffs and have a discontinwus distribution being separated by stands of dry upland forest. ?he dry upland forest of Cave Hill is an undisturbed forest c-ity. mere are no signs of logging or any other hmdisturbances. Equality Cave is located in the area. A system of trails traverse the area. am111 Affected Erlvirormnt tklrphysboro Pqer District 13. Oalwood Kite Site 14, Toothless Cave 1.5. Cave Spring Cave 16. Big Bayou Kte Site 1. Atwood Rid@? 2. Clear Creek Swamp 3. 1-e Pine HillsfOtter Pond 4. Opossum Trot Trail 5. bark Hill Prairies 6. Iblf Creek Area 7. Bald bob Geological Iktailed descriptions of each of these sites is in he planning record. Analysis details are in Appendix F of this FZIS. \ Research i?atural Areas Research Hatural Areas* are protected areas reserved for nonmanipulative research observation and study. Each area is part of a national network representing a ful l array of Ebrth Amrican ecosystems, biological comn-mities , habitats, and phcnamer~a, and geological and hydrological foxmations and conditions. Research Hatural Areas (W's) are established by the Chief of the Forest Service. Tl~ere are currently no RPIAMA's established on the Sllawnee National Forest; htrwever, four separate proposals have been submitted to the Forest Supervisor for considerat ion. At a result of the four proposals submitted to the Forest Supervisor, the follorring twelve areas were considered for Research blatural Area designation in the planning process : Sf'IRliJTEE NATI(l?VL FOREST - FITU& EIS 3-35 A-7 n m I11 Affected hvirmnt Table 3-15 Ikc~ndcclResearch Natural Areas Atwood Ridge Barker Bluff Zharke Branch Damisan Hollm Ekskaskia Panther Holluw hhoopie Cat Mauntain Ozarf: EIiLl Prairies LaRue Pine t'iills Otter Pond Cave Will Stoneface -1/ DIG: acreage shmm is as originally proposed. S~Em~difications llave been 1 matie in individual alternatives (see Appendix E). Detailed descri-ptions of each area and the analysis of RN(I proposals is in Appendix E of this FEIS. Paadless Areas The Shawnee 1.Iatimal Forest does not currently have any areas designated as units of the tNational IJilderness Preservatiou. System. It does, however, have nine roadless areas which are being considered Tor their potential as wilderness or for nonwilden~essuses. .These areas and their acreage are: Table 3-16 Roadless Areas Roadlcss Area Size (k.WS Land) Bald Knob Burclen Falls Burke Branch Clear Springs Garden o.f the Gods 1,uslc Creek - Phrray Bluff Panther Den Ripple Hollow 'nlese nine areas were original ly inventoried in 1977 during the second badless Area Review and Evaluation. This study came to be known as PS\FJI I1 and was cqleted in 1979 with the issuance of a Firzd Envirotlr~rltal Statmnt. Four areas totaling 15,093 acres were recmmended for wilderness study: Garden of the C~ds,Bald Knob, Clear Springs, and Panther Den. Three areas totaling 13,143 acres were reconmended for non-wilden~ess managanent : l.lurray Bluff, Burke Branch, and Ripple Hollow. Ih areas totaling 8,883 acres were recomrended for further evaluatitm: Iask Creek and Burden Falls. APPmmIX E Special Features I This appendix lists areas of significant physical, biological and cultural features. Where necessary, additional Momtion is provided to assist in wlementing managent on an area by area basis. Ihe following areas are assigned to t hescription 8.1 to provide for natural resource research Size (Acres) Palzo Reclamation. Proj ect 325 Dixon Springs Agricultural Research Station 4259 Kaskaskia Fxper-tal Forest 2169 Sugar Creek Seed Orchard 105 f The folluwing areas are assigned to Managent Prescription 8.2 (except as 1 noted) to provide for the preservation and protection of their unique scientific or educational values. One or mre natural area categories ! (National Natural Iandrnark, Pesearch Natural Area Candidate, Botanical Area, / etc.) may be assigned to an individual site as warranted. \ National Natural LarrMIkr; (existing) These areas are managed for their landmark features in accordance with the /1 Forest-widestandards andGuidelinesandthoseintheManagent Prescriptim ! shown. Mgmt. Prescriptim Size (Acres) Bell Wth Springs LaRue Pine Hills Little Grand Canyon Lusk Creek Total Acres [=arch IJatulal Areas ( The following areas will be managed for the site specific features listed. Direction is found in the Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines and those in EIanaganent Prescription 8.2. If through evaluation at higher organizational levels and area(s) is not accepted into the National Systm, it will continue to be managed under Management Prescription 8.2 (or in case of Kaskaskia, 8.1) for the life of the plan. SHAWNEE NATIOElAL FOREST - FOREST PIN.1 E-1 T mmUI E Special Features fianaganent Prescription Atwood Ridge 8.2 Barker Bluff 8.2 Burke Branch 8.2 Cave iiill 8,2 Stmeface $2 hnnism tkPl%aw 8.2 &ark ?Iill Prairie 8.2 Panther ?blPm 8.2 !Jhoopie Cat tmtain 8.2 Kaskaskia Exp. Forest 8.1 LaRue Pine Hills/Cl)tter PcmQ 8.2 Total 0 I.M The Atwood Ridge NM proposal is located in portions of Sections 4, 5, 8, 9, 4 8 16, and 17, T13S, R2CJ. Jonesboro Ranger District, Union Caurlty. t Area : 955 acres SAF Cover Types Identified in Area: g. SAF 40, &SAF 44, SAF 52, W 60. General Infomtion: Il~earea includes a relic stand of chestnut oak as well as Flagnolia acdnata and azalea near the western edge of their respective ranges. In addition, the area includes a nuher of Indian burial sites. Tt~earea is an example of dry, t.lpland Illinois forest. Portions of the northern part of Atwood-~dgehabe been clearcut. Aside frcm the clearcuts, the area could provide baseline information on succession in upland hardwood forests. Selective loggirlg has occurred on some portions of the area. mere remains representative mature dry upland forest stands with chestnut oaks that are essentially undisturbed. In many places, the steep slope timber was left (including many chestnut oaks). A hiking trail exists within the area. Purpose and Special Features: To maintain the natural character of a large upland area with a diversity of habitats and to protect the folldng special features: -Dry upland forest dcminated by the rock chestnut oak (Quercus prinus). E-2 SHLNJNEE NATIOIW FOREST - FOREST RAFl A 1C N?PaDm E RTIA Assigment by Alternative Alternative I Alternative I emphasizes tl~mintemce and e-IC-t of wildlife habitat and preservation of unique natural features. A variety of mtorized and namtorized recreation features are provickd. All proposed Rese;irch Natural Areas are rec d fur further evaluation. tlanagement Prescription 8.1 Kaskaskia Experimntal Forest &magemkt Prescription 8.2 Barker Bluff Atwnod Ridge Burke Branch Lame Pine Hills Otter Pond Dedsm flollw Cave Hill S tonef ace Ozark Hill Prairie %oopie Cat Mountain Panther Ebllm APPaDIX E Special Features se and Special Features: To mai-ntain the natural character of -an upland forested area with a diversity of habitats and to protect the following special features: -Limestune glade ccnnnmity. -Dry upland forest/lhstone glade comrunity. Federal Threatened or Endangered Species: 140 records domting presence of a Federal T h E Species in this area. Sensitive Species (proposed) : tb records documnting presence of a Sensitive Species in this area. Forest Listed Species: No records docmnting presence of a Forest Listed Species in this area. The area is located in portions of sections 4, 5, "8, and 9 of' T15S, R6E, I Vienna Ranger District, Pope County. Area: 300 acres. S@ Cover Types Ideritif ied in Area: Burke Branch and two of its small tributaries are the major streams of tlie site. There are steep, rocky slopes with dry uplantl forest of Spanish oak (Quercus falcata), black oak, post oak, and chinqr~npinoak (0 nluhletlber ii) and dry wsic torest of white oak, red oak, sugar rnaple, and h~d The majority of the area is mature, second-growth forest sl~owitlgsmle evitlence of light timber harvest. Illere are 50 acres of old field in succession to hardwood. 'Ihe mesic barrens were bunled through prescription about 1969 to contro 1 honeysuckle. Purpose Special Features: To mintair1 the natural character of arl area with a diversity of habitats and to protect the following special features :