--pTJZLL.>ION 1 NOTICEJDESIGNATION ORDER
De~isionNotice Finding of No Significant Impact Designation Order
By virtue of the auth~rit?vested in me by the Secretary of Agriculture under regulations 7 CFR 2.42, 36 CFR 251.23, and 36 CFR Part 219, I hereby establish the Whoo~ieCat Mountaln Research Natural Area. it shall be comprised of lands described in the secticn of the Establishment Record entitled "Location".
The Regional Forester has recommended the establishment of this Research Natural Area in the Record of 3ecisron 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 213.25 and Forest Service Manual 4063.41. Results of the Regional Forester's Analysis are documented in the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement which are available to the public.
The Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area will be managed in compliance with ail relevant 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 F~restLand 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 amendment of the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. (36 CFR 219.10(f)).
The Forest Supervisor of the Shawnee National Forest shall notify the public of this decision and will mail a copy of the Decision Notice/ Designation 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 Whoopie Cat Mountain 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 vrthin iS 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 administrative decision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (35 GFR 217.17fd)).
Chief Date UNIW STATES DEfARTh?ENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE
WHOOPIE CAT MOUNTAIN RESEARCH NATURAL AREA
SKAWNEE NATIONAlL FOREST JULY 11, 1987 ERRATA SHEET
1. Authorities for biota nomenclature, unless otherwise noted, are as follows:
Flora:
a, Fernald, M,L. 1950. Gray" Manual of Botany, 8th ed,, American Book Co., NY, 1632pp.
b. Little, E.L.Jr., 1979, Checklist of United States Trees (Native and Naturalized) Agric, Handbook No. 541, Forest Service, USDA.
Fauna :
a. Banks, R.G., R.W. Diarmid, A.L. Gardner, 1987. Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, US Territories, and Canada. Resource ~ubl. 166, Fish and Wildlife Service, USDI. 81pp.
b, Holsinger, J.R. 1972. The Fresh Water Amphipod Crustaceans (Gammaridae) of North Am., Biota of Freshwater Ecosystems. Identification Manual No. 5, EPA. 89pp.
c. ~obins,C-R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, V.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachorer, R.N. Lea, H.B. Scott. 1980. h 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. 174pp.
d. Sutherland, D.W.S. 1978. Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms. Entomological Society of America. 132pp.
2. Management Prescription, Pages 16-17.
a. Management prescriptions will be developed in cooperation with the NCFES .
b. Vegetation Manaqement
1,) Hand removal of vegetation. This may be necessary because natural fires have been prevented or controlled in recent years. Once woody vegetation is controllable through prescribed burning or grazing, hand removal of woody vegetation will be necessary,
2.) Fences are not needed to achieve management objectives.
c. Mineral Resource Manaqement
Exploration, development and extraction of minerals will be coordinated to protect RNA Values.
d. Recreation Management
4 Recreation will be ddscouraged. Regulations will be enforced. Figure 3. Location of Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area shown (with arrow) on copy of Shawnee National Forest map, 1971 scale 114" = 1 mile ......
......
PIE I SIKEFIE Cahokia Al luvium
a (:,it hr: V.r l I1.y @ l)i xon 'Ipr i rwc, (;rnbci~ riCI=Trx:wr AND TEPTIARY
CRETACEOUS
1 Gaskins Mine 2 Davis-Oxford Mine PENNSYLVANIAN
MISSISSIPPIAN Kinka id Ls.-Renau 1 t is, ......
Aux Vases Ss.-Springville qh. a...... ( thin bass 1 [ imes+onp probabi equivalent to Chouteau Ls.)
OEVOFl I Akd New Albany Shale Group (a few ] feet of Mississippian shale at top 1-C l ear Creek Chert
/ Faults
,--' Field trip route
Figure 5. Location of Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area shorn (with arrow) on copy of map in geologic excursion -to fluorspar mines in Hardin and Pope counties, Illinois by J. W. Baxter, J. C. Bradbury, and N. C. Hester, Ill. State Geol. Surv. Guidebook Series 11, 1973. Figure 7, Location of Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area shown on map of soils taken from Soil survey of Pope, Hardin, and Massac counties, Illinois by W. D. Parks, et al., SCS and USFS, in coop. with Ill. Agr. Exp. Sta., Urbana, 1975 scale 4" = 1 mile 339 - Wellston silt loam 986 - Wellston-Berks complex 691 - Beasley silt loam Kuchler PNV /I91
uchler PNV /I74
Figure 8, Map of Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area showing cover types represented
scale 5" = 114 mile
SAF Cover Type Kuchler PNV Type
#52 white oak-black oak- #91 oak-hickory northern red oak #46 eastern redcedar #74 cedar glades 7
lNlT#AL DtlTlllllUTIGN OF PRiNTl AND FORM 1600-?I 0WO ~RO~DIV. FOREST GDISTR~CT~PHOTO~RAPHER I]?*.
LOCATION PERMANUN1 CONCISE OESCRIPTION OF VIEW and f3I for
Fig. 9 July 7, Illinois vertical aerial view of ldhoopie Cat 35 mm. 1938 Shawnee :fountain Research Natural Area BW National Forest, Elizabethtor,,n District, I-larclin Co.
f? U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFtCL : t973-730-!57/268 3-1 " '*, F-9 & :*/ 7
fNITIAL D1STRI@UTIONOF PRlNYl AND FORM f6013-*S a 10 @ RO 0DIV. 0 FOREST a DISTRICT 0PHOTOGRAPHER Oat*
Pllff~h~ZlffT CONCISE OESCRIPTION OF VIEW
vertical aerial view of tdhoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area and
* U.S. COYERNMENT PRlNTlNa OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1
J. 3% F-10 Figure 9. Copy of ASCS aerial photograph taken July 7, 1938 stlowing location of Whoopie Cat Mountain RNA
Figure 10. Copy of ASCS aerial photograph taken Oct. 6, 1980 showing location of Whoopie Cat Mountain RNA PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD (See FSM 1643,523 I I
Fig.
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1913-730-f57/208 3-1 1 F-12 & i0- Figure 11. Aerial view of tile south part of IJlioopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area; view is nearlv vertical, and souttt is toward the top of the photo; the boundary of the RNA is the lower tree line above the lake edge; note the semicircular grassy opening with scattered redcedars; this is the limestone glade natural community -photo taken by M. D. Hutchison, Nov. 11, 1981 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
0 RO DIV. a FOREST D~STR~CT j? PHOTOGRAPHER RF~.
LOCATION CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF VIEW
Fig. 12 winter, Illinois large old chinkapin oak tree at 35 rnm. I379 Shawnee fdiloopie Cat "fountain Itesearch Blv" National Natural Area Forest, Elizabetllt~w~ Zlistrict, lIardin Co.
Q U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: : 1973-730-157/208 3-1 a L \$, F-14 Figure 12. Large old chinkapin oak on southeast-facing slope at Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area; several of the largest oaks are near 300 years old; note the wide crown and low limbs indicating that it grew up in a more open community; probably this was glade in presettlement times -photo taken by M. D. Hutchison in winter, 1979 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
INSTRttCTIOHSt Submit to Worhlnvton Office In Permanent numbers will be asttgned and the forms be dtsttlbuted as follcwsr (1) Washfngtan Office, (2) RO ar Sf est or Center and (4) Photographer,
Fig.
* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1 L II i- F-16 re 13. View of limestone glade at Whoopie Cat Mountain Resear Natural Area looking east along mid slope; the soil i very thin, and limestone cobbles and gravels are scatt over the surface -photo taken by M. D. Hutchison in winter, 1979 USOA-FOREST SERVICE PHOTOORAPHER 1 DATE SUBMITTED PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD 7
fNlTlAL O8ll"RlBUTlaN OF PRtXTI AND FORM 1SOO-tf O ~ROa DIV. [7 FOREST DISTRICT 0PHOTOGRAPHER iler. Permanent numbers will be asslgnsd and the forme be dlsttlbutsd est or Center and (4) Photographer.
CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF VIEW
Fig. 15 winter, Illinois limestone glade at Ifl~oopieCat 35 mm. 1979 Shawnee Hountain Researctt Natural Area C National showing bedrock and vegetation Forest , ElizabetI~torAn District, Hardin Co.
$? U.S. GOVERNMENT PRlNTlNO OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1
, w-? F-18 Figure 14, View of limestone glade at Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area looking east along upper edge; redcedars and chinkapin oaks are scattered in the glade, especially along the upper slope bordering the forest; some control of woody invasion will probably be necessary to maintain the open character of the glade -photo taken by M. D, Hutchison, winter, 1979 USQA-tOfffMT SEffVICL PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD 7 Figure 15. View of limestone glade at Wttoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area showing sumer vegetation; view is upslope looking northeast; many of the plants typical of the black soil prairies to the north are present in the glade -photo taken by M. D. Hutchison, sumer, 1979 I U8OA-rORt8f @gnvIC1! 1 PHOTOGRAPHER I DATE SUmMITT10 Stanlev Harris, Jr. 1~~ri.l1987 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD nEAoaw*nTeRs uNtT 1 LOCAT toN (See FSM 1643,521 I I 1NiTtAC WllT111.U TtON OF CRlhiT8 AMP FORM 1100-l I 0wo 10 DIV. FOR EST @ DISTRICT PHOTOGRAPHER Pet*
* U.S. GOVCRNMCNT PRINTING OFFtCL : 1973-730-157]208 3-1 n Figure 16. View looking upslope (northeast) at ledge in limestone glade; note limestone exposed; vegetation here is mostly little bluestem -photo taken by S. Harris in winter, 1979 . t)Sf3A*CORt?ifT StfilVtCL PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SUBMtT TED PHOTOGRAPHtC RECORD 7
Fig.
ft U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1 F-24 t ,I Figure 17. Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus-- -- heterolepis) growing in the limestone glade at IJhoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area; this is a species typical of the black soil prairies and is considered to be rare in the south half of Illinois -photo taken by M. D. Hutchison, summer, 1979 UfDA-COREST 8LCIVICL PHOTOGRAPHER f DATE SUbMiTTED Keith Wilson I i3pri.l 1987 PHOTOGRAPHtC RECORD HtAOaUARTERS UNfT LOCATION (Sac FSM 1643.52) t 1 lNtTIAL DISTRImUTION OF PRINT8 AN0 FORM 1100-18
C] C]RO ~DIV. OFOREST~DISTR~CT ~PHOTO~RAPHER 11~t. INSTRVCTIONSr Submit to Washington Office IQ Permanent numberr wlll be assigned and the forme be distributed or follows: (1) Warhlngton Offlcr, (2) RO or Si est or Center and (4) Photographer.
Fig.
ft U.S. GOVZRNMENT PRINT ING OFFICE : 1973-730-1 57/208 3-1 3 L or F-26 Figure 18, Fossils in the Fraileys Shale of the Golconda Group (Mississippian) at Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area; this is the unit that makes up the major part of the siope where the limestone glade occurs -photo by Keith Wilson, March 20, 1976 a USDAwCOREsT 8LRV#Cc PHOTOGRAPHER DATE SUE)MlT TED D. Kurz I April 1987 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD HEADQUARTERS UNf T 1 LOCATION (See FSM 1643,52) I lNlTlAL DIITIIl@UT1GNOF PR1YTI AND FORM f800-11
Fig.
tt U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-730-157/208 3-1 F-28 Figure 19. The crested coralroot orchid (Hexalectris------spicata);------this is an Illinois Endangered Species and also a Forest Listed Species; this plant has been reported as growing along the edge of the glade at Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area -photo by D. Kurz, 1977 USOA-tORflT lLClVICl PHOTOGRAPMER OAT& SUSMiTTCO PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORE (Sre FSM 1643.52) INlllAC DISlCII8tJTION OF ?RlY TI AN0 FORM 0wo off0 DlV. [ INSTRUCT1ONSt Submit to Woshlngton Offlc I r~ Permanent numbers will be asri ned and tho foma wl/( be dlrtrlbuted as followst (I) Wsrhlngton Offlce, (2) RO c 5 t .st or Center and (4) ~ho+opra~\*r. --L NLUATIVL fSh0 w ~1%. LOCATION md BW for (Stet*, Forrat. bteck rrd DI*tlfct mdCountyf ruhtto or
Fig. old black oaks and red oaks at Shawnee Vat ional
3lizabethto
fardin Co. Figure 20. Old black oaks and red oaks at i4hoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area -photo taken by M. D. Wutchison in fall, 1986 F 9 kjh~oie Ca+ F; , 10, uhoo Cat. [ F,' . 12. who, ;eclat 'Mh. TNA r4ard;n fie '~h.RNA, i/ardi& ht*,8 XNA/ laid;ti 6. 11(. I CO' (lo / -?I(. SIGNATURE PAGE for RESEARCH NATURAL AREA ESTABLISHMENT RECORD Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area
Shawnee National Forest Hardin County, Illinois The undersigned certify that all applicable land management planning and nvironmental analysis requirements have been met5 in arriving at this recommendation.
Prepared by Max Do Hutchison, Field Representative, Natural Land Institute; Steven Olson, Technical Assistant, Natural Land Institute; and Stanley Harris, Jr., PhoD., Professor Emeritus, Department of Geology,
Recommended by Date ~lizabethtownDistrict
Recommended Date Shawnee ~atsnalForest
Recommended Date
Recommended Da t'e Ronald D. ~ind#k% North ~entral~~tation TITLE PACE
Establishment Record for the Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natural within the Shawnee National Forest, Nardin County, Illinois ESTABLISHMENT RECORD FOR THE WHQQPIE CAT MOUNTAIN RESEARCH NATURAL AREA WITHIN THE SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST HARDIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
b -it\e hjl?oopi~gx,lt PI~~LJ~I+~JIIfJca*~~~r f-b~ r!2t1jr ,>! /AI-E?A \?lt!Pi? 11-
2 1 7--acre i 6.3 -t*i~?~'.t,3re ) 1 r 3 I i.1~ "he f r(Irr-,2 f --tovet-nrnen t ;7 nil iljc-rr.raqerliny 1 1, '3 . Fr3r~cst r:er \J xce . ?!IRW~~PF? l\Jatlanal For-e?t FI gur-P 4 1 . Tt I r-e1~it1\~~1y r -1r-c~rnmurl~ty t-ype~, e-g, qlaacje trlnd dr-y l~plandforest:., It, 12 3 part 17if the kJhoop,~e Cr~tMo1rr7f,a>rl Tlatural Area tdentt f led by t,he T 11 L~OIS /'lati~r af At-en? Inventory (1378) (2s t~elngfsf F33r\3f~~ar?cet3ecatlse of ~t,? very tl~ghcqt~allty llnl~stoner~1acJe ;.trlcf ttie t.r-eserlce f.f two rrncornmon plant -pecsec, the cjr,"lr\cjc r;onefl(~b~er(Rtlcfbecklr? fr!lglda 1 ,3ncl t lt~cr e~tedcoralroot; orchid (Hexal.ec.tt-1s sp-~.~a,,ta) ( see (lippendl x T ) .
The cr e~tedc(:,ral t-~~tf17r-f=t~i d I 5 a Ckla~r7ee l"la tlona 1 Forest l-lc,ted "peel es and rr; 1 1 rsted ;.n Frjdanqered Cpecres 2 n I' 11 I ( Stta~~r~~eP.la t zorlal Fores t , l-,?ttl(d 6-i17~J Resourc2e Yl~nagerner-~tPlan, 1.9Fib; ancl I'.latr~r-a1Lartrl J r?st41tu te, 14781) (Fzgur e 13)" The clrmb~ng rnrlkbdeed i Platelea obl qua) was recently (dlscc?vered rrl the RMA. Thrs rs a Forest I I steel P~)peczes and LS dl20 11-stet1 as a Threatened Speczes st) Illinors,
The Society of Umerican Far-ester-s (SC'tF 1 ~20ver- type' that most closely fits t;t-~e forestecI part j.s Type 52 (b~t.~ite oak-black oak-northern red oak) ( Eyr-e, 1980), Sever-a1 variants and small stands with dom:i.nant.s TUCI-I as scarlet^ oak ( Q.~.~..K,GY.~.G.C~.C.G..~..!:.~.G.G. 1 , (2h in ka p i17 k ( E?. . n1.u ..h.1.~.r!.b.%,r:.9~j:...J-,. 1 , ~2 r7 d poc~t oak (GI.. ,,,l,l,,t,,)are also present . The glade [nost, cslasely r-epresents the ce~Yi:?f- .qddc-es poter-tkial nat~~r-al vegetation type described by Kuchler as PNV Type 34 (Kuchler, 1964 with rd, S. Ge01. Sur\~eymap r~urnberrs, 1969). The tncllst c-;imilar SAF type for this tsommijnity s Tvpe 46 (eastern redcedar) (Figure 8).
The area is not on c3 mour?takn. Nlthough the regxorl 1-5 relatxvely rugged with steep slopes, ttlc h~llsare 1.o~. Tt 1% ~~1t;hi.nthe cdaterst-led of Big Creek, a stream tLhat flows C,OLJ~~rnta the Ohro Rrver. Whoopie Gat Mounta~rl 3% on Mlsszssxppzan aye bedrock and is a part of the Shawn@%Hills in the Interxor Low Plateaus Physlograph3 c Pr-ovxnce (Fiyures 1, 5, and 6). It as within the Lesser Shawnee Wills Sectlon of the Shawnee Hrlls Natural Drvrsron (Schwegrnan, 1973).
The area was privately owned prior to its acquisition by the federal government to become a part of the Shawnee National Forest (SNF), The major part of tt-18 area bdas acquired in 1937; a small part at the north end was acquired in 1968. It has never been cultivated or significantly disturbed by livestock. The area has been partially logged, but tl-~ecudtrr-lq t~as~?~fec=.t;xve (3rld cc:curr~tl pi-r~r-to For-ecr;t Service QW~F~~S~IX~,T\OTP +:har~ ISr3 years ago. e t,g i i-~e r-ugged t errazr-t and t-ocky csoxlc,, tile area has riever- beert sultable for agr-rci~ltu~-aL if~e,-ind f;r eecj qr-otd ~loil~lyand nr e r~fpoor* form ,-2nd qualr ty far Luntber.
The Rbtn lias eeeltjed su*ery 1:t t1e pubi ~c use In ttirl past, Xn 1377, 3 25-acre j LO-kjectare) I ecr ea t~onallake f;Jas constructed by the Ct.7awnee rJa tzonal For-est, id jacer~t t,o !,Fie RNA - Tflere a been an ~ncrease1r1 visrtor use ~n tt~e general ar-ea sr~GC that t ~rrle, rind 211 (>ccasIOIITA~ f her-marl- or deer hunter- TIOW wanders ~t-1to ttte !?PIC\ I F ~q-;t~r-e1 I. ) . I hc; 51 te rs rtot tztztt7117 any decslgnnted b~~lder-ness,~JI Id cxn(=I scenic r-lver' , or rja tronal r-ecrea tron area,
The s~tjr.rrf1canc.e t3f the r'ratt~r-a1 ar-ea r,.~acs f lr~t recognr zrsd by 1-,t1e I11 1nc)r~~ fdatur-e Fr-ecser-ve~ Comm~ss~onI. n tt~e ear-ly 1C370'e; (Hutch~sort, 1'776). The f~ature sf particular rlote at that time was the l~inestoneglade,
The area was rdcrltrf red by the Ill~r'101~I'Jatut-a1 Area6 Irlventor-y (J?78) :is a major part ~f a r~atural area of state-wide srgnzfrcarlce.
The area was frr-st pr-oposed for establl~ttment~3s an RNA in 1980 by the Illinois Na tur-E; Preser'ves Corrtrnissior?.
LAND MANAGEMENT PLHNNING
The Whoopxe Cat natural area 1s recommended For deszgnatxon 3% a research natural area ~n the I-and and Resource f"tnagernenC Plan, Shawnee National For-est , ayprovf?d November 24, 1986 (see SNF, Forest Plan, IV-5, Specla1 Feature Management) . The envrronrnental analys'~~'1s n par t of the plannlng process supports ttle r-ecommencdntion to establish the RNA (SNF, Final EIS, 2-06, Xder?t~Itlcatlonand Management af Spec~alFeatur-cs), It is currently belng protected under Management Prescrzptzcan 8-2,
OBJECTIVES
The objective% of establishing the Whocpie Cat Mountain Research Natural Area are to:
1) preserve pristine forest, grassland, and geological natural situations for research, study, observation, monitor-ing, and educational activities that maintain unmodified conditions,
2) preserve and maintain genetic diversity,
3) protect against serious snvir-onmental disruptions, 1) serve ns reference i?rea for- the study of succession,
5) provrde onsl Ce and extens1c.n educ&t_tor\al actrvr txes,
6) rx,erxJe .IS baselrne zr ea for measurrng long-ter rn ecologlcal changes,
7) serve as control area for inar-)lpulat~l/er-~c,r;arch,
8) inonltor- c-tffects of resource ~~trl.ttagernr?r~tf-,ec!lnlque~ and practices.
The most ~mport-ant:Featt~r-c c~f the I.Jt)oopxe cat Mnut~tar~ RNA lc, the 1.mestone glads, Tllxs rlatural corrlmunrty type 13 listed y t-,he blature Gonser\~arlcy wxth an ~lementrank of- G2S2 f G2 means that the c?ammunlty 1s ~mper~ledglobally because of r-ar3 ty or because of other factors making ~t \~er-y vulnerable to EX trnctmn throughou t x t~ range; 52 means that ~t rs limperxlcd 1n the state for the same reasons). The Whoopie Cat Mountain limestone glade rcs the lar-qest of high quality ln the Shawnee Hills of southern Illinoxs.
The area contains species uncommon in the reqion, plants disjunct from the prairies on the glacial till plain to the north, These include big blue%tem (U,tl.d.r.c?.~,a.g.o.~?...... , P r ai r ie cJ ropseed ...... H.e.~!~.r:~s.J_.~.~.i..z.), P r a ir ie doc fi\ ( ~..i..1.~.t~.&.u..m..~..~,.r~_.~..~..i..n.t;..D..I..~~!~.a~.c=..~..u~.~?. 1 , a c3.n cJ ye1 1 0 c0ne-f 1older ( R.a..t..i..b..l..d.9.~.i..~,n.a..ta.) ( F igu re 15 ) -
The crested coralroot orchid ( ....'.."'.. C,.P-I..C~.,$,~.) occurs ~dithinthe area (Figure 19). Tf~is is an rllinois Endangered Species and is also a Forest Listed Species-
l'he climbi ng mil. kweed ...?.b.f_..i..q~i.~.) wr\c, !-ecen tly discovered in the RNA. This is a Forest Listed Species and is also listed as a Threatened Species in Illinois.
There is a diversity of tree species it-) the forest including small stands with dominants such as chinkapin oak, scarlet oak, red oak . .c.u..b.rx.a.), recfcedat- (J.u.n..i,~.~;cw.z~ v..l...~.g..~.nla..~.a), and sugar map 1e ( [email protected]:.,.~.~.G.~&-K~U!~.)I "r he ra1 1 SAF cover type is Typs 52 (white oak-black oak-northern r-ed oak), and this is listed in Appendix E of the Final. Enviror~mentalImpact Statement, Land and Resource Management Plan for the SNF (1986) as a type needed in the RNA system,
Canopy trees are mature, with individual post oaks and chinkapin oaks between 250 and 300 years old (Figure 12).
Bedrock of at least two formations is exposed on the slopes, and the topography 3 s pr~fnarr1y i;fstermxned by r he underlyrng Ilmeztones ~2nd ahales that vary ~n 'flexr- reszstance to erosxon i Fzgure 13). 7 he e":posur-e6- (~jx Ixtnestone affect the 50~1 pti and t nfluc?r>c:e the \viegetatlcn types on Lhe srte.
Thxs area 1s s~lltable For- v-eseat-ch, :jerrri=rlztrcltxf~n, and/or Ieztrnlng ~xperlencc oppclr- tur3.r t: J es. Condl t t on% -ire Ideal for r a~~earchcn pr-arr le- fares t C,LICC~SC,IC)~~~~3nd lnterfaee questxons, for- s tudxcc, (3f rock weatherlilq i-tncl pedalogxeal resear-ch c-tepencAent, ctpori he ybr-esett1emenC tyuali ty of the szte, ~ndfor ~?tudxec,of vegetational i7i5Loi-y and geography of plant speczes ~nlgr-atlor-~s.
PRINCIPAL DISrINGUISWING FEOTURES
The Whoople {;at; Hoc~ntaxn R7lesearczh Mat.k~ra1. 4-{lac, ,B dxverszty of %Jegetat~ontypes wr tl-)lr~ a sirla11 area because of: wide r anges 11-1 slope, ~spect,1.1, and bedrock character-, It 1s zll forested except for c2 1 "4-acre (0-6-hectare) tr-act that 1s a naturally open gladz. rher-e ar-e lL7rge trees jn the forest ~xthseveral 1 t~dl$~xdualsold enough Lo predate settlement.
Two For est; I-~sLed plants occur here, the cr CC,~;E?~ coralroot orchid and the cllrnbl ng mxlkweed. The coral! oat 0rct11d LS an Illxnox~Endangered Specxes. The clxrnbln.3 mxlkweed 1s an IlLxno~sThreatened Species.
The glade 1s on limestone arid shale and 1s tlrrusual _tn the Shawnee Hxlls because {:he ltll1 crest Ilas rlo cap c.f' sandstone, Thus, ther-e 1s no resxstant caprock, n(3 float of sandstone rabbles or boulder-s, nor any sand yr-aln~kn the sol1 . Even the shale bedrock 1s much exposed on the slope (Figures 11 and 34). The glade rs well-developed and open wxth a good assemblage and dxversxty of pralr~especles (Figure 15)- Xt 1s the largest lxrnestone ylf-lde of hlgh quality I n the Shawnee Wills of souttter-n I11~noxs. Tt represents a communx ty type 1zsted by The Nature Conservarlcy as both Globally Endangered and State Endangered.
There rs a small spring and seep near the top of' the glade on the northwest-facxng slope that yields enough water during the wet seasons to supply a small surface flow,
The Whoopie Cat t.lotlntain Research Natural. Area i~,on the Elizabethtob~n Ranger District of" the Shawnee National Forest. St rs in t-lardin County, zn the extreme southeastern Lip of 111,linois. Latitude 1% 370 29' f.l, ar~dlongitude is 880 19' W. The area is mostly in the N 1/2 of the NE l/d of section 16 with a small par-t extending ~ntathe S 1/2 of Lhe The RNA baundarles are described a:? "ol lows :
Beginning at a point on the section line to sections 9 and 16 and the crest of a narrow ridge about 23.5 chains west of the northeast corner seetion 15, thence;
N. 40' E about 5 chains to the edge of Tecumseh Lake, thence;
S. 44' E about 6 chains to a point on the section line to sections 9 and 16, thence;
Continuing S. 44' E about 5 chains to edge of trail in bottom of valley, thence;
Southwesterly along the southeast facing slope to the cleared line edge of Whoopie Cat Lake, thence;
Southwesterly, westerly, and northwesterly around upland ridge to bottom of ravine extending northeasterly, thence;
Northeasterly following ravine to crest of ridge and point of beginning and containing approximately 17 acres (6.9 hectares)
Elevation r-nnges from 390 Feet (119 meters) Lo 4'40 feet (149 meters) above mean sea level.
The RNA LS just north of LSlhoopre Cat I-dke L~r~t*ljust -5ou th of Tecumseh Lake, The USGS topoyraph~c map, Rosrc lare Quadrangle, modrf led for- Forest Service use ( 135Q), shows ,:n unrrnproved drrt road (17848) crossing the r?or th end of the RNA: ~.t1s nobJ reforested and scarcely (Jrscernlble (Flgure 4) - A recent foot traxl been developed near- the southeast boundary by f ~shermen gomy to 1- he lake. Access 1s from Elizabethtown by means of A secondarv highway (County Route 2) to an ~ntersection, 2 112 nulec, (4 krlarneters) north, Thence, foliowrng County Route 2 i~est, "5 m~les(-8 kilometer-s), there 1s a prlmitlve road that bears west (a left turn from County rout^ 2) 1 mlle (1.6 kilometers) to near the north edge of the area. T171s prrmxtlve road 1s often rutted and rmpassrb'le to 4-wheel vehrclec,, A path contxnues to Whoople Cat Lake and follows the southeast boundary of the RNA (Figures 2, 3, and 4).
AREU BY COVER TYPES
The Whoopie Cat Mountain Research Natur-al Area -Is divided into two primary cover- types, a part that is 4"orest;ed nnd a part that :c, rinturallv (:pen f-rIade. i he follow~rtgc3re GAF znd i4uchler types i- ~pt-esented:\~1.tt7lr'i the RNW (Flgure 8):
SAF Cover Types Kuchler P1'4V Type Jjcres kiec tar-^^
II___LI__-_--_I_-_-_II-L------_ ___L1____-__-I- _I__-I-L-I-I _ ^III--_-"-_-I- ... II_I.'_LII-_..-I-L-L____------_- tt52 whlte oak- #91 aak-h~chor-y 15-6 black ~ak- northern red oak
$46 eastern redc~:dar 874 cedar-
Uccord1rig te the !NAI (1978) data for the ,-zrea, t/\e following types were described:
Pla tural Gommtl ni. ty Plant Community ======~~~-zz~~~~=~~~~=~ZI=.~~~~~::~~=~7z~~~~~=~~~~~z
Dry upland forest post oak-whi te oak-chinl:apin oak
Limestone glade little bluestem-Indxarl grass-tall dropseed
PHYSICAL RND CLIMATIC CQNDITIOPIS
The climatoLogica1 data are from the coll~ctionstfatior> at New Burnside which has records dating From 1931. It is '27 miles (44 kilometers) to +:,he northwest. The follo~r~ing descr i Pt ion is copied f r^om the .3..~',l-...L.Z.U.~^.XG.Y. o.f. P.~~EG.,~!.~.'K.G!!~...E, 7 a..g.d. M.a.z.3-a.~.C.o.u.n."ci..z.~.- Zl.1 ,.l..noi ..s. (1975) :
The I-lardin County area t\as the ~(mt~rnentaL climate typical of southern 11Xinois, The annu,?l temperature range is about 1.00 degrees, Summer maximums reach 1000 F, or mare about two-th~.rds of the summers. kdinter rninimunis are rer-u c~rbelow during about half the wxnters. LOWpressure areas and their associated weather fronts brlng frequent changes it-) temper-ature, humidity , cloudxnesc,, and wind direction much of the year, Annual precipitatiot? aver-ages about 46 rnches and ranges from about 32 to 70 inches. Precipitation is fairly evenly distr-ibuted throughout the year,. September- and October are the driest months, Prolonged dry spells during the growing season are not unusual, Summer precipitation occurs mostly in short showers or thunderstorms which are occasionally accompanied by hail and damaging winds. Qnly light snows occur dur~ng an average wrnter. The aver-ag~? anrlual snowfall I-anqec from 10 to I-5 ~r:chee,, kut thxs total has been exceeded ~n :I sirlgle n:ontt\, c.dumt~>er-~ are warm, 2nd c_:ont~r\uot~~warm per-rorjs can be prolonged, July 15 Lhe warrvest rnor~th; the averaqe dally maxxrrlum @emper-ature is rlear 'TOO F, for both July and A~lgu~t.Januar. LS the c.c)Ldecitd month, and both Jan~t3.r-y clnd Februar-y have t~sd temperatur-ec, as tow - 150 F. Ttle Fzve nlontttc- from f.lo~/cmber through March each kjave 14 t,o 24 days rn LJ~Ich the mrnlmum dally Lemperatur-r?. Falls below 320 F, December, 2zlnuary, and Febr-unt-y average 3 to 5 days each In ~hrchthe maxlmurn dally temperature does [lot exceed 120 F. The number of day5 between the ,1\Jet-aye date of the last freezrng temperature rrj spr~ng attd the average date 05 the f r rst f reezxng tetnperatur-e I n fall is between 187 and 200 days. Ternpet dtures vary consistently bet~\ieen r ldae and valley locatxons during r-adxatlan freezes, the 111ost common type of freeze rn Tlllnols.
The bJhoopre Cat Mountain Rec,ear.ch tqatural iirea LS .I 1.1111 wlth moderate to steep 5lopes. It 1s all f(3restbd except for- a naturally open Limestone glads at the soutl-I end, There :we ou tcrops of: lunestone bedrock f orntrng small ledges on the slopes, and shale 1s exposed in the glade. A small ~nterm~ttentspring occurs at the upper edge of t17e glade, The forest has scattered, largc, very old trees, and there is a diversity of specles and size and age classes.
DESCRIPTION OF VALUES
The crested Cora 1root (3t-Chi d ( . G..... 7 a plant listed as Endangered in Illinois, was found in the RNA in the 13707s, and probably is still present, Ttlis (-st-chid is also a Forest Listed Species (Figure 19).
The climbi ra mif kweecf (M!?x~.el.~;a..L...... as r-ecently discovered in the RNA, This is a Forest Listed Species and is also listed as a Threatened Species in Illinois.
The terrain, aspect, thin soils, and limestone bedrock have a11 influenced the development of vegetational types and are responsible for the diversity of habitats within a small area,
The limestone glade is primarily on the soutt-\-facing slope at the south end of the area (Figures 3, 10, and 11). There is also a small but significant opening on the ridge crest. The glade has a good assemblage of species typical of the black soil prairies on the glaclal till. plain to the nor t h , Dominants r-qrassee, ~uch5 1 li tt1e b-lctec,tcm . ( C?.nd.~.~-~,t~,~.o..n.~,~.~.P.~..K..~.!~.s~ , 1 nd i a n r a 5..~.!:.~.1~..+.~..~..~:.&!.!~~.r1.u .~,~.u.z,l and 1 J, d ropseed ( 3~.o.r,9,b.o.~'~~..s'~f.~~.l;.~..~.o..l..6?~..~.~"-"-~ !f-= i CTU r.2 j- 7 ,l - Cornmo n f- r-bs a e prai r 1 e r:fock 3..P..~ t.~~-e.5.,b.n_t;.t,~.,~..~:~.~.e.~~t!..m.) ye 11ow conef f o~er( F7.;3..t;.l.b.i..~.~.p..i..n,n,;l..t.a.) , PU r-P le ~0r.ts-F1 ot~er- c E.c.h..l.n.~.c.~3.a.P...... 1 , ar-~d abed ie n t P 1 a r? t ?L.!.~.s.~s,.t;.~.~,.~..;1. v."..~.9..$..~.&.3..~.a) - Sht-i-~bs ~nclude chxrtkapin r~ak and dog~%~oods ( G.ornu.z. FLo,t-..i..d.a.3 nd L=.- d.r.u.m.m.o.r~.dli..)- ficdceda r-5 w--e conl~orj: especially along the upper- edge. Greenbriers i s,m,.i.&,g,x,spp , ) occur where the shrubs form thickets.
The dry upland forest has 3 diversity of species and small stands with dominants representing variants wlthin the SAF forest c~over type (white oak-black oak-nor-'ttter-n !-2d oak). On the tipper slopes and r-idge Sop r-tear- the (zolr Lh end of the RNA , post oaks and black oaks (Q.. v,,l..~.t,,,.,n,,Jare domrnant, On the upper slope above the glade, there is $3 small stand of scarlet oaks, 5\11 along the forest-glade border, r-edcedarc, are mixed with post oaks ,3nd chinkapiri oaks. Qn the southeast-facing slope, chj.nkapin oaks, with individuals that are large and very 1 are scat;t;ered. Scarlet oaks are common here along with white ash (~,r.~,x..~,,,~,u,,~, a.m,~.r.,~.,~.~..n.a.j, fi.iap1es (~)~.G-E,.K.SPP - 1 , 3 Y ~f 0 ther- species. It appears that in presettlement Liines, this slope was considerably more open and was probably mare glade-like than it is today (Figure 12)- There are red~edar~,, t~awthorns (~..r,.~.t~a.~.g.u.,~.spp.), green brier^, and sassafras ( 2.a,~.z.a.-F,~.a.s.a~..,.l..d.,i!.m) i n the un(ja t-5 tory - Sf iPP~~Y 1fn ( l_C..L.f?~~..s.
,...... rub" ... ,...... -..,... ra ) , ho r nbeam ( c?s..%.~.~.a.. , I- edbucJ !C.e.r.c=..i.~. c.c~..~.ade.n.~.lc~.), and dogwood (.G"o..rnu .,..L.... a re a 1so cmfllmo n understory species.
Qn the nor thwes t-.f acing slope where cor~dl.tions are slightly more nte5ic7 white oak (.Q.u..~..~.cu.c,3.4b.a.J7 r-ed oak, and shagbark f7ickory !C.i3..~.~.;l. .~..~.d.L.2.)are cofnfnon, a 1tl.1ot-Jgh fl.t-lere are local sites dominated by post oak and black oak on the lipper 151 ope - R@ec=h ( F-,a.g.u.s.~~r.~..nd~i..-F.o.I..i..a.) sugar rrtnp 1 e ar-e found at one small site, and r-~dcedarsocc2rJr- ~ni~edwith rnaks above the glade in the southwest part;. The !~r-rd~rst,(~r-y~s open on the I?igt?er part of the slope, but rlsar {;he boltom, where the cartopy is open, there ?re patches of f.)la~:j~ vegetation. Sugar maplz, doyli~ood, I-lornbearn, 2nd r'ursty nannyberry !V,k.b.u.r.t7.u!~!, ~:u.~..i..~~u,.3.,.uuUf?.)are common l~r-tder-rtor~ species in this part,
At the northeast end where the RP\ltf S~(~PE?Sto Lhe northeast, there rs a small rnesle site tt~ith~dhite oak, fed oak, and sugar maple. Here, khe canopy is detlse, and Lhe understory rs primarily small sugar maples,
There are no rare or endangered animals known from the RNA, but little inventory work has been done in the v ic in i ty . The dse r mouse ( F3.~.r.cr.m,~.~.c=.uu.~.!n.i3..~..~..c.w.l.~..~.uuuss) i s c~mfno11 r n the gl-ade ;1r1d thror~ghout ! ble forcc_t. The r sd- tal led Iiatitk (BuFca gamg~censxs.) 153 ;I c:~mnl~r~i-apt~r f2fter-1 seer] ill~_rnt;lr\q ir) the area. The blue racer Coluber- ~_onc,tr~c=t;.p~-_) and i-.rrsgnoc^e snake ( kleterodan pS_-a-t&:-lrhxnos) c~mmonlyTun : n the f~-lade i n the early spring, Land Tnaxls, lncludlng Haplotrema concavgg and Mesomphzx F~xabzlls, c~revery/ 3bundant ~r.i the glade. l-ilthough not rare in sol~thernIllsnc~~c,, these c,nalts appear to be rnueh inore common xn the r-tatur-a1 ~3lade cJpenin1g? than xn the Forests or abandoned ayrzcultural fxelds.
The glade 'ijabxtat; also tias 3 diver-qe irisrjenrk~ltqe f~f- ~nsect;and splder spec] es, TI-I~ Tollowlng wer-e noted dt~r~ng one short vlsit rn 1386:
easter-n tailed blue butter-f ly ( Pier-idae) little sulpht~rbutterf J_y (Pier-i.l;fac) sleepy orange butterfly (Pieridae) cloudless sulphur- butterfly j Pieridae) z ebr-a ~k.~d1 1. tai 1 bu t terf 1Y IG.~.a.p.h..".!~.!g. !n.~.u-,~.e..J-~.~5..c~,.~.~ pyr-al id moth (Pyralidae)
a d ragan f 1 Y 7 t-, he w i dew ( ~..i-.k?.~3..1.1..~..rr..3.L.~~?.C,..~;.U.O.S.~.1 a cJr-agonf11/7 the green jacket ~~..K.Y..L.!I.E.~.~..z. 5.'i..fl.~.L...~'.~..i..~.~'~..A...i.'5.? preying rnantis (Mantidae) shor-thorned grasshopper (Gcr-ididae) yellow garden spider (Argiapidae) orb weaver spider (Uraneidae) harvestman (Phalangiidae) walkingstick (Phasmatidae)
Most of the animals common to the region probably occasiarlally use the RNA, especially the larger marnmalc, C,I_IC~~
23% t h@ w hi t e- t a i 1e d d €3 r ( O.cf.o.c=.o..J-.~..~.u*.s...... i.. 1 , c2 Y (3 e ( G.a.n..i.c,. L.a.lt.~-.a..n.~~.), a r a Y f ox ( U.roc.y,l.o.n ~;.,~.,n.~.r.~.~.~.x:.g.e,n.tsl.~.u.s.> , r accoa n . G.Y.... . opossum !U..i..d.e.l.~.h..i..s. ~~.~~E.~.~..R,~..G.~..,~,.?. 1 , and gray syu i r re1 ( 3.2..i ,.u...E .us. c;.~.r.o._l.k.n.e..n.s..*.s.)-
Redrock 1s of the Golconda Group of the Chester Serxes, Mississipplan System. The Golconda has been drvlded 2nt:o three formations, The limestone ledges at the top of the hill probably repr-esent the uppermost Beech Creek Formation. It is dark-to-medxum grakned, samewhat argi1 laceouc~ , ar~d silty. This unit is only 10 to 15 feet (3.0 to 4.6 meters) thick (Figures 5 and 6)-
Fraileys Shale makes up the middle formation (Figure 18). It consists mainly of shale with thin beds of 1imastone and calcareous siltstone. The limestone rs gray to buff. Some units are very fossilifel-ouc,, and these are famous among geologists for their fossils which may weather out entirely, The lower Haney Limestone Formation is below the water level of the lake to the south. The RNA 1s an elongate conical i~.llt~~xth tile lor-tq 3x15 trendlnq r\1E--SW. The Lxrnestone 1~1ade1s or) t;f"'ie ~ot~thern slope orrented SO that It reeelves the qreates t I rlso1atror-i. ilartheasterly froin the qlade, 5f-j~; Lrees ,.ire operl gr-own, suggesting that the (glade may have for-rnerfy been inore extenszve (Figures 4, 3, and 10).
At the northeast corner, tkte I3111 ss r:~nrlected tc a larger set of hxlls acr~ssa swale, Thrs forms ,I llendwatcr- arnphl theater ~hxch concentrates surface water into nn ephemeral waterway lcadrng rnto the lake.
Big Creek and .rts draxnage barsxn crosses, rlearly at rlght angles, the most complex fault system ~n Llllrloxs. Tt is wlth~nthe Rock Creek Gr-aben, a segmented tlfowndroypecl fault block trending northeasterl-y From Rosxclare. The graben exposes bedrock "slivers" of Chesterlan sandstorte -shale-Limestone formatxons between bedrock areas of Lhli-.!< mid-Mte,sic,~xppran 1 mes stones ta the rlorthwest. and sou tt-.least (Figure 5).
The general trend of the maturely dxssectecA t.opograpt-\y inore or less parallels the fault trend. fleverLhe1~~3se,,the topography does not clearly reflect the ~r?d~\~~daaLfault 11nes . The natural area xtself 1s not intersected by a fault nor does xts geomorphxc form reflect; any structural activity,
The geomorphie processes which have farmed the hill are Lhe same as those active in modern times--b~eathering, rain xmpact , and surf ace runoff . Mass wasting is apparently minimal,
The effects of weathering are apparent-, espectally ~n the thlnly vegetated ylade where sorl cover rs th1.17 and bedrock of the Fralleys Formation 1s at or near the surface, The shale has a natural tendency to part along the horizontal beddlng planes, while vertical jolnts allow passage of alr and water- The llrnestone layers t-tave closely spaced jolnts and marked compositional dlfferenees. Most of the Frarleys 1% calcareous shale, but the more resrstant lxmestone beds form promxnent ledges. The llrnec,tor're LS argillaceous, hence solution of the carbonate and wettlng c?f the clay causes dxsintegratron of the ledges. The shale tends to disintegrate due to wettxng and dryrng and freezing and thawing. Once dislntegratzon has occurred, the loose particles are subject to raln lmpact and ralnwash; removal 1s about as rapld as trdeatherxng proceeds (Figur'ec, 13 and 14)"
. Groundwater solution certainly occurs, f-S small spring and seep near the top oT the glade yields enough water during the wet seasons to supply a small surface flow. Flow has not been sufficient to erode a gully. R e-f..e t.r_e-nG ecj : J, rrd. Baxter- and G. 6-f. Desbor-ough, 1765. 4real geology of the Fluorspar Dtstr-~ctPart 2--k'arbers Rxdge and Roslclar-e S. E. Marrss, Jr,, 6, W. k.(orrell, and D. Lr-k~~r\. 3077, Explorrnq the land ,7nd I-OC~S CF ~r3uthern 1 ltino~s,#-I geological guxde. Sou thcrn Illinois I.Jrtlver51 Cy Press, Carbondale. 240 pages. Soils...... -" ...... (Figure 7) All of' the solls 1rt the RNlf arc c=tony nnd ~hallor/lt. They are well dralned, and runoff rs rnpld. They are formed in loess and underlying ntater~al weathered Fr orn cjhale or- sandstone, Organlc matter content 1s low, and the hazard of erosion rs very severe. The soil on the ridgetop rs {napped as kJellston 5x1 t: loam (339E). Thxs sol1 1s ordlnarlly strongly ,ze1(3 2nd relativeLy deep, but limestone 1s at or near the surf-ace ,~t thls slte, and a small qlade 1s on the rxdge crest rlear- the south end. The Seasley silt loam (6qlF) occurs on the steepest slopes including the largest glade. Fiere, the Loess cover has been removed by erosion, and limestone arld shale are exposed. Thls soil is probably alkaline in most places. On the upper slopes between the glade and the t-ldgetop, the s~ilsare mapped as the Wellston-Rerks c-:omplex 1986F). These are also stony, shallow, and usually acid (Figure 7). ...... Reference:..-...... "...... " ...... W- D. Parks, et ale 1975. Soil survey of Pope, Hardin, and Massac counties, Illinois, c3 o j. 1- Conservation Service and Forest Service, in cooper-ation with the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana, Illinois. 126 pages plus maps, 011 of the RNA is federal land acquir-ad by LRe U, 5. Forest Service as a part of the Sha~t?eeNdtiortal Farest, Mineral rigl'lts are outstanding on the entire 17 acres (6-'3 hectares) For an unlirni tad time. There are no known historical sites, cemeteries, or Indian features within the RNA. IMPACTS AND POSSIBLE CONFLICTS The Shawnee National Forest's Land and Resource Management-, Plan conta~n~~tandi3.r-ds ,3nd yt~rdelxr~ec, for the management 3nd protee tlon of Cpecl~al &Areas, 1 RC 1 ~f(351rlg 1,f-1e proposed re~ear-ch natural areas, ?tar-ic-lntds ~nd guldelxrles provrde the basss for c:or\fllct r TL?~O~U~LG\~I~ Mlneral r-1 qhts are ~utstand ~ngfor the 1 7-,3ctre (6.9-tlectare) PNA Fc~t- nn r_inl~mlted ~I~IE?. Accordl ng t o fippendlx E of the Shawnee Natlonal Forest Land and r-?esc2urc=e Management Plan ( 1986), the potentsal For the r~resence of fluorrte, lead, and zinc LS tugh. The potentlnl For- the presence of 01.1 and gas 15 low, dnd there 1s no coal rndxcated as present In the vicsnlty. Fluorspar IS currently berng rnlned r n Hm-dxn (3rsunty, and there mlgtlt be snterest In future cxplor-atrot) 1rl thls area. Thxs area IS not under any range nllatment and 1s unsuitable for llvestoek yrazlng, Zt 1s a small ,acreage and rs moc,tly forested, There are no fences ~n the \~xcsnlty, and there 1s no known snterest 1r1 developing this :Area for livestock. The soils on the steep rocky slopes are 5ubject to extreme eroslon, and livestock c~sewo~rld have ut~deszr-able effects on the cl~;ozls, natural plant cornmunl tles, and r-ar-e specles in the area. ...... Timber"..." ...... fill of Lhe pc~tentialresearch na tur-a1 areas identified in the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan were considered inappropriate for timber production. These lands were not included in the Shawnee Platianal For'est timber base, Consequently, no additional withdrawals will be required, The lrthoaple Cat Mountam Research blatur-a1 Area drams Into two artrfxclal lakes, Tecumseh take and liJhotsp~e Cat Lake. These lakes dram by titeanc, of a snlall tr-rbutary ~nto Big Creek, which emptxes lnto the Qhlo Rlver near- EI1zabetht0wr1, about 2 112 rnlles (4 -0 kxlome tere,) to the south (Flgure 4). Big Creek is one of the streams in Illinois considered to be highly significant for its high water quality and rare fishes, The protection of the RNA will help to maintain the high natural quality of the lakes and 5treams in the watershed* ...... Recreational **- ...... \/slues There has beer3 txttle rccr-eatlona1 use ~f the FNA ::I the past. i4n ceca- ,?rial I-scrnter- rr-ossrrs the a a, ,+in4 frsherrnen walk alonq I. ts Lc~.~eredge bordcr~r-ig 44t-1ocjp1.e Tat Lake. There ts 3 path here, .Jery near the RNA boundary, and recent evrdence 3F 56me r:Leqal off r-oad vehlele use L-, obvrous, There 2re nc, specla1 nttraetlons Lo cause future problems w1th r-eczreatlonal use cgnf 1lct.s (3 ther- than the area's proxrmlty to Whoopie Cat Lakc and Tccurnseh LL3ke. Maxntenance (3 the 1 mes stone glade ('o~~tfnun~ties and assocla ted uncommon and endangered specles LJ~11 r-equ r re some control of ktioody succession. Pr--escr~bedburning and hand removal of woody shrubs unnaturally r nvadlrlg the lade are permrtted to preserve the prarrlc Flora. Such should not cause any srgrlrf xcant ~rnpactor r-esult ~n any conf llct 1~1th other uses ~n the vlclnlty, Rig Creek is Listed L~S a candidate far the flati(~>nal System of Wild and Scenic Rivers, and further study is r-ecommended .in the Shawnee National F%r-es t , Land and Resource Management Plan, 1986. The protection csf the RNA will help to maintain the high water- quality and r-are fish populations in this stream. ...... Tr-anspor-ta" ...... -- ...... * ...... tion - ...... plans...... There are no known transportatlan plans that are lrkely to adversely affect the RNA, except that ~nlpr-o\,~emen't-,of the access road rnto the Tecumseh Lake and Whoopie Cat Lake area is being considered, and such might ~ncrea~ensitor- use of the lakes and Increase the charlces of visrtor- lntpact br~the RNA. The RMU is small, contains no exlsting roads, arid norle should be needed for Forest Service rnanayemen t of proper-tles in the ar-ea. MANAGEMENT PRESGRIPTION The primary objective of the Whoopie Cat ~"luntair~ Research Natural Area management is to protect and maintain its natural character, i-em, to preserve the area from unnatural disturbance, The purpose of management is to provide an area to ill.ustrate and typify for research and educational purposes, some of the important forest and glade types characteristic of the Midwest, as well as other plant communities that have special and unique characteristics of scientific interest and importance. Vegetation Management Prescribed burning and hand removal of small trees and shrubs are needed to help control the invasion of woody vegetation into the glade areas (Figure 14). It is assumed that the tendency or natural openings in the Midwest to succeed to forest will result in the disappearance of glade and prairie communities without fire or the replication of other control measures that kept them open in pre-settlement times. Prescribed/eontrolled burning should not be necessary every year. Initially, some large woody shrubs will be removed from the glade by hand cutting. A regular schedule of burnings will be developed as results are monitored. ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS AND PROTECTION The administrator and protector of this RNA is: District Ranger Elizabethtown District USDA-Forest Service Elizabethtown, IL The Research Coordinator is: Director North Central Forest Experiment Station 1992 Folwell Avenue St. Paul, PIN 55108 The research data file is maintained by the North Central Forest Experiment Station and the Shawnee National Forest Headquarters, Harrisburg, Illinois 62946. The Natural Heritage Division of the Illinois Department of Conservation, 524 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62706, also maintains a file of the natural area. Plant species collected in the area have been deposited in the herbarium at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois 62901. REFERENCES Baxter, J. kd., J. 6. E3radbur-y. 3rtd l\iJ, C' Plester , 1973. i: geological c:ccur-slon to fluorspar rnlnes 1 n in.;nd Pope counties",, llllnols. Illlnols State Geologzcal Survey, Guidebook Series 11, Urbana. 30 pages Baxter, J, We and 6, 4. Desborough.. 1365. ;$real yeoloyy of the Fluorspar Dlstrrct Part 2--Karberes Ridge and Rosiclare quadrangles. f llinols State Geologlca.1 Survey Clrcular 385. 40 pages plus map, Bier, J. A. 19E30m Landforms of Illlnolc,, Illrno~sState Geological Survey, Urbana. Map, Eyre, F. ti. 1980. Forest cover types of the Utlxted States and Canada. Society of Amerlcan Foresters, Mashlngton, D. 6, 148 pages, Marrls, C. E., J , i:. W. Worrel, and D. Ir-w1r1, l.r-377. Explorrng the land and rocks (sf southern lna yeologlcal guide- Southern Illinolc, Universr ty Press, Carbondale. 240 pages. Hutchison, M- D, 1976 * Preservation values 05 the Rig Creek ~atershedin Hardin County, Illinois. Illinoic, Nature Preserves Comm~ssion,Rockf or-d, 68 pages, . Illinois Natural Hreas Inventory. 1976-78. Project conducted by University of Illinols and Natural Land Institute under contract to Department of Ganser-vation. nrea data on file and available from the Illinois Department of Conservation, Springfield. Illinois Official t-iighkrlay Map, 1985-56. Department of Transportation, Springfield. Kuchler, A. M. 1964. Potential natural vegetation. Special Publication No. 36, {jmerican Geograpflic Society, Mew 'fork, Map and "Manual to Accompany the Map, " Kurz, D, and M, Hutchison. 1979. A progress report of the Big Creek Limestone Glade Research Pro~ect2.n Hardln County, Illinois, Unpublished report by the Natural Land Institute, Belknap, Illrnois, 4 pages plus maps and photographs, Little, EM L, 1953. Check list of native and naturalized trees of the United States (including Ulaska) , Ugricul ture Handbook No. 41, Forest Service, Washington, D, C, 472 pages. Natural Land Institute, 1981. Endangered and threatened vertebrate animals and vascular plants of Illinois. Rockf ord, Illlnols. 189 pages ~1us appendxcc5. Parks, W, 3-, et al. 1375. 201.1 c,urvey off F3oce. !4arcAkn2 and Massac counties, TLlznols. 201 l p~r-t~er-~~~~t10n Gervrce and Forest Ser-vfce, ln cooper-atzsn wz ti3 t i7e Illznolc, Agrlcul turn1 Experlrnent stat lor^, Urbana, Illinois, 126 pages plus maps. Quarterman, E. and R. L, P(~wel1. 1'378, Potentla1 ecologxcal/geologml Pla tural Landmarks on t he Interi.{i\r LOW Plateaus. Repor-t to the flatlorla1 Park C;ervlce, Washlngtan, U. 6. 738 pages. Schwegman, 3, E. 1973, Comprehensrve [llarl for !,he 1111.tlols Ptature Preserves Systern Part 2-- I he r~atur-al dxti~c,tc_ir\s ?f Illlnors, Illlnoxs Nature PI-ec~erves r'oinrnlsslon, [current address: 524 S. 2nd Ct., Sprrr~gfleld, ill.]w 32 pages nlus map. Shawnee Natronal Forest rnap (scale 114" = 1 mile). [J. 5. Department of Hgrlcul tur-e, Forest Ser-vlce. Shawnee Na tronal Forest, 1986- Land ,113c-i I-esouree management plan (wx th Fsnal Envlronrnental lmpact Statement and Appendxces). Eastern Regxon, USDA-Forest Serv~ce,Washxngton, D. C. J volumes with maps. United States Geological Survey {nap (modified for USDA Forest Service use), Rosiclare, 111. -Ky. Quadrangle, 7-5' series, 1959. U. S. Government Printing Office, West, K. A. 1980. A Natural Heritage Progr-am for t;tm Shawnee National Forest ( Illxnois) : H r epot-t on protectlon and management ~f r-lational fot-esi; rla tural areas. Illinois Department of Cor~%ervatiorl, Benton. 557 pages. White, 3. and I(. Kerr-, 1980, Evaluation of Whoopie (:at Mountain, Mardin County, Illinois, as a potentla1 National Platural I-andmark. Prepared far the Division of Natur-a1 Landmar-ks, Heri tage Gonser va tion and Recreatior) Service, tJ, S, Department of the Interior-. 14 pages plus appendices. APPENDIX ITEM I. Computer printout of data collected for Iv'lloopie Cat Z'Iountain by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, 1976-78 (Note that the natural area identified hv the INAI is considerably larger than the Research Natural Area described in the establishment record. All of the RNA is within the INAI area, but some of the features described in the LNAI printout are outside the boundaries of the kYR.) AREA # 325 REFERENCE NFfMBER: 69 AREA NAME : Whuol) i e C:;i t P.l(~rir~t a i rt NATITRhL AREA CATAGORIRS 8.. S TGN LFICANT FEATllRRS: CAT. CODE / IIESCI?TPT ION 1 A5. 8 Ci 111est otl~ 1: I r3tlc. IT 22 Ilt.xa1 ect,ris sp i c~t1.3 Ilr-y t~pI ant1 for.c-s t, at, ~clfii\ of L i ~C\SI r)llc\ glncfc j EXCRP'I'IONAJ, FEATIJRRS : CAT. ('ODE ,' DESCRT J'TTON IT 42 Rt.tr2L)c.cl< i:~ful g i (123 i J, i~r~est orlr-. sf I ;~tlca! T'RlSST T,RC;A I, J,OCIATTON : TWP 17NG I'M SEC C)l!ARrrr!XI 01 TATZri'EI3 01IAIIfTEI?S IS RE 3 15 7RRRGRIlR10 12s 8T;: 3 I Ti ART3 t &!JR 1 f) STREAM SYSTEM ( W:it.er Shr>tl ? : 27 Massac- - I1:ty -- 1,usls 11 i rf Gr:tr~cl J'i t1t.t.r. Jj i 8: ('l.ecIc sys t J,EGtSI,ATIVE DISTRICT: 59 MINTMI-M ALTITUDE: 3'70 MAXIMfTM ALTITUDE: 5611 TOPOGRAPHY: PJIYS IOGRAPII lC ITNI'I': 50 SI~~IWIIQC'II ills Sect i on MA.JOR FE ATfltZE : 48 Er-(3si c~rlal Iii l l a it] bedr-txk (n~eclitlm I oess ) TNDTVTDIJAT, ?'OPOGIlAPHZC FEATIJRES: 5 Kt1013 6 Ridge 114 Rav i r~e GISO1,OG TC FOmIATIONS : 216 Peoria Loess 127 FraiLeys Shale 3 223 Ifartey Ljriles torts 129 fIsrdinsbur-g Sarlrils torte SO1 JJ ASSOCIATION ( STATE ) : 16 F ffosme~.-Stoy--WP i r. SOIL ASSOCIATION j COffNTY i : 1Tosnrct.r -Zanesvi I1 r Wrl 1 st 011 GI-antsburg -fTedforrl--Bax her NATlTflAT, TI IV IS ION ANT) Sl'C'r'TON: 1 31) 1,esscl.t-S~~HI~IIPE? {Ti 1 1 s Set:t icrrl, S;;tt;twr~t"~'Iij L IS I) iv i s i (f0P;IMIINT TY CT,ASS : 5 T'I i ~11m-y IlARITY INDEX: '1 Rare NATljRAf, C)IJAT,TTY: 11.0 ac:r.es of grade A ; [?PI a 1 iire1 y t~r~li 5 t \~rI)c?(i SAF COVER TYPE: % No I, c:n l I. ec: f ecl NArffTRAT, DTI'TS TON AN11 SECTTON: 131) T,t~ssr~r.Sfta\~lr~cv-. fli 1 1 :; Src. t, i 011, Sllawrir~ef1 i 1 1 s I) i v i s i COPMTINITY C1,ASS : 1 For.~sst RARTTY TNIIEX : 3 O(.c-;jsi c-)r~aI NATURAL QIJAJ) ITY: 61.0 arres of grrttlr! (? ; Ma Lure second gr-owt- !1 SAF COVER TYPE : 40 T5)s t. r~alr- b'lac-k cmk PLANT COMP;ILlNITY: 208 O~I~>K.C'LIS~tel 1 it t >I, l>f>~t~i~k-. 195 Qtier-tus afba, r-~hit P (3.531~- 202 Qucr.c:us muhl erlber-g.ii , chi rquap ir~oak NATTJRAL CObPlUN ITY 1.2 Dry--mesic up1 ancl f ores t. Dry-mesic upland forest NAl'rfRAT, T) IVTSTON AN11 SEc'tTTON: 131) Tr~3~sf~t"Sflatittee ff i1 l s Sect j o11, Sttarv~tt~r~If i 1 Ls il i v i s i (:C)F..I;;IFjN'lrfY C'1,ASS : I For-(5st RAR ITY INDEX : 3 Ot:c:;~s i or12l NATURAT, OUAI,f TY: 1. 10 a-r-es of gr-:t(lr C ; Mlif Ill-c3 ~f"t'Olfb1 gr'ol.?l h SAF COVER TYPE: 53 White oair DIVERSITY INDEX: :3 TOTAL ACRfiAGjI : 7:t OWNERSIIIP TYPE : 1 f'r- i va l,~ 2 I'i11)l i c NllMBER OF OWNERSHIPS : l1SE OF NATtJRAI, AREA: 10 No apyar,er~t-use IJSE OF StlRROllND ING LAND "4 far-111lantl ) : 20 NEAREST SF1SA: 9 IS t , Tlou is (F.f:?tli si111 and S t, . C l a i t. c3outlt i es) DTSTANCE TO SMSA: 93 NIMBER OF NEARBY SCIIOOT,S: 1 NEAREST SCFIOOL: 87 Sout h~ast ern 'I 1 1 i no is Col 1ege, IIart-i sbul-g NIfMBER OF NEARBY D.O.Ce FACTIJITIES: 3 MANAGEAR TLI TY: 1 PRESERVATION STATIIS : 4 Puhl ic I anti, not r.ecr?grlizrcl as :I nwt.trr.al ar.ec? 6 Private land, [lot protected by owtier- or. lessee TIIIIEATS : 3 Tl~r.~.atlikely wi t,lt i n f ivct years. DESCRIPTION: Recreal; ioual deve loyr~~etit; SPKCTRS TITSTS: f Woody 11 1 arl t r-; C) i_r Fpr-ns altci f'i3t-rl ;z l l i cxf; 3 Summer- 13 i r-tls 1 ilmph i 11 i tans, I-c.~)t i l rs , :.trrtf n~:~ri!ma1 s 5 Other spec:ifzls 1 ist R T SCf 7SS 1ON OF' rl/ESElltfh'I7TON Vhf ,ITS: Rl orlg wi tf~rlet*y 11 i gf~tltl:ll i f F.' I i llic3st ottf3 gl acfes, \Jf~ooi>ita (-:'it hlf~l~~fa i rl t.orlt ;I i rls f itr-x csrltla~~~(f~t'ccfr-t-cr; t (,c)t.a i r ool c)t-('f) i cl i111tJ t l~txI flr-rtaf tlnrrf or-arjge cone: f lower !Iiucil3cc:kj a ft~J g i $1:~) . rq TT~\~~IC)Nff 1301 I I 1. , i 1. I,. 'or 1 . 1 97fi. liot f%ttt i :I I g~-oI og i (-:I I /gt>o108 i (-:I I Nn.t,~rr-~tlT,:~tlrlniarks ort the I rt t pr-i or- J,or.~ f'l -nt Copy of Page 21, Shawnee National Forest, Land and Resource Pfanagement Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix E illustrating the role of the ljiioopie Cat Xountain Research Natural Area in natural diversity cover types in relation Yes : In RNA in Kentucky, 1968 : RNA Directory Yes : Midwest exarrple Yes : Not in any RN.4 Yes : Plidwest example Yes : Plidwest ex;mple Yes : Central llidwest e.xmple Pb : In RNA in Indiana No : In N;tA in Indiana Yes : Not in =my RNA, Ebrthem : Example Yes : lbt in any RNA Yes : Not in any Yes : Ebrthern example Yes : Not in any @?A 'M.s table is frm a Regional Office 4060 k dated October 27, 1983. The rn recmds that we provide minim coverage of all SAF cover types indicated as needed in the above table. A 4060/1920 mm frcm the Regional Office dated Decenber 22, 1983, updates the above tab This m places SAF cwer types into three categories. Che, in which there is no representative nationally; tsm, a category in which there is only one RNA representative; and three, a category in which there are two RNA's representing the cover type. These categories are as follm: Not Represented In one NU In two RNA's SAF 40 SAF" 55 w 53 bsed on the above idomtion, establishment of the following RNA pmps~ls were recarmended to prwide minhcoverage of the needed SAF cwer types. i SAF Cover Types WdRidge 40, 44, 52, 60 "Barker Bluff 40, 46, 52 i krke Branch 40, 52, 53 ; Lahe Pine HillslOtter Pond 40, 52, 59, 60, 65, 75, 76, 87 i Panther Hollow 40, 54, 55 SWAIJNEE IUTIONAL EOREST - FINAL EIS E-21 A- 7 Copies of pages selected from the Shawnee National Forest, Land and Resource Management Plan documents describing the Wlroopie Cat Flountain Research Eatural Area and documenting the recommendations of the Forest for its designation and management I11 Affected- Ennrironment I klrphysboro Pqer District 53 8 15. Cave Spring Cave f 20 16. Bip Bayou Kite Site 80 Jonesbor-o Kqnger District 1. Amd Ridge 955 2. Clear Creek Swamp 4 3, Labe Pine HillslOtter Pond 3547 4. Opossum Trot Trail 3 5, hark Hill Prairies 535 6, \blf Creek Area 7. Bald Knob Geological ksearch Natural Areas the Chief of the Forest Service. There are currently no PJlA's established on the Shawnee National Forest; harever, four separate proposals have been submitted to the Forest Supervisor for cons idera t ion, kq a result of the four proposals submitted to the Forest Supervisor, the follmzing twelve areas were considered for Research Matural Area designation in the planning process: SIUkJTEE NATIONAZ, F'OREST - FUt?AL EIS 3-35 A- 9 I11 Aff cc ted Ehvirmnt ii Table 3-15 ndcd Research Natural Areas Atwood Ridge Barker Bluff Burke Branch Dennism bllm kbskaskia Panther Holluw %mpie Cat Mountain Ozarlr tiill Prairies Lahe Pine Hills Otter Pcmd Cave Will Stone face -1/ The acreage shis as originally proposed. Some difications llave been I made in individual alternatives (see Appendix E) . Detailed descriptions of each area and the analysis of RNA proposals is in I Appendix E of this FEIS. -Roadless Areas 'Ihe Shawnee National Forest does not currently have any areas designated as units of the National llilderness Preservation System. It does, hmver, have nine roadless areas which are being considered for their potential as wildemess or for nonrwildemess uses, These areas and their acreage are: Table 3-16 Roadless Areas Roadless Area Size (Ac. NFS Land) Bald Knob 5,888 Burden Falls 2,999 Burke Branch 6,230 Clear Springs 4,777 Carden of the Gods 3,844 hsk Creek 6,055 Wrray Bluff 4,172 Panther Den 722 Ripple Hollow 3,530 .,; 8 , ' "- ',', ,t 8 :/ -8, ;.. These nine areas were originally inventoried in 1977 during the second Roadless Area Review and Evaluation. ?his study cam to be knm as PNS I1 rf;",,r " ;.;! . ; and was canpleted in 1979 with the issuance of a Final Envirmntal Statement. Four areas totaling 15,033 acres were recarmended for wilderness study: Garden of the Gods, Bald Knob, Clear Springs, and Panther Den. Wee areas totaling 13,143 acres were recmnded for non-wilderness managent: Pbrray Bluff, Burke Branch, and Ripple Hollow. Ibo areas totaling 8,883 acres were recmnded for further evaluation: lusk Creek and Burden Falls, - -0 3-36 uI.W.JNEE NAtrIONAL FIREST - FINAL EIS A-10 MPEEDLX E Ass t by Alternative Alternative I es the maintenance and e cmnt of wildlife presemtion que natural features. A variety of mtorized and nomtorized recreation features are provided. All proposed Research Natural Areas are recmded for further evaluation. emmt Prescription 8.1 rQiskaskia rimntal Forest enrnt Prescription 8.2 Barker Bluff Ahmod Ridge brka Branch LaRue Pine Hills Otter Pmd Dennison Ibllcrw Cave Hi11 Staneface Ozartc Hill Prairie Mhoopie Cat Mountain Panther bllm E-26 SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST - Fq-55s EPmIX E Special Features as of significant physical, biological and cultural tim is provided t on an area by area basis. 'Ihe following areas are assigned to Managanent Prescription 8.1 to on-going natural resource research and managmt. -Name Size (Acres) Palzo Reclamation Project 325 Dixon Springs Agricultural Research Station 4259 Kaskaskia Ekperimental Forest 2169 Sugar Creek Seed Orchard 105 me follwing areas are assigned to Mmagemznt Prescription 8.2 (except as noted) to pruvide for the preservation and protection of their unique scientific or educational values. One or mre natural area categories (National Natural Landmark, Research lxlatural Area Candidate, Botanical Area, etc. ) may be assigned to an individual site as warranted. National Natural Landnarks (existing) These areas are managed for their lanhrlc features in accordance with the Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines and those in the Managent Prescription shawn . Name Mpt. Prescription Size (Acres) Bell Snrfth Springs LaRw Pine Hills Little Grand Canyon Lusk Creek 7Total Acres Candidate Research Natural Areas (RNA) . . Ihe follclwing areas will be managed for the site specific features listed. Direction is found in the Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines and those in knagarent Prescription 8.2. If through evaluation at higher organizational I levels and area(s) is not accepted into the National Systan, it will continue to be wnaged under Manag-t Prescription 8.2 (or in case of Kaskaskia, 8.1 ) for the life of the plan. C Special Features P Prescript ion Size (acres) Barker Bluff ke Branch e Hill Stoneface Dennison Hollw &ark Kill Prairie Panther Hollaw Whoopfe Cat Mountain Kaskaskia Exp. Forest \ ~Pineliills/OtterPrnd I Total Atwood Ridee 'Ihe Atwood Ridge NW proposal is located in portions of Sections 4, 5, 8, 9, 16, and 17, T13S, R2W, Jmesboro Ranger District, Union County. Area : 955 acres SAF Cover Types Identified in Area: General Information : ale area includes a relic stand of chestnut oak as well as Magnolia ac-ta and azalea neu the western edge of their respective ranges. In addition, the area includes a nuder of Indian burial sites-. The area is an example of dry, upland Illinois forest. Portions of the northern part of Atwood Ridge haye been clearcut. Aside fran the clearcuts, the area could provide baselw informtion on succession in upland harchvood forests. Selective logging has occurred on some portions of the area. lhere ramins representative mature dry upland forest stands with chestnut oaks that are essentially undisturbed. In many places, the steep slope tiher was left ( including mychestnut 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 daminated by the rock chestnut oak (Quercus prinus) . E-2 WW NAT1O;rW FWWT - FOREST mATJ A-13 1 APPrnLX E Special Features Sensitive Species (proposed) : No records documenting any sensitive species in this area. Forest Listed Species : -Early Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis ) . -~trderry~ush (Euonyrms anrricanus). -\bite Basmood (mia heterophylla) . -Loggerhead Shrike (lanius ludovicianus ) . \ ihmpie Cat Mountain ) Location: The area is located in portions of Sections 9 and 16, TlZS, WE, Elizabethtm Ranger District, Hardin County. Area: 17 acres. SAF Cover Types : General Infomtian: The tract contains essentially undisturbed limestone glades wd inportant habitat for an orchid (Hexalectris spicata). mere is sane evidence of past selective logging. Whoopie Cat Lake is adjacent to the area. Purpose and Special Features: To maintain the natural character of an upland, mstly forested area with a diversity of habitats and to protect the following special features: -Limes tone glade. -Crested coralroot orchid (Hexalectris spicata). Federal Threatened and bdangered Species: No documtnted records for Federal T & E in this area. Sensitive Species (proposed) : No records docunenting any sensitive species in this area. Forested Listed Species : -Crested coralroot orchid (HExalectris spicata). -Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ~uduvicianus) . APPEM)IX E Special Features Eederal Threatened and red Species : 140 records d ting any Federal T & E Species in this area. ) Sensirive Species (proposed) : I No records docunenting any Sensitive Species in this area. 1 Forested Listed Species : No records docanting any Forest Listed Species in this area. Panther fbllaw Tacatrion : ?he area is located in portions of Sections 20 and 21, TllS, RlOE, Elizabethtuwn Ranger District, Hardin County. Area : 180 acres. SAF Cover Types : SAF 40, SAF 53, SAF 54. General Informat ion : llle area is in two hollows. Panther Hollow is narrm with adjacent sandstone cliffs and outcroppings. Buckhart Hollow is broader and the upper reaches contain exposed sandstone bedrock which forms an intermittent stream. The sorithwestern bluff tops of both hnllms contain dry and xeric upland forest and sandstone glade camities. Purpose and Special Features: To maintain the natural character of an upland forested area with a diversity of habitats and to protect the following special features: -Farly Saxifrage -tAlite Basswood ( -Strawberry bush -A sandstone clif ?his area has forest stands that represent a diversity of habitats ranging frcm msic ravines to dry ridgetops. Federal Threatened and hdangered Species: Noirecords domntiq any Federal T & E Species in this area. SIIAIJfTEE NATIONAL, F'OREST - FOEST PTAN E-9 A-15