Guide to Natural Areas in Northern Illinois Natural Land Institute Contents Page Rules and Reminders . 4 Introduction . 5 b Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve . 6 c Burr Oak Valley Preserve . 8 d Camp Merrill Benson . 10 e Castle Rock State Park . 12 f Colman Dells Preserve . .14 g Colored Sands Forest Preserve . 16 h Falling Down Prairie . 18 i Franklin Creek Nature Preserve . 20 j Freeport Prairie Nature Preserve . 22 1) Hanover Bluff Land and Water Preserve . 24 1! Harlem Hills Nature Preserve . 26 1@ Jarrett Prairie Nature Preserve . 28 e 1# Jensen Forest Preserve . 30 t 1$ Kyte River Bottoms Land and Water Reserve . 32 u t 1% Lyndon Prairie Nature Preserve . 34 i 1^ Nachusa Grasslands . 36 t s 1& Nieman Marsh . 38 n 1* Nygren Wetland Preserve . 40 I 1( Pecatonica Ridge Prairie . 42 d 2) Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve . 44 n 2! Searls Prairie Nature Preserve . 46 a L 2@ Stone Bridge Nature Trail . 48 l a Other Nature Preserves in Northern Illinois . 50 r Contact Information . 51 u t a N 2 Listing by Counties Carroll County Page d Camp Merrill Benson . 10 DeKalb County 2) Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve . 44 Jo Daviess County h Falling Down Prairie . 18 1) Hanover Bluff Land and Water Reserve . 24 Lee County i Franklin Creek Nature Preserve . 20 1^ Nachusa Grasslands . 36 Ogle County b Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve . 6 e Castle Rock State Park . 12 1@ Jarrett Prairie Nature Preserve . 28 1$ Kyte River Bottoms Land and Water Reserve . 32 Ogle and Winnebago Counties s f Colman Dells Preserve . 14 a e Stephenson County r j Freeport Prairie Nature Preserve . 22 a Whiteside County l a Lyndon Prairie Nature Preserve . 34 1% r Winnebago County u c Burr Oak Valley Preserve . 8 t a g Colored Sands Forest Preserve . 16 N 1! Harlem Hills Nature Preserve . 26 1# Jensen Forest Preserve . 30 o t 1& Nieman Marsh . 38 e 1* Nygren Wetland Preserve . 40 d 1( Pecatonica Ridge Prairie . 42 i 2! Searls Park Prairie Nature Preserve . 46 u 2@ Stone Bridge Nature Trail . 48 G 3 Rules & Reminders I Please don’t litter in these beautiful locations. Kindly place all trash in receptacles or carry it out, if no receptacles are provided. I Since these are protected areas, please don’t remove anything from the sites. This includes rocks, fossils, plants, and parts of plants, such as leaves, flowers and seeds. I Please do not bring your pets unless you have confirmed with the landowner in advance that it is acceptable. I Please obey all posted signs. I Please visit often. These lands are spectacular and deserve to be admired. I Some of the sites in this booklet are owned by the Natural Land Institute. These sites have guided tours available for Natural Land Institute members and their guests. Burr Oak Valley Preserve, e Pecatonica Ridge Prairie and Nieman Marsh can be visited only with t permission due to location and access agreements with neighbors. u t i I Some of the sites are owned by park or forest preserve districts. t Most of these properties are routinely open to the public. s Please contact the individual districts to determine specific rules n I for these areas. d I Some of the properties are owned by the Illinois Department of n Natural Resources (IDNR). These locations are typically open to a the public, but please contact IDNR or the site supervisor for days, L times, and rules. l a I The owner of the property is listed with each entry. Contact r u information for each of the owners is listed in the contact section. t a N 4 Introduction In every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks. – John Muir n this guide for members of the Natural Land Institute, we highlight 22 outstanding natural lands with some of the best prairies, wetlands and forests in northern Illinois. IThe Natural Land Institute played a role in protecting each of these rare, special places that we all cherish. Names and descriptions of some of the native birds, mammals and plants known to live at the preserves are provided. Maps are included, and addresses are given when applicable. Natural lands like those described in this guide are vanishing quickly. We are working to reverse the trend of land loss by protecting additional areas through acquisition, conservation agreements, advocacy and stewardship. This work is possible thanks to the generous help of our members and volunteers and our partnerships with other conservation organizations. s In 2008, we mark the 50th anniversary of our founding as a private, a e not-for-profit land conservation organization. We want to assure that all r species of native plants and animals in northern Illinois will survive for a another 50 years and beyond. l The Natural Land Institute’s vision for northern Illinois is a that children born today will be able to see a pasque flower and r hear the sound of a flock of sandhill cranes flying overhead. u t These are experiences you can have now at many of the a beautiful natural areas listed in this guide. N o Enjoy your visits! t e Several preserves have limited access. Guided tours of these areas are d available to Natural Land Institute members. You will find the dates listed i in our newsletters, “Land and Nature” and “Volunteer Vision.” u G 5 Ogle County 1 e t u t i t s Beach Cemetery Prairie was acquired by the Natural Land Institute in 1972 from the descendents of people buried in the cemetery. A 0.64-acre n I buffer was purchased by the Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County and donated to the Natural Land Institute in 1992. Beach Cemetery Prairie d is a dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve. n a L Owner: l Natural Land Institute a For information: [email protected] r or 815.964.6666 u t a N 6 Beach Cemetery Prairie 4 acres 2¼ miles east of Meridian Road on Big Mound Road Southwest of Davis Junction very season is a good time to visit Beach Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, because this tiny prairie is ablaze in color much of the Eyear. In early spring, the pasque flower plant sends up a flower stalk in advance of leaves, so what you see are delicate lavender-purple blooms nestled in the muted tan tangle of last year’s prairie grass. Springtime is also when you’ll see a display of shooting stars. These small flowers get their name from their petals, which shoot sharply backwards, and from the nodding characteristic of their blooms. They put on their show from r April through May. a t s s g a n Yellow blossoms of puccoon i t e appear in late spring and early o o r h summer, followed in July by the S a purple hues of leadplant. Don’t neglect the autumn and winter, l a however, for this is when you’ll see r the reddish-brown of little bluestem u as it stands above the prairie. t a The overlapping blooming N n seasons of the various wildflowers o o c o and grasses will ensure a stunning c u t p view whenever you choose to visit. y r a e o H d i u G 7 Winnebago County 2 e t u t i t s Burr Oak Valley Preserve was purchased by the Natural Land Institute n in 1986 with a donation from McCleary Industries of South Beloit. I d Owner: Natural Land Institute Access is limited. n a For permission to visit, call or email: L 815.964.6666 or [email protected] l a r u t a N 8 Burr Oak Valley 63 acres East of Roscoe ½ mile north of Burr Oak Road. Turn north on Kristi Hills Drive and follow to Tina Lynn Court. urr Oak Valley Preserve is home to several natural communities: mesic upland forest, dolomite prairie, dolomite cliff and Bintermittent stream. It is one of only a few woodlands in the area that remains untouched by development. Come in the spring for a superb woodland wildflower display. Three small dolomite hill prairies provide you with a lovely view of little bluestem, side oats grama and purple prairie clover. Purple prairie e clover blooms in early summer. It is a i r i a slender, erect plant, typically about r p l l two feet tall. The flowers are in dense i s h e cylindrical spikes at the tops of the a t i e stems and branches. The bright m o l r purple-magenta flowers at the bottom o D a of each spike are the first to bloom, forming a brilliant wreath that climbs l the spike as flowering progresses. a r As you walk through the plants u that brush your ankles and knees, t r a e don’t forget to also look around at the v o N l c trees. Enjoy the beauty of red oak, e i r i black walnut, shagbark hickory o a r t p and hackberry. e l p e r u P d i u G 9 Carroll County 3 e t u t i t s Camp Merrill Benson was protected in 2005 when it was registered as a Land and Water Reserve with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. n I The Natural Land Institute secured funding for the project and assisted with the preservation agreement and registration. The camp is allowed to d continue traditional land uses, such as recreational and education n a opportunities for children.