Wilmington Shrub Prairie Nature Preserve

Will County

Location and Access:

From Braidwood, take Highway 113 east 3 miles to a county road. Turn north on the road and go 1.5 miles. The preserve is on the west side of the road. Access to the preserve is by walking back a half mile on a lane.

Description:

This site is one of the few remaining examples of shrub prairie in Illinois. The shrub prairie community contains hardhack, bristly blackberry, big bluestem, running pine and other herbaceous prairie plants. Other community types are mesic sand prairie, wet-mesic prairie, dry-mesic sand savanna, sedge meadow and marsh. Management activities at this site include prescribed burning and brush removal.

Ownership: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Dedicated: August 1989

Size: 142.687 acres

Topo Map: Wilmington 7.5

For Further Information Contact: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Biologist, Silver Springs State Park, 13608 Fox Road, Yorkville, IL 60560 (630/553-1372)

3/2010 - R. Heidorn