Spring 1998

This fen supports great variety — over 400 species.

Cook County, Illinois

Tucked away at the edge of Bluff City Cemetery just south of Elgin in far western Cook County, Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve is a testament to the power of active land management and habitat restoration. Packed into its 90 acres is a stunning variety of high-quality habitats. Before restoration began in 1979, the site was a favored place for fly dumping, off-road vehicles, and gravel quarrying. Volunteers removed the trash and worked to restore the degraded prairies and fen. In 1987 the state dedicated the entire site as a nature preserve. Despite some off-road tracks still visible in the soft soil, the site's recovery has been dramatic.

Small hills and a savanna with massive bur oaks occupy the western half of the preserve, along with a sedge meadow and meandering streams. The eastern half of the site is wide open, with a high quality fen, a low-lying and poorly drained wetland that's home to many distinctive plants adapted to grow in the calcium-rich water and alkaline soil.

Near the fen are several kames. These small, gravely hills — left by the melting waters of a receding glacier — provide excellent habitat for dry prairie plants like the beautiful prairie smoke. Between the kames and the fen is a mesic prairie that had been grazed to extinction; its restoration, though on-going, has been successful so far.

The fen contains the site's greatest plant variety. Of the 400 species known to grow at the preserve, most are found here. The plants put on a vivid show of green leaves and multi-colored flowers all summer long.

Of course, a variety of flora goes hand-in-hand with diverse fauna. Visitors will see and hear birds everywhere. The usual northern Illinois birds are all well represented, including great horned owls, wood ducks, red-tailed hawks, and red-winged blackbirds. And it doesn't take much effort to see more unusual species like blue-gray gnatcatchers, red-headed woodpeckers, and willow flycatchers. Many warblers stop by during their May migration.

More than 50 species of butterflies have been recorded at the site, including a dozen — like the mulberrywing skipper — that survive only at high-quality wetlands; their presence is a sign of just how successful the restoration has been. Several rare skippers live in the sedge meadow; mid-June through July is the best time to spot rare butterflies like the Baltimore checkerspot in the fen. And a wide variety of more common butterflies flutter through the preserve from May until the first frost.

Coyotes, deer and many smaller mammals roam here, while painted, snapper and mud turtles live near the waters. In the crystal streams, you may catch a glimpse of a mottled sculpin, a rare and strange-looking bottom-feeder that, like the butterflies, is a sign of a high-quality habitat.

While no biking or horseback riding is allowed here, Bluff Spring Fen is a prime spot for hiking, birding, and enjoying the wide variety of plants that grow among the site's varied topographies. There are several miles of unpaved trails providing easy hikes. An excellent map and guide are available in a kiosk near the parking lot. For more information, call (312) 346-8166.

— Chris Larson