Indiana
Dunes National Lakeshore | Lockport
Prairie | Rock Run Greenway
Goodenow Grove | Burlington
Prairie | Dick Young Forest
Preserve/Nelson Lake Marsh
Burnidge Forest Preserve | Grant
Woods Forest Preserve | Prairie
Wolf Slough
Prairie View Education Center | Glacial
Park | Chicago Park District
Village of Lincolnshire
This list includes some of the
best sites for studying the effects of controlled
burns conducted last spring and fall. And, as the prairie
is at its most lush state during the season after a
burn, these are also the sites to see some of the most
beautiful prairies in 2003.
Because this region's natural communities
have evolved with frequent fires over thousands of years,
our native species thrive after a good controlled burn
and will be healthier for years to come. The summer
after a good burn is a great time for seeing some of
our rarest wildflowers in greatest health and richness.
It's also a great time to see the plentiful birds, butterflies,
and other wildlife that the profusion of plants attracts.
The credit for all the work necessary
to do safe and effective controlled burns goes to the
landowning agencies listed below. They provided the
information about the following preserves.
INDIANA
Indiana
Dunes National Lakeshore
Visitors to the Indiana Dunes will find lush green
vegetation and increased diversity of plants and wildflowers
in areas that were burned this spring. To see how local
ecosystems thrive after a fire, stop at the Inland
Marsh trailhead, just off Highway 12 between Gary
and Porter, 9 miles west of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor
Center (Map).
A spring burn cleared away dead plant material in this
area, allowing grasses and flowers to grow more vigorously
than in areas that have not been burned recently.
The benefits of controlled burns
are also visible along the Long Lake Trail. The
trailhead is located at the West Beach parking area
of the National Lakeshore. The fire burned off the leaf
litter in the oak savanna on the northern side of the
trail loop without harming the fire-resistant oak trees.
Staff members at the Dunes say the burned area already
has a lush green carpet, and they expect to see an increase
in wildflowers such as lupines. This will not only make
the area an attractive place for people to hike, it
will also provide much-needed habitat for the endangered
Karner blue butterfly. (The Karner blue will typically
survive the fires in patches that didn't burn and lay
its eggs in areas that did.)
For visitor information, see the
Indiana Dunes National
Lakeshore site or call (219) 926-7561, extension
225.
See also a complete set of printable
Indiana Dunes
National Lakeshore Maps.
FOREST
PRESERVE DISTRICT OF WILL COUNTY
Lockport
Prairie
Walk the trail at Lockport Prairie this
summer, and you might notice the difference between
the burned area on one side of the trail and the unburned
area on the other. The area where land managers conducted
a controlled burn this spring is likely to be greener
and have a greater abundance of flowers.
Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve
is located on the west bank of the Des Plaines River,
in Lockport. Take Route 53 south to Division Street.
Turn east on Division Street and follow it to the trailhead,
which is located at the information board. Link to a
map (see "County Map" from the FPDWC's
Lockport
Prairie Nature Preserve Web page.
See also CW's Into
the Wild profile of Lockport Prairie, with trail
map.
Rock
Run Greenway — Black Road Access
Land managers have been working hard to improve
wetland habitat at the Rock Run Greenway (see
our Into the Wild profile
on Rock Run Preserve in this summer's issue, which includes
a preserve map). This spring's controlled burn
will increase the diversity of plants in the sedge meadow
and marsh habitats, allowing flowers such as marsh marigolds
to thrive.
The preserve is located on Black
Road, one-quarter mile east of the I-55 overpass, in
Joliet. From I-55, exit on Jefferson Street (Route 52)
and go east a short distance to Frontage Road. Go north
on Frontage Road to the first stop light, at Black Road.
Go east one-quarter mile to the entrance to the preserve
on the north. See the FPDWC's Rock
Run Trail – Black Road Access Web page for
links to Maps for both location ("County
Map") and trails.
Goodenow
Grove
The casual observer might not notice that Forest
Preserve District staff burned sections of Goodenow
Grove this spring. Look carefully, however, and
you'll notice that areas that were burned contain a
greater abundance of native plants and flowers such
as trillium and Jack-in-the-pulpit. The prescribed fire
cleared out leaf litter and invasive shrubs in this
oak woodland, leaving the mature oak trees unharmed.
Curious visitors can stop at the Plum Creek Nature Center
and ask the staff to point out areas of the preserve
where fire has rejuvenated the habitat.
Goodenow Grove is located on Goodenow
Road, 1.25 miles east of the intersection of Routes
1 and 394, south of Crete, Illinois. The phone number
for Plum Creek Nature Center is (708) 946-2216. See
the FPDWC's Goodenow
Grove Nature Preserve Web page for links to Maps
for both location ("County Map") and trails.
See also CW's Into
the Wild profile of Goodenow Grove, with trail map.
Information on these or any Will
County forest preserve is available at (815) 727-8700,
or visit the Forest
Preserve District of Will County Web site.
FOREST
PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY
Burlington
Prairie
Rare butterflies and plants are benefiting from
a recent controlled burn at the Burlington Prairie in
western Kane County. Visitors can spot interesting butterflies
and flowers and see how fire can revitalize local wetland
and sedge meadow ecosystems. The preserve is located
near Burlington, Illinois, at the intersection of Plank
and Engel Roads (Mapquest map).
The FPDKC's Burlington
Prairie Web page links to a map of the preserve.
Dick
Young Forest Preserve/ Nelson Lake Marsh
Visitors to this preserve will notice a sharp contrast
between sections of the preserve what were burned this
spring and those that were not. The burned sections
are greener and will have more flowers this summer.
The revitalized ecosystem provides optimal nesting habitat
for grassland birds and is host to a tremendous variety
of waterfowl and shorebirds. This is a great place to
see sandhill cranes. The preserve is located in Batavia,
Illinois, at the intersection of Main Street and Nelson
Lake Road (Mapquest map).
The FPDKC has a Web page for Dick
Young Forest Preserve.
See also CW's 1997 Into
the Wild profile of Nelson Lake Marsh, with trail
map.
Burnidge
Forest Preserve
This spring, Forest Preserve District of Kane County
staff burned approximately 50 acres of grassland at
this site as part of their efforts to revive a compact
prairie ecosystem and provide habitat for grassland
birds. The controlled burn this spring stimulated the
growth of prairie grasses and wildflowers, and the grassland
birds are busy moving in and starting to nest. In addition
to improving bird habitat, restoration efforts at this
site have resulted in grand, scenic vistas. Burnidge
Forest Preserve is located in Elgin, Illinois, at Coombs
and Big Timber Roads (Mapquest map).
The FPDKC's Burnidge
Forest Preserve Web page links to a map of
the preserve.
See also CW's Into
the Wild profile of Burnidge Forest Preserve, with
trail map.
LAKE
COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES
Grant
Woods Forest Preserve
Lake County Forest Preserve staff conducted a controlled
burn in the southern portion of the Grant Woods preserve
in mid-April. This 974-acre preserve provides a mosaic
of prairie, wetland, and woodland habitats. Visit in
the early summer to make your own side-by-side comparison
between areas that were burned and those that were not.
Burned areas will have fewer invasive shrubs, such as
buckthorn. Birds such as eastern pewees, bluebirds,
red-headed woodpeckers, and screech owls will enjoy
better foraging habitat in burned areas.
Grant Woods Forest Preserve is located
in northwest Lake County near Lake Villa and Fox Lake.
There are two entrances and parking areas at Grant Woods.
The south entrance and parking area are located on Monaville
Road between Route 59 and Fairfield Road. The north
entrance and parking area are located on Grand Avenue
(Route 132) between Route 59 and Fairfield Road.
The LCFP Web site includes a page
for Grant
Woods as well as a trail
map.
See also CW's Into
the Wild profile of Grant Woods, with trail map.
Prairie
Wolf Slough
Land managers conducted a burn at this site in early
February in order to improve prairie and wetland habitat.
Controlled burns help reduce nonnative grasses and forbs
in this newly planted habitat restoration area. Burning
also removed accumulated dead plant material that can
inhibit the spread of native plants. Removing the thick
thatch of dead plants also extends the growing season
by allowing the ground to warm up earlier in the spring.
The hiking trail at this site provides great birding
opportunities in the wetland. This preserve is located
in Highland Park, Illinois, near the intersection of
Route 43 and Route 22.
See LCFP's Web page for Prairie
Wolf Slough.
For more information, see the Lake
County Forest Preserves Web site or call (847) 367-6640.
MCHENRY
COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Prairie
View Education Center
McHenry County Conservation District staff members
conducted controlled burns in prairie, oak savanna,
sedge meadow, and wetlands sections of this preserve
this spring. The burned areas were already green and
lush by mid-May. The restoration work in this area is
benefiting sandhill cranes, as well as prairie birds
such as meadowlarks and bobolinks. The trails close
to the wetland offer a particularly good view of healthy
habitat that has been rejuvenated by fire. The Prairie
View Education Center is located in Prairie Grove, Illinois,
at Route 176 and Buhl Road (Mapquest map).
The MCCD site includes a trail
map of Prairie View Education Center.
Glacial
Park
Conservation District staff members use prescribed
fire to control invasive brush and maintain grassland
habitat in this park. As a result of their efforts,
prairie birds, including bobolinks, meadowlarks, savanna
sparrows, and grasshopper sparrows, feel right at home
in the preserve's open grasslands. Visitors will also
notice lush growth and increased plant diversity in
burned sections of this preserve. Glacial Park is located
near Richmond, Illinois, at the intersection of Harts
Road and Route 31.
The MCCD site includes trail
maps of Glacial Park.
See also CW's Into
the Wild profile of Glacial Park, with trail map.
CHICAGO
Chicago
Park District
The controlled burns in the Chicago
Park District this spring went off without a hitch.
In some areas, neighbors even came out to watch the
fires and enjoyed seeing the burn crews at work. Thanks
to the efforts of the Chicago Park District staff and
crews from Aramark ServiceMaster, Chicago residents
can see restored prairie and wetland habitats without
leaving the city limits. July and August will be ideal
times to visit the natural areas in Douglas Park,
Gompers
Park, Humboldt Park, Indian Boundary Park, Lincoln
Park, Marquette
Park, and McKinley Park.
The Chicago Park District offers
an informative description of its prescribed
burn management policies.
For additional information, visit
the Chicago
Park District Web site, especially the section
dedicated to Natural Areas, or call the district
at (312) 742-PLAY.
VILLAGE
OF LINCOLNSHIRE
This spring, the Village of Lincolnshire
used controlled fire to improve 41 acres of woodland
and two acres of prairie. Visitors can see the results
at North Park, located at Everett and Riverwoods
Roads (Mapquest map).
Buckthorn removal and controlled burns have created
space for native oak and hickory trees to thrive in
this flatwoods habitat. The village is also installing
interpretive signs so visitors can learn about this
natural area as they walk the path through the woods.
Click
to 
