Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
3
County
Kankakee
Location
The site is on Hieland Road, 1.5 miles south of Route 17, in Aroma Township.
Description
Natural communities found at Aroma Forest Preserve are dry sand prairie, dry sand savanna, dry-mesic sand savanna, sedge meadow, and mesic floodplain forest. The most notable community is the Grade C dry sand prairie, a rare natural community due to its topographic location on dune crests. There are few known examples of high-quality dry sand prairies remaining in the region. Dominant plant species include little bluestem and June grass, and the uncommon poppy mallow is found here. The Grace C dry sand savanna are associated with undulating topography. Common species present are oak sedge, black oak, and little bluestem. Dry-mesic sand savanna is found lower on the dune slope, and characteristic species are black oak, American hazelnut, and early low blueberry. The Grade C sedge meadow is a wetland dominated by sedges on peat, muck, or wet sand. Species in this natural community include common tussock sedge, blue joint grass, and silky dogwood. The mesic floodplain forest is adjacent to the Kankakee River. Typical floodplain species such as silver maple, river birch, and basswood dominate this community. The site also contains a portion of the Kankakee River, which is of statewide and national significance. The Illinois Natural Areas Inventory considers the Kankakee River to have a great variety of habitats and a high diversity of fish and mussel species.
Ownership
Kankakee Valley Forest Preserve District
Natural Division
Kankakee Sand Area Section of the Grand Prairie Natural Division (#4e)
Registered
February 1998
Size
82 acres
Access
The site is open to the public. There is a walking trail and a parking lot on Hieland Road next to the playground. Passive activities such as hiking and nature observation are allowed.
Topographic Quad
Kankakee
For Further Information
Visit the Kankakee Valley Forest Preserve District Website or Contact the INPC
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov
