Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
1
County
Winnebago
Location And Access
From Loves Park take Highway 173 north to the main entrance to Rock Cut State Park. Take the park entrance road 1 mile. The preserve is on the east side of the road. Special Note: The preserve is within Rock Cut State Park where many recreational opportunities exist.
Description
Plum Grove is located in the Winnebago Drift Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division. This division is dominated by morainal systems which account for the rough, hilly and rolling terrain. The topography at Plum Grove is characterized by a gently sloping, glacial till plain. The land supports a dry-mesic upland forest, the best of its kind in this section. The canopy trees are mature to old second growth in age. White oak is the dominant species with black oak, red oak and shagbark hickory as subordinates. Common understory plant species include arrowwood, black cherry, gray dogwood and bitternut hickory. Wildlife species in the area include 33 species of mammals such as red and gray fox and flying squirrel. Over 32 species of summer resident birds are also known in the area. Several of the birds are forest sensitive species that require large contiguous areas of woodland habitat for nesting. The yellow-billed cuckoo, wood thrush and Kentucky warbler are just a few examples. The preserve is damaged by overbrowsing by deer.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Dedicated
May 1987
Size
20 acres
Topographic Quad
Caledonia
Topo Map
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
or Site Superintendent, Rock Cut State Park, 7318 Harlem Road, Caledonia, IL 61011 (815/885-3612)
