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Bluff Spring Fen

Nature Preserve Area

2

County

Cook

Location And Access

From Elgin, take Villa Street southeast to Liberty Street, then turn and go south 0.8 mile to Bluff City Blvd., then turn and go east 0.6 mile to Bluff City Cemetery, then turn south into the cemetery. The nature preserve is south of the cemetery.

Description

Located in the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division, Bluff Spring Fen contains many unique natural features. The plant communities, dry gravel prairie, mesic black soil prairie, bur oak savanna, fen, sedge meadow and marsh, support a variety of threatened and endangered plant species. The fen is of particular interest because this community occurs only where highly calcareous water continually seeps up through the soil. In Illinois fens are limited to the northern third of the state. The preserve provides breeding habitat for bird species such as willow flycatcher, woodcock, wood duck and yellow-breasted chat.

Ownership

Forest Preserve District of Cook County and City of Elgin

Dedicated

January 1987

Size

95.17 acres

Topographic Quad

Elgin

Topo Map

bluspr

Google Maps

For Further Information

Contact: Forest Preserve District of Cook County, 536 North Harlem Avenue, River Forest, IL 60305 (800/870-3666)

 1/2009 - R. Heidorn