Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
2
County
Du Page
Location And Access
The site is in the far northwest corner of DuPage County in Wayne Township within the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division. It is part of the Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve owned by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The Pratt Wayne Woods Forest Preserve has public access from Powis Road. Parking, picnic groves, fishing piers, and hiking trails offer many recreation opportunities for visitors. Established trails do not exist within Brewster Creek Marsh, however, some trails are located just outside the preserve boundary. Visitors are instructed to stay on these trails.
Description
Brewster Creek Marsh Nature Preserve is a mosaic of natural communities comprised of freshwater marsh (with elements of sedge meadow and wet prairie) and tall-grass meadow. It is within the Pratt’s Wayne Woods Illinois Natural Areas Inventory Site (INAI #1401) which was designated as an INAI due to the presence of endangered and threatened species of both plants and animals. The marsh community is dominated by common sedges such as common lake sedge and common tussock sedge, with conservative species such as bulblet-bearing water hemlock, spotted joe pye weed, and sensitive fern. The areas which host the tall-grass prairies were farmed through the 1970’s. When agriculture production ceased, the fields were planted with clover vegetation, primarily tall fescue, which remains in abundance today. After planting, the fescue meadow quickly fell into favor with the grassland bird community including eastern meadowlarks, Henslow’s sparrows, and sedge wrens. Portions of both Brewster and Norton Creeks traverse the landscape. Both creeks represent good examples of typical prairie streams that were present before European settlement. Spadderdock and pond weeds are examples of the vegetation that can be found in the creeks.
Ownership
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Dedicated
May 2012
Size
265 acres with buffer
Topographic Quad
West Chicago
For Further Information
Visit the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Website or Contact the INPC
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686