Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
2
County
Lake
Location And Access
From jct. Hwy. 41 & Wadsworth Road at Wadsworth, take Wadsworth Road east 0.4 mile to east side of Des Plaines River. The nature preserve is 0.3 mile north. Special Note: There is no developed access to this preserve, so please contact the Lake County Forest Preserve District before entering the site.
Description
Wadsworth Prairie is in a glacial valley that formed during the Wisconsinan stage of the Pleistocene glaciation. Most of the land in the Des Plaines River valley is generally low and wet, providing perfect conditions for marsh and wet-mesic prairie communities. Wadsworth Prairie has been protected since 1981 and in spite of some disturbance, the general quality of the prairie is good. The dominant grasses are big bluestem in the mesic sites and cord grass in the wetter sites. Showy prairie forbs include smooth blue aster, tick trefoil and prairie dock. Other unusual wildlife species present include Henslow`s sparrow, Virginia rail, American bittern, long-billed marsh wren and red fox.
Ownership
Lake County Forest Preserve District
Dedicated
July 1981
Size
1030 acres with buffer
Topographic Quad
Wadsworth
Topo Map
For Further Information
Contact: Lake County Forest Preserve District, 2000 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048 (708/367-6640)
03/10 R. Heidorn