Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
2
County
McHenry
Location And Access
In Oakwood Hills, go north on Lakeshore Drive (on the east side of Silver Lake) to the end. The nature preserve is to the north. Special Note: A vehicle entrance to the park is at the northwest corner off North Park Road.
Description
Oakwood Hills Fen represents presettlement conditions of the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division. Its natural communities, determined by soil and moisture gradients, consists of graminoid fen, calcareous seep and sedge meadow. The seeps and fens along the stream support several unusual plant species such as grass-of-Parnassus, fringed gentian, sterile sedge and northern bog orchid. Sloping peat areas contain cotton sedge and bog valerian, while more alkaline seepages support twig rush, tufted hair grass and hair beak rush. This nature preserve is represented on two topo maps, Wauconda and Barrington.
Ownership
Village of Oakwood Hills
Dedicated
March 1986
Size
32 acres with buffer
Topographic Quad
Wauconda
Topo Map
For Further Information
Contact: McHenry County Conservation District, 6512 Harts Road, Ringwood, IL 60072 (815/338-1405).
03/10 R. Heidorn