Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
8
County
Wabash
Location And Access
From Keensburg, take blacktop road east 1.5 miles to Beall Woods Conservation Area. The nature preserve is in the conservation area. Access is from the Red Barn Nature Center, where all trails begin.
Description
Beall Woods, one of the oldest dedicated nature preserves in Illinois, is also a designated National Natural Landmark. Under the National Natural Landmark system, it is known as "Forest of the Wabash." Beall Woods is the biggest and best example of the immense forests which once occurred along the Wabash. Unique features include bottomland and upland forest, and river environment of the Bottomland Section of the Wabash Border Natural Division. The forests contain a great variety of trees, with eleven types of oaks and six types of hickories. The great size and height of the trees is awe-inspiring. Several state champion trees are at Beall Woods including sugarberry, mockernut hickory, pecan and black gum. Pileated woodpeckers are found here as are many of the other forest interior species including vireos and warblers. Riffles formed by rock outcrops on the river bottom provide habitat for the northern madtom. Robert Ridgeway, a great American ornithologist, spent much time in this area.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Dedicated
January 1966 as the 14th Illinois Nature Preserve
Size
329 acres with an additional 4 acres of buffer
Topographic Quad
Keensburg
Topo Map
For Further Information
Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Biologist, Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, 4295 North 1000th Street, Newton, IL 62448, (618/782/2685)
