Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
1
County
Jo Daviess
Location
The site is immediately southwest of the Village of Hanover near the confluence of the Apple River in southwest Jo Daviess County. It is in proximity to other protected INPC sites including Wapello Land and Water Reserve, Hanover Bluff Land and Water Reserve, Hanover Forest Land and Water Reserve, and Hanover Bluff Nature Preserve.
Description
Eagles Nest Land and Water Reserve protects a portion of the Lower Apple River Illinois Natural Areas Inventory site (INAI #1647), which was designated as an INAI site for providing biologically significant stream habitat for three state listed mussel species. The reserve is also adjacent to the Hanover Bluff INAI site, which qualifies due to its high-quality dry dolomite prairie and the presence of state-endangered and threatened species. Eagles Nest Land and Water Reserve contains three natural communities: river, mesic floodplain forest, and marsh. The site is entirely situated on the floodplain of the Lower Apple River, which is a low gradient river that meanders through the valley with gravel beds scattered intermittently. It hosts diverse mussel species and a healthy fish community supporting several listed species. The mesic floodplain forest comprises the banks of the Apple River. The flora of these forested areas includes boxelder, pin oak, cottonwood, basswood, and elderberry. The most important feature of this habitat is an active bald eagle nest. The marsh includes areas of shallow, open water surrounded by emergent vegetation that drains into the Apple River. The flora of the marsh area includes blue flag, swamp milkweed, boneset, and sedge species. There is additional acreage that is classified as cultural which contains cool season grasslands and row crop agriculture.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Natural Division
Wisconsin Driftless Natural Division (#1)
Registered
May 2012
Size
120 acres
Access
The site is not open to the public.
Topographic Quad
Green Island
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov