Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
8
County
Clay
Location
The site is in Clay City Township about 3 miles northeast of Clay City.
Description
Flag Pond Land and Water Reserve is included on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (INAI #0037) for its 35-acre Grade A pond. The periphery of the pond is encircled by buttonbush with arrow arum, swamp dock, water parsnip, and hairy rose mallow. The outermost emergent vegetation subzone is dominated by swampy loosestrife, while the inner subzone is dominated by water smartweed. The site also contains Grade C wet floodplain forest and Grade C dry mesic upland forest. The upland forest consists of primarily hickories with a few white oaks, and the floodplain forest is made up of black oak, pin oak, swamp white oak, hickories, elm, and ash. The site also supports 224 plant and 183 animal species, including 24 Species in Greatest Need of Conservation as identified by the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Natural Division
Bottomlands Section of the Wabash Border Natural Division (#10a)
Registered
May 2010
Size
180 acres
Access
The site is open to the public. Hiking and nature observation are allowed. There are two parking areas with access points.
Topographic Quad
Clay City
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov