Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
2
County
McHenry
Location
The site is immediately north of Illinois Route 173 and south of the former KD Rail Line (now the Hebron Trail regional bike bath), approximately one mile east of the town of Hebron.
Description
The primary natural areas at Goose Lake Marsh Land and Water Reserve are shallow marsh and planted grassland communities on former agricultural fields. The site is identified on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (INAI #1272) for its biological significance. Dominant marsh vegetation include broad-leaved cattail and river bullrush. Small pockets of sedge meadow which contain tussock sedge and lake sedge occur along the fringes of the marsh. Upland areas surrounding the marsh are in prairie restoration. The reserve also supports significant populations of the typical wetland birds suited for northeastern Illinois. Common mammal, reptile, and amphibian species inhabit the marsh, including mink, muskrat, opossum, green frogs, leopard frogs, and tiger salamanders.
Ownership
McHenry County Conservation District
Natural Division
Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division (#3a)
Registered
May 2003
Size
80 acres
Access
The site is not open to the public but can be viewed from an observation deck along the Hebron Bike Path/Trail.
Topographic Quad
Hebron
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov