Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
5
County
Tazewell
Location
The reserve is in northwestern Tazewell County between Marquette Heights and Creve Coeur, just south of Interstate 474.
Description
Independence Park Woods Land and Water Reserve provides forested and successional habitat for a variety of wildlife species. There have been 65 bird species identified on site, including 16 species sensitive to forest fragmentation and 11 Species in Greatest Conservation Need as defined in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan. Woodland habitats vary in quality from stands of mature oak-hickory forest to early successional shrublands. Natural communities present include Grade D dry-mesic upland forest dominated by black locust trees, low Grade C dry-mesic upland forest dominated by oak and hickory species, mature Grade C dry-mesic upland forest with notable species such a white oak, red oak, black oak, white ash, and shagbark hickory, Grade C mesic upland forest with American basswood, bur oak, red oak, and sugar maple, and Grade C mesic floodplain forest characterized by sycamore, silver maple, sugar maple, American basswood, and bur oak.
Ownership
Pekin Park District
Natural Division
Grand Prairie Section of the Grand Prairie Natural Division (#4a)
Registered
May 2012
Size
270 acres
Access
The site is open to the public.
Topographic Quad
Peoria East & Marquette Heights
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov
