Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
1
County
Ogle
Location
The site is north of Stone Barn Road, west of Carthage Road, and 0.7 miles East of Lowden Road. It is an important component of the Middle Rock River Conservation Opportunity Area identified in the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan.
Description
Sand Farm Land and Water Reserve consists of former agricultural lands that have been successfully converted back to the native grassland habitat that once dominated this region of Illinois. The site was primarily prairie prior to European-American settlement of this region in the late 1830s. Due to its land use history, there are no high-quality relict natural communities remaining here – what is left is the topographic template upon which former natural communities once evolved and upon. The Nature Conservancy has re-created natural habitats based on soils, topography, and historical records. Ecological restoration has resulted in the conversion of highly erodible farmland back to re-created native dry-mesic prairie grassland habitat, containing over 80 native species. The location adjacent to the Nachusa Grasslands Illinois Natural Areas Inventory site and the Nachusa Grasslands Nature Preserve allows the re-created dry-mesic grassland habitat to be used in conjunction with these sites as habitat for breeding grassland birds.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Natural Division
Oregon Section of the Rock River Hill Country Natural Division (#2b)
Registered
January 2019
Size
72 acres
Access
The site is open to the public. Gated access is provided at one location, but no parking area currently exists.
Topographic Quad
Daysville
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov