Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
9
County
Massac
Location
The site is in northwest Massac County approximately 8 miles northeast of the town on Joppa, in extreme southern Illinois, within the Sielbeck Forest State Natural Area.
Description
Sielbeck Forest Land and Water Reserve consists of Grade A swamp forest and Grade B and C wet-mesic floodplain forest identified on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (Sielback Forest State Natural Area INAI #0071). These forests are essentially undisturbed, old growth natural communities that are some of the finest examples in the Bottomlands Section of the Coastal Plain Natural Division. The swamp forest is dominated by bald cypress and water tupelo, and the wet-mesic floodplain forest by sweetgum, cherrybark oak, and overcup oak. Many of the trees in the old-growth floodplain and swamp forest exceed 40’’ dbh (diameter at breast height) and are more than 200 years old. Sielbeck Forest contains the only high-quality forested habitat remaining in a vast expanse of low, wet ground in Massac County known as the Big Black Slough. The reserve also hosts state threatened and endangered species, as well as other uncommon plants and animals.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Natural Division
Bottomlands Section of the Coastal Plain Natural Division (#14b)
Registered
October 1999
Size
385 acres
Access
The site is open to the public. Parking can be found at the end of Sielbeck Road, which heads west off Airport Road and then turns to the south before terminating at the parking area.
Topographic Quad
Joppa
For Further Information
Visit the State Natural Area Website or Contact the INPC
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov
