Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
5
County
Mason
Location
The site is in north-central Mason County, roughly 3 miles southwest of the town of Manito and 3.5 miles due east of the headquarters of Sand Ridge State Forest within Manito Township.
Description
Sparks Pond Land and Water Reserve is within the Sparks Pond Natural Area Inventory Site (INAI #1341). The habitat types present include pond, native sand prairie, pine plantation, planted warm season grasses, old field, and hardwood forest stand. The pond is dominated by black willow and cattail in the shallow-water bodies. The dry sand savanna (Grade D) is dominated by second growth black oak, blackjack oak, pignut hickory, aromatic sumac, and common hackberry. The old field is composed of a mixture of old field succession and a smaller plot of planted little bluestem. A total of 61 species have been observed at the site, including two state listed species which utilize the site for breeding purposes.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Natural Division
Illinois River Section of the Illinois River and Mississippi River Sand Areas Natural Division (#6a)
Registered
July 1997
Size
386 acres
Access
The site is open to the public.
Topographic Quad
Manito
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov