Map of Protected Areas of Illinois Each dot is linked to the corresponding article: Parks; Forests; Recreation Areas; Fish and Wildlife Areas; Natural Areas; National Historic Sites and Trails |
Illinois has a variety of protected areas, including over 123 state-protected areas, dozens of federally protected areas, hundreds of county-level and municipal park areas. Illinois also contains sites designated as internationally important protected areas. These multiple levels of protection contribute to a statewide network of numerous recreation opportunities and conservation schemes, sometimes in a small area. For example, DeKalb County contains a 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) forest preserve system[ citation needed] and a 1,500-acre (6.1 km2) state park ( Shabbona Lake State Park); within DeKalb County, the DeKalb Park District in the City of DeKalb has a 700-acre (2.8 km2) park system. [1]
Illinois state-owned protected areas include state parks, state forests, state recreation areas, state fish and wildlife areas, state natural areas, and one state trail. These areas are all administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In addition, dozens of state historic sites are administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division. [2]
State historic sites are typically protected for their historic and cultural importance but may include a nature preservation component, such as at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Lincoln's New Salem. For a list, see Illinois Historic Preservation Division.
State parks are owned by the state and generally administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. [3] Specifically, “State Park” refers to sites “exhibiting exceptional scenic and natural features and terrain” and that “offer a wide range of recreational opportunities for the public to enjoy”. [4]
Areas whose primary purpose is to “reserve land and water areas for production and conservation of fish or wildlife and to provide hunting, fishing, trapping, observation, and other forms of compatible recreational use.” [4]
Areas of land which “either retains or has recovered to a substantial degree its original natural or primeval character, though it need not be completely undisturbed, or has floral, faunal, ecological, geological or archaeological features of scientific, educational, scenic or esthetic interest.” [4]
Name | County | Area (acres) | Area (km2) | Estab- lished |
Bodies of water | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big River State Forest | Henderson | 2,900 | 12 | 1925 | Mississippi River | ||
Bohm Woods Nature Preserve [10] | Madison | 90 | 0.36 | November 2006 [11] [10] | |||
Hidden Springs State Forest | Shelby | 1,200 | 4.9 | 1960 | Richland Creek, Possum Creek | ||
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site | Madison | 2002 | None | ||||
Mitchell's Grove Nature Preserve | LaSalle | 184 | 0.74 | 1997 | Little Vermilion River (Illinois River tributary) | ||
North Point Marina | Lake | 297 | 1.20 | ? | Lake Michigan | ||
Sand Ridge State Forest | Mason | 7,200 | 29 | 1939 | None | ||
Trail of Tears State Forest | Union | 5,114 | 20.70 | 1929 | Mississippi River, Clear Creek | ||
Tunnel Hill State Trail | Johnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson | None | 45-mile (72.4 km) Trail. | ||||
Wildlife Prairie Park | Peoria | 1,700 | 6.9 | 2000 | Deep Lake, Caboose Lake, Beaver Lake, Horseshoe Lake |
Illinois contains one national forest, the Shawnee National Forest, one national grassland, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and several other sites administered by the National Park Service, including portions of National Trails. There are also National Wildlife Refuges.
The following U.S. Wilderness areas are located within the Shawnee National Forest and are administered by the U.S. Forest Service:
Crab Orchard Wilderness is located within Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
The National Park Service operates the federally owned Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, the Pullman National Historical Park in Chicago, and the New Philadelphia National Historic Site in Pike County in rural western Illinois. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is a National Park Service-affiliated site which is located in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. In addition, the National Park Service partners with the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.
One UNESCO World Heritage Site in Illinois, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, is protected and listed as a state-owned historic site. Two of the eight World Heritage Site structures exemplifying the 20th-Century architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright are also located in Illinois: Unity Temple and the Robie House, and are protected by local and federal schemes.
In addition to cultural sites, Illinois contains five wetland areas designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention: [12]
A variety of county and town protected areas exist in Illinois, including city park districts and county-wide Forest Preserve or Conservation Districts, as well as land owned by private conservation organizations. One of the largest systems is the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which includes Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden as well as 70,000 acres (280 km2) of open land, or 11.6 percent of Cook County's land area. Under Illinois law, counties may set up a conservation land holding district, after approval by county voters. Although most of the 102 counties have not established such a public landholding agency, below are the approved county districts:
Map of Protected Areas of Illinois Each dot is linked to the corresponding article: Parks; Forests; Recreation Areas; Fish and Wildlife Areas; Natural Areas; National Historic Sites and Trails |
Illinois has a variety of protected areas, including over 123 state-protected areas, dozens of federally protected areas, hundreds of county-level and municipal park areas. Illinois also contains sites designated as internationally important protected areas. These multiple levels of protection contribute to a statewide network of numerous recreation opportunities and conservation schemes, sometimes in a small area. For example, DeKalb County contains a 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) forest preserve system[ citation needed] and a 1,500-acre (6.1 km2) state park ( Shabbona Lake State Park); within DeKalb County, the DeKalb Park District in the City of DeKalb has a 700-acre (2.8 km2) park system. [1]
Illinois state-owned protected areas include state parks, state forests, state recreation areas, state fish and wildlife areas, state natural areas, and one state trail. These areas are all administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In addition, dozens of state historic sites are administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division. [2]
State historic sites are typically protected for their historic and cultural importance but may include a nature preservation component, such as at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Lincoln's New Salem. For a list, see Illinois Historic Preservation Division.
State parks are owned by the state and generally administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. [3] Specifically, “State Park” refers to sites “exhibiting exceptional scenic and natural features and terrain” and that “offer a wide range of recreational opportunities for the public to enjoy”. [4]
Areas whose primary purpose is to “reserve land and water areas for production and conservation of fish or wildlife and to provide hunting, fishing, trapping, observation, and other forms of compatible recreational use.” [4]
Areas of land which “either retains or has recovered to a substantial degree its original natural or primeval character, though it need not be completely undisturbed, or has floral, faunal, ecological, geological or archaeological features of scientific, educational, scenic or esthetic interest.” [4]
Name | County | Area (acres) | Area (km2) | Estab- lished |
Bodies of water | Image | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big River State Forest | Henderson | 2,900 | 12 | 1925 | Mississippi River | ||
Bohm Woods Nature Preserve [10] | Madison | 90 | 0.36 | November 2006 [11] [10] | |||
Hidden Springs State Forest | Shelby | 1,200 | 4.9 | 1960 | Richland Creek, Possum Creek | ||
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site | Madison | 2002 | None | ||||
Mitchell's Grove Nature Preserve | LaSalle | 184 | 0.74 | 1997 | Little Vermilion River (Illinois River tributary) | ||
North Point Marina | Lake | 297 | 1.20 | ? | Lake Michigan | ||
Sand Ridge State Forest | Mason | 7,200 | 29 | 1939 | None | ||
Trail of Tears State Forest | Union | 5,114 | 20.70 | 1929 | Mississippi River, Clear Creek | ||
Tunnel Hill State Trail | Johnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson | None | 45-mile (72.4 km) Trail. | ||||
Wildlife Prairie Park | Peoria | 1,700 | 6.9 | 2000 | Deep Lake, Caboose Lake, Beaver Lake, Horseshoe Lake |
Illinois contains one national forest, the Shawnee National Forest, one national grassland, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and several other sites administered by the National Park Service, including portions of National Trails. There are also National Wildlife Refuges.
The following U.S. Wilderness areas are located within the Shawnee National Forest and are administered by the U.S. Forest Service:
Crab Orchard Wilderness is located within Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
The National Park Service operates the federally owned Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, the Pullman National Historical Park in Chicago, and the New Philadelphia National Historic Site in Pike County in rural western Illinois. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is a National Park Service-affiliated site which is located in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. In addition, the National Park Service partners with the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area.
One UNESCO World Heritage Site in Illinois, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, is protected and listed as a state-owned historic site. Two of the eight World Heritage Site structures exemplifying the 20th-Century architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright are also located in Illinois: Unity Temple and the Robie House, and are protected by local and federal schemes.
In addition to cultural sites, Illinois contains five wetland areas designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention: [12]
A variety of county and town protected areas exist in Illinois, including city park districts and county-wide Forest Preserve or Conservation Districts, as well as land owned by private conservation organizations. One of the largest systems is the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which includes Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden as well as 70,000 acres (280 km2) of open land, or 11.6 percent of Cook County's land area. Under Illinois law, counties may set up a conservation land holding district, after approval by county voters. Although most of the 102 counties have not established such a public landholding agency, below are the approved county districts: