Douglas-Hart Nature Center

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DHNC grounds.jpg

The Douglas-Hart Nature Center, located in Mattoon, Illinois, is a nature reserve that offers visitors different Illinois habitats, field programs, environmental educational classes, and volunteer opportunities for all ages.

Contents

In the 1960s Helen Douglas-Hart made her dream, a 33-acre nature preserve in Coles County, Illinois, a reality. Today, DHNC provides protection for three of Illinois primary habitats: tall grass prairie, native forest woodlands, and wetlands, on approximately 70 acres. There are two miles of trails that pass through each local habitat. [1] [2]

Illinois Habitats

Conservation of the three environmental biotopes native to Illinois is the primary directive of Douglas-Hart Nature Center. The biological communities that compose Illinois tall grass prairies, native forest woodlands, and wetlands are area specific, including plant and animal inhabitants, soil and growth characteristics.

Tall Grass Prairies

The native tall grass prairies under protection of DHNC are the most important habitat on the conservancy site. Before widespread settling in Illinois, prairie habitat covered 2/3 of the state. Now, prairie grass covers less than 1% of Illinois. [3] Given the rampant destruction of this endangered habitat, both plants and animals that require the conditions of this biotope have decreased exponentially. Some populations of grassland birds, over the last century, have declined by 95%. [3] Figures such as these reiterate the important role conservancies such as DHNC play in maintaining Illinois habitats. [4]

Wetlands

The aquatic habitats found at DHNC consist of natural wetlands. In many cases, wetlands, as we have come to know them, are modified or completely artificial. [5] The wetlands on the conservancy site are made up of the following types:

Each of these aquatic environments supports various waterfowl, migratory birds, and provides breeding grounds for native species of reptiles and amphibians. These varied wetlands comprise 12 of the 70 acres at DHNC and are equipped with an observation or “lookout” area. [6] However, the wetlands on the conservancy site are in danger. Like many of the natural wetland areas in Illinois, climatic shift is negatively impacting this natural biotope.

Native Forest Woodlands

Native deciduous and coniferous trees comprise the majority of the woodlands at DHNC. According to a survey of the area conducted by The University of Illinois, native trees were present at the site in a 2:1 ratio. [7] Also, the site boosts over 60 species of trees, many native to the state of Illinois. [6] Many of the trees native to the area are labeled for ease of identification by visitors. It is important to note that, even though this biotope is perhaps the best preserved of the three habitats at DHNC, woodlands in Illinois require just as much conservation as the others. Only 12% of the land area in Illinois remains forested compared to 40% before European settling. [8] This represents a nearly 75% decrease in forested area in the state of Illinois alone. Thus, the native forest woodlands are requiring just as much care as the other habitats.

Douglas-Hart Nature Center's Plant Registry

The following list of live plants and trees at Douglas-Hart Nature Center, in Mattoon, Illinois, is supplied by specialists currently working at the conservancy site. [9]

Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie Habitat

Invasive Species found on Site

Native trees of the Woodland Habitat

Native Plants of the Woodland Habitat

Visitor’s Center

Visitor center interior.jpg

The visitor’s facilities at Douglas-Hart Nature Center features interactive displays of local wild life, live reptiles and amphibians, a bird observation area, children's discovery den, library, classrooms and a gift shop. Programs are offered for families, children, school groups, scout groups and more.

Hiking & Outdoor Recreation

Douglas-Hart Nature Center offers two miles of easily accessible, mapped trails to those interested in viewing the conservation site’s habitats. There are five different trails on the property that tender distinct wildlife and biotope observations. There is also a picnic area.

Publications

Douglas-Hart Nature Center produces its own quarterly news-letter titled, NutHatch News. The goal of the conservancy’s publication is "to bring useful information to the community about DHNC, its programs, services, and staff, as well as helpful and interesting articles about nature and the environment". [6]

Related Research Articles

Ancient woodland

In the United Kingdom, an ancient woodland is a woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Planting of woodland was uncommon before those dates, so a wood present in 1600 is likely to have developed naturally.

Tallgrass prairie

The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America. Natural and anthropogenic fire, as well as grazing by large mammals, were historically agents of periodic disturbance, which regulates tree encroachment, recycles nutrients to the soil, and catalyzes some seed dispersal and germination processes. Prior to widespread use of the steel plow, which enabled large scale conversion to agricultural land use, tallgrass prairies extended throughout the American Midwest and smaller portions of southern central Canada, from the transitional ecotones out of eastern North American forests, west to a climatic threshold based on precipitation and soils, to the southern reaches of the Flint Hills in Oklahoma, to a transition into forest in Manitoba.

Oak savanna Type of savanna-or lightly forested grassland- where oaks are the dominant trees.

An oak savanna is a type of savanna-or lightly forested grassland- where oaks are the dominant trees, the term oakery or woodlands is also used commonly, though the former is more prevalent when referencing the Mediterranean area. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, humans, grazing, low precipitation, and/or poor soil.

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) is a tallgrass prairie reserve and United States National Grassland operated by the United States Forest Service. The first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the U.S. and the largest conservation site in the Chicago Wilderness region, it is located on the site of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant between the towns of Elwood, Manhattan and Wilmington in northeastern Illinois. Since 2015, it has hosted a conservation herd of American bison to study their interaction with prairie restoration and conservation.

Cache River (Illinois)

The Cache River is a 92-mile-long (148 km) waterway in southernmost Illinois, in a region sometimes called Little Egypt. The basin spans 737 square miles (1,910 km2) and six counties: Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Union. Located at the convergence of four major physiographic regions, the river is part of the largest complex of wetlands in Illinois. The Cache River Wetlands — America's northernmost cypress/tupelo swamp — harbors 91 percent of the state's high quality swamp and wetland communities. It provides habitat for more than 100 threatened and endangered species in Illinois. In 1996, the Cache was designated a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention.

Matthaei Botanical Gardens

The University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens includes botanical gardens, natural areas with trails, and several research-quality habitats. The conservatory is popular year round. The public entrance is at 1800 North Dixboro Road in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The grounds are open every day, but trails are not maintained in the winter. The conservatory, garden store, and lobby are open 7 days a week: Mon., Tues., and Thurs. - Sun., 10:00 am–4:30 pm; Wednesdays 10 am-8 pm. The building complex is only closed on three holidays a year. The institution's main web site with updated information is Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum is a teaching and research facility of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the site of historic research in ecological restoration. In addition to its 1,260 acres (5 km2) in Madison, Wisconsin, the Arboretum also manages 520 acres of remnant forests and prairies throughout Wisconsin.

Kings Gap Environmental Education

Kings Gap Environmental Education Center is a 1,454-acre (588 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Cooke, Dickinson and Penn Townships, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land in 1973, from the C. H. Masland and Son Carpet Company. Kings Gap Environmental Education Center is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from Pennsylvania Route 233 on South Mountain.

Volo Bog State Natural Area

Volo Bog State Natural Area is a nature reserve in Illinois, United States, preserving Volo Bog. The bog was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973 as the only remaining open-water quaking bog in Illinois. The site also contains woodlands, savanna, marshes, prairie restoration areas, shrubland and old fields. Maintained by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the site is located about a mile west of U.S. Route 12 between the towns of Volo and Fox Lake, Illinois.

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge was created on October 12, 2004, the 545th National Wildlife Refuge in the United States. Its creation was the result of cooperation between at least 30 agencies or governmental entities. The creation of the refuge was spearheaded by The Nature Conservancy, and the initial endowment of 2,300 acres (9.3 km2) of land was donated by the Conservancy. In light of its planned final size of 37,756 acres (153 km2), it is described by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as "the largest tallgrass prairie and wetland restoration project in U.S. history."

Eastern savannas of the United States

The eastern savannas of the United States covered large portions of the southeast side of the continent until the early 20th century. These were in a fire ecology of open grassland and forests with low ground cover of herbs and grasses.

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of five refuges managed in the North Louisiana Refuge Complex and one of 545 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It was established in 1997 through a unique partnership with the city of Monroe, Louisiana. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a free 99-year lease to manage the city-owned lake.

Cosumnes River Preserve

The Cosumnes River Preserve is a nature preserve of 46,000 acres (190 km2) located 20 miles (30 km) south of Sacramento, in the US state of California. The preserve protects a Central Valley remnant that once contained one of the largest expanses of oak tree savanna, riparian oak forest and wetland habitat in North America. Agricultural development has changed the landscape from groves of oaks and tule marshes to productive farmlands.

Aiken Canyon Preserve

Aiken Canyon Preserve is a 1,621-acre (6.56 km2) Nature Conservancy-managed state property in Colorado. It was first observed and named after Charles Aiken who was a 19th century U.S. surveyor, pioneer and ornithologist who first surveyed Aiken Canyon in the 1870s and identified more than 75 bird species. The preserve consists of foothills, shrub and woodland ecosystems and is 12.4 miles southeast from Colorado Springs located on the eastern slope of the Rampart Range which is within a smaller foothill system of the Front Range. The surrounding mountain ranges of the Rampart Range and Palmer Divide created the nature preserves sustainable ecosystem. There is also a four-mile (6 km)-loop hiking trail on the preserve.

Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve

The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve is located in southeastern Manitoba near Gardenton and Vita, this is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Steinbach, Manitoba. It is one of the last remaining stands of tallgrass prairie in Manitoba and is part of the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland conservation area in Manitoba and Minnesota. Several groups and organizations help in land preservation in the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Nature Manitoba, Environment Canada, Manitoba Conservation and the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.

Whiterock Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) land trust located in west-central Iowa that stewards over 4,000 acres of contiguous land located in the Middle Raccoon River watershed, and an additional 1,000 non-contiguous land located in the Brushy and Middle Raccoon River watersheds. The Whiterock landscape almost exclusively made possible by an extraordinary planned land gift from the Garst family to Whiterock Conservancy. The landscape is a mosaic of agricultural land, wetlands, preserved prairie and oak savanna, riverine woodlands, and upland forest. The land is also home to the historic Roswell and Elizabeth Garst Farmstead, which hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1959, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The land is used for recreation, environmental conservation, and for the production of agricultural products, and is managed as a working landscape where cultural, environmental, agricultural, and recreational land uses are held in equal importance.

J. T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve

The J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve, located in Cherokee County, Oklahoma is privately owned and managed by the Oklahoma Nature Conservancy. The preserve contains 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) of forest and grassland. Spring-fed creeks meander amid a rugged topography of steep slopes and narrow valleys harboring a mosaic of oak-hickory forest, lofty pine woodland, and a diverse mix of savanna, shrubland, and prairie. Elk have been reintroduced at the Preserve

Chiwaukee Prairie

Chiwaukee Prairie is a 485-acre (1.96 km2) prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It is located along Lake Michigan just north of Illinois and includes grassy wetlands, wooded areas, and the Kenosha Sand Dunes at its northern tip. it is home to an abundance of wildlife. It was designated a Wisconsin State Natural Area in 1967 and a National Natural Landmark in 1973. Together with surrounding areas, and south to Illinois Beach State Park, it constitutes an internationally recognized wetland of importance under the Ramsar Convention, called the Chiwaukee Illinois Beach Lake Plain.

Interior Low Plateaus

The Interior Low Plateaus are a physiographic region in eastern United States. It consists of a diverse landscape that extends from north Alabama across central Tennessee and Kentucky into southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Its natural communities are a matrix of temperate forests, woodlands, and prairies.

Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve

Invereshie and Inshriach is a national nature reserve on the western flank of the Cairngorms in the Highland council area of Scotland. The reserve covers habitats at a range of different altitudes, ranging from Caledonian Forest beside the River Feshie in the west, via bog and open moorland, to an arctic-alpine environment on the Cairngorm plateau. The Munro summit of Sgòr Gaoith (1118 m) lies on the eastern boundary of the reserve. The forested areas of the reserve form part of an expanse of Caledonian pinewood that stretches from Glen Feshie to Abernethy, and which as a whole forms the largest single area of this habitat remaining in Scotland. The reserve is owned and managed jointly by NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS): NatureScot own the Invereshie portion of the reserve and FLS the Inshriach area.

References

  1. Douglas-Hart Nature Center. "Helen Burgner Douglas-Hart". Douglas-Hart Nature Center. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  2. W.G.Zyznieuski & G.S.Zyznieuski (2002). A Guide to Illinois Nature Centers & Interpretive Trails. ISBN   0-8093-2430-X.
  3. 1 2 Illinois Department of Natural Resources (19 September 2011). "Protecting and Managing Grasslands". Creating Habitats and Homes for Illinois Wildlife. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  4. Ken Robertson (University of Illinois) (19 September 2011). "The Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois". "Prairie Restoration". Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  5. Illinois Department of Natural Resources (19 September 2011). "What Defines Aquatic Habitat". Creating Habitats and Homes for Illinois Wildlife. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Ryan Condron (2010). "Douglas-Hart Nature Center". Douglas-Hart Nature Center Home Page. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  7. Wang, Jing-Shu, Saeed A. Khan, and Jeffrey O. Dawson. "NITROGEN FIXING TREES INFLUENCE CONCENTRATIONS OF AMMONIUM." AFTA 2005 Conference Proceedings. (2005): 1-17. Web. 19 Sep. 2011. <http://www.cinram.umn.edu/afta2005/pdf/Dawson.PDF> Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine .
  8. "Illinois Forest Facts." Illinois Forestry. University of Illinois Extension Office, n.d. Web. 19 Sep 2011. <http://web.extension.illinois.edu/forestry/il_forest_facts.html>.
  9. Radford, Dakota. "DHNC Plant Registry." WeDHNC. 2012. Microsoft Word Document. Web. 17 Jan 2012.

Works Cited

Coordinates: 39°29′42″N88°18′36″W / 39.495°N 88.310°W / 39.495; -88.310