List of protected areas of Illinois

Last updated

Map of Protected Areas of Illinois
Each dot is linked to the corresponding article:
Red pog.svg Parks; Green pog.svg Forests; Purple pog.svg Recreation Areas;
Blue pog.svg Fish and Wildlife Areas; Orange pog.svg Natural Areas;
Red-gold double pog.svg 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]

Contents

State protected areas

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

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

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]

Name  County  Area (acres) Area (km2)  Estab-
lished
  
Bodies of water  Image  Remarks  
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park Lake 4,16016.81948 Lake Michigan
Illinois Beach State Park Lakefront.jpg
Apple River Canyon State Park Jo Daviess 2971.201932 Apple River
Apple River IL Apple River Canyon St Park1.JPG
Argyle Lake State Park McDonough 1,7006.91948 Argyle Lake
Argyle Lake State Park.jpg
Beall Woods State Park Wabash 6352.571966 Coffee Creek
Beaver Dam State Park Macoupin 7503.01947 Beaver Dam Lake
Beaver Dam State Park sign, Illinois.jpg
Buffalo Rock State Park & Effigy Tumuli LaSalle 2981.21November 15, 1928 Illinois River
Castle Rock State Park Ogle 2,0008.11921 Rock River
Castle Rock State Park 1.jpg
Cave-in-Rock State Park Hardin 2040.831929 Ohio River
Cave-in-rock IL.jpg
Chain O'Lakes State Park McHenry 1,7006.91945 Bluff Lake, Catherine Lake, Channel Lake, Fox Lake, Fox River, Grass Lake, Marie Lake, Nippersink Lake, Petite Lake, Pistakee Lake, Redhead Lake, Turner Lake
Chain O'Lakes State Park.jpg
Channahon State Park Will 20.50.0831932 DuPage River, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River
Channahon State Park 4.jpg
Delabar State Park Henderson 890.361960 Mississippi River
Dixon Springs State Park Pope 8013.241946 Wabash River
Ghost Dance Canyon, Dixon Springs State Park.jpg
Donnelley/Depue State Park Putnam 3,01512.201982 Lake DePue, Spring Lake, Coleman Lake, Illinois River
Ferne Clyffe State Park Johnson 2,4309.81949 Ferne Clyffe Lake
Ferne Clyffe State Park.jpg
Fort Massac State Park Massac 1,4505.91908 Ohio River
Fort Massac IL 2.JPG
Fox Ridge State Park Coles 2,0648.351930s Ridge Lake, Embarras River
False rue anemone (Enemion biternatum).jpg
Gebhard Woods State Park Grundy 300.121934 Nettle Creek
Gebhard Woods State Park.jpg
Giant City State Park Jackson, Union 1,1004.51927 Little Grassy Lake, Indian Creek
Giant City State Park.jpg
Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park Bureau, Lee, Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry 60,314244.081970 Hennepin Canal
HennepinCanalLock01.jpg
104.5-mile (168.2 km) linear park (W To Moline then N to Rock Falls vic.)
Horseshoe Lake State Park Madison 2,96012.0? Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake State Park, Pontoon Beach, IL.jpg
Illini State Park LaSalle 5102.11934 Illinois River
Illini State Park.jpg
James "Pate" Philip State Park DuPage, Kane 3,43213.891991 Brewester Creek
Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park Henry 1,3655.52? Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake
Vizsla Dog At Johnson Sauk Trail Lake.jpg
Jubilee College State Park Peoria 3,200131933Jubilee Creek
Jubilee College.JPG
Kankakee River State Park Kankakee, Will 4,000161938 Kankakee River
Old_Bridge_Piers_P1010079_Kankakee_River_SP_(old_Bridge_Piers) Old Bridge Piers P1010079 Kankakee River SP (old Bridge Piers).jpg
Old_Bridge_Piers_P1010079_Kankakee_River_SP_(old_Bridge_Piers)
Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park Stephenson 7152.891948 Lake Le-Aqua-Na
Lake Murphysboro State Park Jackson 1,0224.141948 Lake Murphysboro
Lake murphysboro 1 (2238805196).jpg
Lincoln Trail State Park Clark 1,0234.141958 Lincoln Trail Lake
Lincoln Trail State Park.jpg
Lowden State Park Ogle 2070.841945 Rock River
Oregon Il Lowden State Park20.jpg
Matthiessen State Park LaSalle 1,7006.91943 Deer Park Lake, Vermilion River
Lower Dells Fall (49761135352).jpg
Mississippi Palisades State Park Carroll 2,500101973 Mississippi River, Apple River
Rock Climbing Mississippi Palisades (26).jpg
Moraine Hills State Park McHenry 2,2008.91939 Lake Defiance, Fox River
Moraine Hills State Park Illinois 2023 1042.jpg
Morrison-Rockwood State Park Whiteside 1,1644.711971 Rock Creek, Lake Carlton
Morrison Rockwood State Park.jpg
Nauvoo State Park Hancock 1480.60? Mississippi River, Lake Horton
3._Nauvoo_State_Park_and_Museum_(Nauvoo,_Illinois)_on_the_Mormon_Pioneer_National_Historic_Trail_(2004)_(883e3aa6-cf09-4e12-ae20-49477530361b) 3. Nauvoo State Park and Museum (Nauvoo, Illinois) on the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail (2004) (883e3aa6-cf09-4e12-ae20-49477530361b).JPG
3._Nauvoo_State_Park_and_Museum_(Nauvoo,_Illinois)_on_the_Mormon_Pioneer_National_Historic_Trail_(2004)_(883e3aa6-cf09-4e12-ae20-49477530361b)
Pere Marquette State Park Jersey 8,05032.61931 Mississippi River, Illinois River
Pere Marquette State Park (2151796571).jpg
Red Hills State Park Lawrence 9673.911953 Muddy Creek
Path at Red Hills State Park in Fall.jpg
Rock Cut State Park Winnebago 3,09212.511957 Pierce Lake, Olson Lake
Gfp-illinois-rock-cut-state-park-river.jpg
Rock Island Trail State Park Stark, Peoria 1989None
Wyoming CB&Q depot.jpg
26-mile (42 km) public rail trail.
Shabbona Lake State Park DeKalb 1,5506.31978 Shabbona Lake
Gfp-illinois-shabbona-lake-state-park-across-the-lake.jpg
Siloam Springs State Park Adams, Brown 3,32313.451940
South Shore State Park Clinton 26,000110? Carlyle Lake
Starved Rock State Park LaSalle 2,63010.61911 Illinois River
Kaskaskia Canyon Falls - Starved Rock State Park - panoramio.jpg
Walnut Point State Park Douglas 6712.721968
Weinberg-King State Park Schuyler 7723.121968?
Wolf Creek State Park Shelby 23,500951968 Lake Shelbyville, Wolf Creek

State fish and wildlife areas

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]

Name  County  Area (acres) Area (km2)  Estab-
lished
  
Bodies of water  Image  Remarks  
Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area Fulton 2,2479.091947 Anderson Lake
Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area Randolph 2,0188.17? Baldwin Lake
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area Fulton 4,36317.661980s [5] Illinois River
Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area [6] Alexander 1,3805.6?
Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Fayette 37,0001501966 Carlyle Lake
Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Montgomery 2971.201966 Coffeen Lake, Shoal Creek
Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area Crawford 1,1294.57? Huston Creek
Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area Will 5,000201948 Kankakee River, Milliken Lake
Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area Fulton 1,9617.942001 Double T Lake
Edward R. Madigan State Fish and Wildlife Area Logan 9743.941971 Salt Creek
Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area Hamilton 1,6836.811962 Dolan Lake
Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area Grundy 1,3005.3? Heidecke Lake
Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area Alexander 10,20041? Horseshoe Lake
Iroquois County State Wildlife Area Iroquois 2,48010.01944NoneOccupies the edge of the former Glacial Lake Watseka.
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area Cass 16,55067.0June 1993 Gridley Lake, Prairie Lake, Drake Lake
Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph 20,00081? Kaskaskia River, Baldwin Lake
Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Jackson 11,75047.61968 Kinkaid Lake, Johnson Creek, Reed Creek
Kishwaukee River State Fish and Wildlife Area DeKalb 5702.32002 Kishwaukee River
LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area LaSalle 2,0588.33? LaSalle Lake
Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area Tazewell 1,4485.861970 Mackinaw River
Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area Marshall 6,000241925 Illinois River
Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area Bureau 9113.69?15 lakes
Mazonia/Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area Grundy 1,0174.121981 Braidwood Lake
Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Massac 2,63010.61949 Mermet Lake
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area Vermilion 2,700111986 Middle Fork
Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area Jersey, Calhoun 24,38698.69? Stump Lake, Fuller Lake
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Jasper 1,7757.181979 Newton Lake, Sand Creek, Laws Creek
Peabody River State Fish and Wildlife Area Randolph 2,2008.9?20 lakes
Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Tazewell 1,1814.78?Pekin Lake, Worley Lake
Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Tazewell 1,4265.77September 18, 1984 [7] [8] [9] Powerton Lake
Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area Pike 1,1404.61970 Illinois River
Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Franklin, Jefferson 38,900157? Rend Lake
Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Fulton 5,66022.91945 Rice Lake
Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area Saline 1,2705.11959Glen O. Jones Lake
Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Wayne 1,3025.271959 Sam Dale Lake
Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area Jasper 1,1804.81960
Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area Cass, Schuyler, Mason 10,36041.91948
Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area Moultrie 6,20025? Kaskaskia River, West Okaw River
Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife Area Kendall 1,3505.51969 Fox River, Loon Lake, Beaver Lake, Silver Springs
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area Knox 2,500101987 Snakeden Hollow Lake
Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area Tazewell 2,0328.221950 Spring Lake
Ten Mile Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area Hamilton, Jefferson 6,000241988 Ten Mile Creek
Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area Randolph 2,2649.16?
Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area Union 6,20225.101940s
Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area Woodford 2,90012 Illinois River, Upper Peoria Lake

State recreation areas

Name  County  Area (acres) Area (km2)  Estab-
lished
  
Bodies of water  Image  Remarks  
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area DeWitt 9,300381978 Clinton Lake, Salt Creek, Old Creek
Eagle Creek State Recreation Area Shelby 11,10045May 1963 Lake Shelbyville, Eagle Creek
Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area Clinton 3,00012? Carlyle Lake, Lake Shelbyville
Frank Holten State Recreation Area St. Clair 1,0804.41964 Whispering Willow Lake, Grand Marais Lake
Golconda Marina State Recreation Area Pope 2741.11? Ohio River
Kickapoo State Recreation Area Vermilion 2,84211.501939 Middle Fork
Moraine View State Recreation Area McLean 1,6876.831959 Dawson Lake, Salt Creek
Prophetstown State Recreation Area Whiteside 530.211947 Coon Creek, Rock River
Pyramid State Recreation Area Perry 19,70179.731968Super Lake
Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area Fayette 1,9808.0? Ramsey Lake, Ramsey Creek
Randolph County State Recreation Area Randolph 1,1014.461958 Randolph County Lake
Sangchris Lake State Recreation Area Christian, Sangamon 3,02212.231964 Sangchris Lake
Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area Marion 3,10312.561959
Washington County State Recreation Area Washington 9003.61959
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area Franklin, Jefferson 3,300131975 Rend Lake, Big Muddy River
Weldon Springs State Recreation Area DeWitt 5502.21948 Salt Creek

State natural areas

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  
Cache River State Natural Area Johnson 14,31457.931970 Cache River
Franklin Creek State Natural Area Lee 8823.571982 Franklin Creek
Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area Monroe 9974.031970 Kidd Lake
Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area Grundy 2,53710.271969 Goose Lake, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River, Illinois River
Green River State Wildlife Area Lee 2,56510.381940 Green River
Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area Vermilion 1,1044.47? Little Vermilion River (Wabash River tributary)
Illinois Caverns State Natural Area Monroe 1200.491985None9.6 km of the park are passages underground.
Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area Jackson, Randolph 1980.801972 Piney Creek
Sielbeck Forest Natural Area Johnson 3851.561998
Spitler Woods State Natural Area Macon 202.50.8191937 Squirrel Creek
Volo Bog State Natural Area Lake 1,1504.71970 Volo Bog

Other state protected areas

Name  County  Area (acres) Area (km2)  Estab-
lished
  
Bodies of water  Image  Remarks  
Big River State Forest Henderson 2,900121925 Mississippi River
Bohm Woods Nature Preserve [10] Madison 900.36November 2006 [11] [10]
Hidden Springs State Forest Shelby 1,2004.91960 Richland Creek, Possum Creek
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site Madison 2002None
Mitchell's Grove Nature Preserve LaSalle 1840.741997 Little Vermilion River (Illinois River tributary)
North Point Marina Lake 2971.20? Lake Michigan
Sand Ridge State Forest Mason 7,200291939None
Trail of Tears State Forest Union 5,11420.701929 Mississippi River, Clear Creek
Tunnel Hill State Trail Johnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson None45-mile (72.4 km) Trail.
Wildlife Prairie Park Peoria 1,7006.92000 Deep Lake, Caboose Lake, Beaver Lake, Horseshoe Lake


Federally protected areas

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.

National Forest Service Areas

U.S. Wilderness Areas

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

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Areas

National Park Service

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.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Internationally recognized protected areas

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]

Local level parks

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 counties have not established such a public landholding agency, below are the approved county districts:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neches River</span> River in East Texas

The Neches River begins in Van Zandt County west of Rhine Lake and flows for 416 miles (669 km) through the piney woods of east Texas, defining the boundaries of 14 counties on its way to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, Lake Palestine and B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir are located on the Neches. The Angelina River is a major tributary with its confluence at the north of Lake B. A. Steinhagen. Tributaries to the south include Village Creek and Pine Island Bayou, draining much of the Big Thicket region, both joining the Neches a few miles north of Beaumont. Towns and cities located along the river including Tyler, Lufkin, and Silsbee, although significant portions of the Neches River are undeveloped and flow through protected natural lands. In contrast, the lower 40 miles of the river are a major shipping channel, highly industrialized, with a number of cities and towns concentrated in the area including Beaumont, Vidor, Port Neches, Nederland, Groves, and Port Arthur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nature reserve</span> Protected area for flora, fauna or features of geological interest

A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for purposes of conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research. They may be designated by government institutions in some countries, or by private landowners, such as charities and research institutions. Nature reserves fall into different IUCN categories depending on the level of protection afforded by local laws. Normally it is more strictly protected than a nature park. Various jurisdictions may use other terminology, such as ecological protection area or private protected area in legislation and in official titles of the reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Wildlife Refuge</span> United States protected area designation

National Wildlife RefugeSystem (NWRS) is a system of protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an agency within the Department of the Interior. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants. Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge as the first wildlife refuge in 1903, the system has grown to over 568 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts encompassing about 856,000,000 acres (3,464,109 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adirondack Park</span> Part of Forest Preserve in Northeastern U.S.

The Adirondack Park is a multi-use park in northeastern New York protecting the Adirondack Mountains. The park was established in 1892 for "the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure", and for watershed protection. At 6.1 million acres, it is the largest park in the contiguous United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of the United States</span> Legally protected land, eg national parks

The protected areas of the United States are managed by an array of different federal, state, tribal and local level authorities and receive widely varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness, while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation. As of 2022, the 42,826 protected areas covered 1,235,486 km2 (477,024 sq mi), or 13 percent of the land area of the United States. This is also one-tenth of the protected land area of the world. The U.S. also had a total of 871 National Marine Protected Areas, covering an additional 1,240,000 sq mi (3,200,000 km2), or 26 percent of the total marine area of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kisatchie National Forest</span> National forest in Louisiana, US

Kisatchie National Forest, the only National forest in Louisiana, United States, is located in the forested piney hills and hardwood bottoms of seven central and northern parishes. It is part of the Cenozoic uplands and has large areas of longleaf pine forests. It is one of the largest pieces of natural landscape in Louisiana, with some 604,000 acres (2,440 km2) of public land, more than half of which is vital longleaf pine and flatwoods vegetation. These support many rare plant and animal species. There are also rare habitats, such as hillside seepage bogs and calcareous prairies. The forest also contains and provides a buffer for the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, a nationally designated wilderness area that contributes to protecting biodiversity of the coastal plain region of the United States.

The protected areas of Michigan come in an array of different types and levels of protection. Michigan has five units of the National Park Service system. There are 14 federal wilderness areas; the majority of these are also tribal-designated wildernesses. It has one of the largest state forest systems as well having four national forests. The state maintains a large state park system and there are also regional parks, and county, township and city parks. Still other parks on land and in the Great Lakes are maintained by other governmental bodies. Private protected areas also exist in the state, mainly lands owned by land conservancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie</span> Largest tallgrass prairie restoration area in the United States, located in Illinois

The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) is a tallgrass prairie reserve and similarly preserved as 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Wilderness Preservation System</span> Protection of wilderness areas in the U.S.

The National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness areas are managed by four federal land management agencies: the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge</span> National wildlife refuge in Minnesota, United States

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is a 240,000-acre (970 km2), 261-mile long (420 km) National Wildlife Refuge located in and along the Upper Mississippi River. It runs from Wabasha, Minnesota in the north to Rock Island, Illinois in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge</span>

The Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Illinois River in Mason County northeast of Havana, Illinois. It is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as one of the four Illinois River National Wildlife and Fish Refuges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a 43,890 acre (180 km2) National Wildlife Refuge primarily in southwestern Williamson County, but with small extensions into adjacent eastern Jackson and northeastern Union counties of southern Illinois, in the United States. Its land and water contain a wide diversity of flora and fauna. It centers on Crab Orchard Lake. Major habitat types on the refuge include hardwood forest, agricultural land, grazing units, brushland, wetlands, and lakes. Other major bodies of water on the refuge are Devil's Kitchen Lake and Little Grassy Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kishwaukee River</span> River in Illinois, United States

The Kishwaukee River, locally known as simply The Kish, is a 63.4-mile-long (102.0 km) river in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a tributary of the Rock River and its name derives from the Potawatomi word for "river of the sycamore".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of California</span> Protected environmental areas of California, US

According to the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD), in the state of California, United States, there are over 14,000 inventoried protected areas administered by public agencies and non-profits. In addition, there are private conservation areas and other easements. They include almost one-third of California's scenic coastline, including coastal wetlands, estuaries, beaches, and dune systems. The California State Parks system alone has 270 units and covers 1.3 million acres (5,300 km2), with over 280 miles (450 km) of coastline, 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage, nearly 18,000 campsites, and 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of Georgia (U.S. state)</span>

The protected areas of Georgia cover almost one million acres (4,000 km2) of the state. These areas are managed by different federal and state level authorities and receive varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation. On the Federal level, Georgia contains 1 Biosphere Reserve, 15 National Park Service Managed Sites, 1 National Forest and 8 Wildlife Refuges. Georgia is home to 63 state parks, 48 of which are state parks and 15 that are National Historic Sites, and many state wildlife preserves, under the supervision of the Georgia Department of Parks and Recreation, a division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge</span>

The Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is a newly established United States national wildlife refuge that will include noncontiguous properties, especially tallgrass prairie patches, wetland properties, and oak savanna parcels, located in the northwestern region of the Chicago metropolitan area and the southern part of the Milwaukee area. The refuge's boundaries encompass parts of McHenry County, Illinois, and Walworth County, Wisconsin. The refuge will be operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, known as USFWS. 85 percent of the refuge will be in Illinois, and 15 percent in Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of North Carolina</span> North Carolina protected areas

The protected areas of North Carolina cover roughly 3.8 million acres, making up 11% of the total land in the state. 86.5% of this protected land is publicly owned and is managed by different federal and state level authorities and receive varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation. The remainder of the land is privately owned, but willingly entered into conservation easement management agreements, or are owned by various nonprofit conservation groups such as the National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy. North Carolina contains 1 National Park, and various other federally owned protected land including 2 National Seashores, 5 National Forests, 12 Wildlife Refuges, and the southern half of the Blue Ridge Parkway. North Carolina has an extensive state park system of 42 open units, 35 of which are state parks, 4 that are recreation areas, and 3 staffed state natural areas, along with other designated units managed by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

References

  1. "DeKalb Park District". DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  2. "State Historic Sites". dnrhistoric.illinois.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  3. "State Parks & Outdoor Recreation". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "State Parks Designation Act". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  5. "About Banner Marsh SFWA". dnr.illinois.gov. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  6. "Cape Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  7. "Public fishing available". Lemont Metropolitan. September 13, 1984. p. 15. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  8. Hogan, John (August 25, 1985). "The fishing is great on Edison Lakes". The Life. p. 12. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  9. McNally, Tom (May 30, 1984). "New lake near Pekin ready soon". Chicago Tribune. p. 48. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Bohm Woods Nature Preserve". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  11. "Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve". Heartlands Consevancy. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  12. "The Annotated Ramsar List: United States of America" (PDF). Ramsar.org. Retrieved February 13, 2020.