Grant Creek Prairie Nature Preserve

Will County

Location and Access:

From I-55 Exit 241 near Wilmington, go to the east frontage road of I-55, then turn north and go 0.8 mile. The nature preserve is on the east side of I-55 and is north of a River Road in the Des Plaines Conservation Area.

Description:

Grant Creek Prairie contains high quality wet prairie and mesic prairie communities with over 110 different native prairie plant species. Some of the characteristic wet prairie species include blue-joint grass, cord grass and tussock sedge. Mesic prairie grasses are prairie dropseed, Indian grass, big bluestem and switchgrass while forbs include leadplant, false wild indigo and tall coreopsis. Birds include bobolink, grasshopper sparrow and sedge wren. Upland sandpipers have been seen in adjacent areas. Mammals such as prairie voles, shrews, coyotes and reptiles and amphibians like the western fox snake, blue racer, smooth green snake and western chorus frog can also be seen. Prior to the state's acquisition, Grant Creek Prairie was grazed by cattle which allowed hawthorn trees to invade the northern section. Current management of the preserve is primarily concerned with the elimination of these small trees.

Ownership: Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Dedicated: September 1978

Size: 78 acres

Topo Map: Wilmington 7.5

For Further Information Contact: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Biologist, Silver Springs State Park, 13608 Fox Road, Yorkville, IL 60560 (630/553-1372) or Site Superintendent, Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area, 24621 N. River Rd., Wilmington, IL 60481 (815/423-5326)

1/09 - R. Heidorn