Spring Creek Preserves Management Plan:

Spring Creek Preserves is owned and managed by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Additional partners in the management and restoration of the Spring Creek preserves are:

  • Audubon – Chicago Region
  • Barrington Countryside Park District
  • Citizens for Conservation
  • Riding Club of Barrington Hills
  • Sierra Club – Northwest Cook Group
  • Spring Creek Volunteers
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

This summary provides an overview of the plans for the ecological management of the 3910-acre Spring Creek forest preserves.

All acreages are approximate estimates.

The Present and the Potential

The Current Conditions map (below) was prepared by District staff from aerial photography and spot checks for "ground truthing."

The Natural Community Goal map (below) is a concept plan prepared by Forest Preserve District staff. It is used as a “first draft” guide in the preparation of specific area plans. Goals shown on this map may be modified in the creation of area plans on the basis of new ecological information, public feedback, and other factors. The original concept map was drawn on the basis of current vegetation, original vegetation as shown on the Public Land Survey of the 1830s, management needs of current rare species, preliminary consideration for site visitors and neighbors, existing hydrology, and soils. It is largely a map of restoration potential and would therefore necessarily be substantially changed in the lowlands if hydrologic restoration was found to be feasible and desirable.

The Management Plan

The map entitled Spring Creek Preserves—Management Summary (below) shows the general outlines of the areas in which restoration management is planned or already under way.

There are 5 management regions:

A description of each region and their corresponding sub-regions as shown on the map are described below.

Region 1. Spring Lake Nature Preserve—County Line Road to Donlea Road.
These 560 acres were originally a mix of woodland, savanna, prairie and wetland. High quality current remnants include small areas of prairie, sedge meadow, fen, and marsh. This entire area is a dedicated nature preserve under Illinois law, and as such its natural features benefit from the most secure protection available under law. It is shown on the goals map as largely wetland with smaller and roughly equal amounts of prairie, woodland and savanna.

  • SL1. Spring Lake Prairie (about 30 acres of varying quality extend from Bateman/Lake-Cook to Donlea Road)
    This mix of prairie and sedge meadow has been managed by brush control and controlled burns since the early 1980s. The goal in this area is to preserve high quality remnants of prairie, fen and sedge meadow by prescription burning and control of woody and herbaceous invasive species. Volunteer work is coordinated by Daria Sapp and Debbie Antlitz working as volunteers, with FPD support. This area benefited from mechanized brush control funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2004.

Region 2. Donlea Road to Algonquin Road
This 950-acre area is mostly former cropland and drained wetland hayfields and grazing lands. It is shown on the Goals map as mostly savanna with substantial areas of prairie, wetland and woodland.

  • DA1. Steeplechase Meadow (about 50 acres)
    Here shrubs and tree saplings have invaded a field of Eurasian pasture grasses. Restoration as a prairie shrubland was begun in 2006. The goal is to restore native shrubs and herbaceous plants in a matrix that will be managed by controlled burns. Work so far has been mostly the control of invasive trees and shrubs and is being done by the Spring Creek Volunteers under the leadership of Ginger Underwood, Kim Keper, and Karen Selman and by Forest Preserve District staff.
  • DA2. Bluebird Field (about 20 acres)
    Beginning in February 2005, adjacent Barrington Hills residents have collaborated with District Ecologist Debbie Antlitz to rescue a field that is home to bluebirds, kingbirds, towhees and other birds of open shrubland. Neighbors and other volunteers have cleared away invasive weeds and buckthorn so that the scenic beauty and open shrubland habitat can be preserved. Native seed has been donated by Citizens for Conservation to help diversify and stabilize the grassland matrix.

Region 3. Spring Creek Valley—Algonquin Road to Dundee Road
Formerly a mix of bur oak savanna, prairie and wetland, this area contains the Spring Creek preserves best quality prairie (about 4 acres). The rest of these 480 acres are now mostly Eurasian meadow, brushland and partially drained wetland.

  • SC1. Spring Creek Valley Prairie (currently about 70 acres)
    Long known for its breeding grassland birds, this area had so grown over with brush by 2002 that no grassland birds continued to breed here. Forest Preserve District staffer John McCabe mowed the shrubs and saplings off about 50 acres during the winter of 2003. Monitor Wendy Paulson reported the news that sandhill cranes returned to breed for the first time in memory that summer. Bobolinks and grasshopper sparrows returned as well. Additional brush and weed control was conducted every year since, funded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Exelon, and the Bobolink Foundation. Forest Preserve District staff continue to mow brush and weeds. About 20 acres were seeded in fall 2007 (rare seed donated by Citizens for Conservation). There is now a full complement of prairie bird species breeding on this site—including sedge wren, Henslow's sparrow, meadowlark, and many others.
    Principal challenges in the next few years include the invasives (black locust, wild parsnip, giant reed and others) and the planting of prairie seed in receptive areas.
  • SC2. Spring Creek Prairie (4 acres plus 15 acres recently cleared of invasive trees and shrubs and a tree plantation)
    When the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory identified it as one of the finest prairies in the state in the late 1970s, it consisted as a narrow strip along a droughty west-facing bluff. Invading trees and shrubs were held at bay throughout the 80s and 90s by neighbors and volunteer stewards Wendy and Hank Paulson; it was later adopted as a priority by Citizens for Conservation, which sponsors volunteer workdays there a few times each year under the direction of steward Tom Vanderpoel. Management has consisted of brush and weed control and controlled burns. In summer 2005, Forest Preserve District interns cut invading trees away from the immediate western edge of the best quality prairie areas (about 0.1 acres). During the winter of 2006, a grant from the Bobolink Foundation, allowed the Forest Preserve District to realize a long-planned removal of about 15 acres of invasive brush and a tree plantation to reconnect the bluff prairie to the much larger grassland below and to clear brush out of two acres of bur oak savanna. The work was conducted by contractors, interns and volunteers.
    Ongoing work for this high quality site consists of removal of invasive shrubs and saplings, weed control, and prescribed burns.

Region 4. Dundee to Penny Road
Originally mostly prairie and wetland, this 540-acre area is currently a mix of hayfields (leased to farmers), recovering native prairie, brushland, tree plantation, and partially drained wetlands including a small high-quality fen. Some of the brushland contains important populations of shrubland birds. The hayfields are currently home to the state threatened Henslow’s sparrow, grasshopper sparrows, meadowlarks, bobolinks, and other birds of open grassland.

  • DP1. Galloping Prairie (about 110 acres)
    Formerly prairie or shrubland, this area is now largely brush patches that surround shrinking openings of overgrazed pasture with some native prairie species. In the winter of 2005 and 2006, Spring Creek Volunteers and FPD staff cut most of the larger invasive trees in preparation for Seppi mowing, which is scheduled for winter 2008. The plan calls for leaving patches of native shrubs, especially American plum and sumac. About five acres were seeded in fall 2004 with prairie seed locally gathered from spontaneous sources by Citizens for Conservation and Spring Creek Volunteers.
  • DP2. Stony Ridge (about 5 acres)
    Formerly prairie or shrubland, this area is now largely brush patches that surround shrinking openings of overgrazed pasture with some native prairie species. In the winter of 2005 and 2006, Spring Creek Volunteers and FPD staff cut most of the larger invasive trees in preparation for Seppi mowing, which is scheduled for winter 2008. The plan calls for leaving patches of native shrubs, especially American plum and sumac. About five acres were seeded in fall 2004 with prairie seed locally gathered from spontaneous sources by Citizens for Conservation and Spring Creek Volunteers.
  • DP3. Fen and marsh
    This complex of wetlands, including sedge meadow and streamside marsh, was initially recognized for the high quality fen harboring the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly and such rare plant species as Kalm’s lobelia and bog goldenrod. Brush was cut from near Galloping Hill in winter 2006. The balance of the brush in the wetland is scheduled for mowing in winter 2008. Possible breeding wetland species in the less-brushy wetland include sandhill crane, least bittern, and blue-winged teal.

Region 5. Headwaters—Penny Road to Higgins Road
Formerly a mix of oak woodland, oak savanna, prairie, sedge meadow and marsh, this 1,330-acre area includes the headwaters of the west fork of Spring Creek. Vegetation now includes 50 acres of hay meadow and 160 acres of row crop fields leased to farmers, as well as all above communities in various stages of restoration.

  • H1. Hidden Pond Woods
    About 80 acres of mixed oak woodland (bur, white, scarlet, swamp white and red oak along with shagbark and bitternut hickory, walnut and other natural species). Volunteers are at work in two areas cutting invasive trees that have made the understory too dark for oak reproduction and for ground layer grasses, wildflowers, and the animals that depend on them. Trees being removed include buckthorn and black locust, along with a reduction of numbers of ash, basswood, maple and others. The goal is the restoration of sustainable oak woodland. An arm of grassland that bisects two parts of this woods will be planted with natural trees when the hay lease expires.
  • H2. Healy Road Savanna
    About 50 acres of bur oak savanna and a slope with remnant bur, white and red oak woodland. Volunteers began in 2004 to cut invasive trees. Steward Dave Cook supervises the day-to-day work. Volunteers are recruited by the Spring Creek Volunteers and the Northwest Group of the Sierra Club, which has adopted this site for trash clean up and restoration.
  • H4. Headwaters Prairie
    Restoration is currently under way on about 140 acres of this potentially 500-acre former prairie area. 160 additional acres, that had been leased for rowcrop farming, will begin to be restored to grassland habitat in fall 2007. Forest Preserve District staff have Seppi-mowed about 40 acres. Miscellaneous brush including dozens of tall cottonwoods were cut by contractors through a grant from the US.Fish and Wildlife Service to restore prairie and wetland habitat during the winter of 2007. Controlled burns in 2005 through 2007 have benefited about 60 acres. The work includes mowing small brush and removing invasive tree lines that have fragmented this grassland in many areas. Spring Creek Volunteers each year cut brush (and broadcast seed donated by Citizens for Conservation) under the leadership of Kim Keper, John Yapelli and Chris Mulvaney.
    Easily seen to the west of Wichman Road are ongoing efforts to restore a mosaic of wetland, prairie, shrubland, and bur oak savanna. This area is south of the swale that extends from Headwaters Pond to the recently-leased farm fields. This swale is bordered by cottonwoods which fragmented the southern portion of this grassland from the main area. Now that this area has been cleared the wetland and prairie on both sides is expected to be substantially improved habitat for grassland and wetland wildlife. Woody resprouts and troublesome weeds will be herbicided during the 2007 growing season. This area will be seeded with diverse species of wetland, prairie, oak savanna and shrubland in fall 2007.
  • H5. Headwaters Prairie South
    Similar to Headwaters Prairie, but separated from it by dense brush on the northwest. This area has remnant native grassland species including prairie dock. Brush was mowed here by FPD staff in 2006 and 2007.
  • H6. Beverly Lake Woods
    The better quality parts of these 30 acres of formerly high-quality woods are mostly on steep slopes and feature old bur and white oaks. The understory is now mostly invasive garlic mustard and buckthorn, but quality plant species survive here and there in small numbers. Spring Creek Volunteers have cut buckthorn and pole trees from about one acre.
  • H7. Headwaters Grove
    Fine old bur oaks on a north facing gentle slope have only minor buckthorn in the understory and a modest number of invasive trees (especially box elder). The initial goal is to open up this grove sufficiently for oak reproduction and a healthy understory. Garlic mustard control by mowing and herbicide will begin in 2008. A large farm dump was removed in fall 2006. The 15-acre grove is bordered by young oaks in the grassland and shrubland to the east. It is bordered by former cropland to the west.
  • H8. Headwaters Shrubland
    Ultimately perhaps 50 acres of open shrubland, the area now is mostly dense brush with just a few areas still open enough for breeding shrubland birds including the blue-winged warbler and willow flycatcher. Parts of this area were Seppi mowed in January 2007 to re-establish some of the grassland component. Forest Preserve staff and Spring Creek Volunteers have thinned some invasive trees and shrubs and will seed in additional shrubs, shrubland grasses and wildflowers to restore sustainable shrubland. Natural shrubs here include hazelnut, wild plum, sumac, dogwood, oak grubs and others.
    The area consists principally of grassy meadow of mostly Eurasian old field species, interspersed with brush and young trees. Non-native species will be cleared, and some native species reduced consistent with good shrubland habitat.