Illinois natural areas inventory: Summary Report

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Deptartment of Landscape Architecture; White, John; Corbin, Calvin C.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/9362 Copy

Description

Title

Illinois natural areas inventory: Summary Report

Author(s)

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Deptartment of Landscape Architecture
• White, John
• Corbin, Calvin C.

Contributor(s)

Natural Land Institute (Rockford, Ill.)

Issue Date

1978

Keyword(s)

Natural areas

Geographic Coverage

Illinois

Abstract

The Illinois Natural Areas Inventory was a 3 -year project to find and describe natural areas for the Illinois Department of Conservation. The results of the inventory will be used to develop and implement a state natural area plan, to protect the diversity of natural features in Illinois. Methods for finding natural areas consisted of compiling available information, examining maps and aerial photos, aenal surveys. and on-site inspections. As many as 90 items of information were compiled for the significant sites. A computer-based system was developed to store, retrieve, and analsze the information. The 1,089 sites identified as natural areas have a total of 1,730 significant features. Six hundred and ten natural areas were identified because of their high quality, relatively undisturbed communities of plants and animals. There are 269 areas with endangered species, 160 outstanding geologic areas, and 17 outstanding aquatic areas. Two hundred and fifty-one areas are nature preserves or school natural areas. The approximate acreages of high quality, relatively undisturbed areas of land and water identified by the inventory are as follows: 13,500 acres of forests, 2,300 acres of prairies, 1,300 acres of savannas, 6,000 acres of wetlands, 2,000 acres of lakes and ponds, and 600 acres of rocky glades and similar communities. These relatively undisturbed areas include seven-hundredtks of 1% of Illinois' total land and water area. The natural areas represent a wide diversity of natural features. Most geologic formations, major soil associations, and topographic features occur in at least one site listed by the project. Natural areas were found in all but three counties, but they are concentrated in hilly regions, along rivers, and near cities. About one-third of the natural areas are receiving some degree of protection, but only one-fifth of the significant natural features can be considered permanently protected. Half of the areas are threatened with destruction from changes in the use of the land.

Publisher

Urbana, Ill. : Dept. of Landscape Architecture. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Permalink

• http://hdl.handle.net/10111/UIUCOCA:Archive/illinoisnaturala03univ
• http://hdl.handle.net/2142/9362

Has Version(s)

• http://hdl.handle.net/10111/UIUCOCA:illinoisnaturala03univ
• http://www.archive.org/details/illinoisnaturala03univ

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 1978 Board of Trustees University of Illinois.

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