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The 25-acre Marissa Woods Nature Preserve in St. Clair County is a good example of an undisturbed forest and likely was once a savannah that is now changing due to lack of fire. In 2019, biologists reported two dozen dead oaks, along with more than 100 oak and hickory trees showing significant herbicide damage.
The 35-acre Julius J. Knobeloch Woods in St. Clair County is designed to provide “educational opportunities to those who might otherwise never experience a natural area” and includes a .7 mile scenic drive. In 2019, Biologists observed damage in 12 species from 10 plant families. “Thin canopies, dieback, and mortality appear to have trended upward since 2017.” About 30 trees, mostly oaks, had recently died.
The 2,900-acre Big River State Forest in Henderson County is “a remnant of a vast prairie woodland border area that once covered much of Illinois and home to two endangered plants.” In 2019, state biologists reported that some trees had died “likely from previous years’ damage. All new growth (this year’s growth) was affected by brown patches or cupping at margins.”
The 196-acre Sipple Slough Woods in Washington County is home to a locally rare population of a wildflower called Aureolaria grandiflora. But in 2019, biologists reported that it was “significantly depressed” and that more than 100 oak trees had herbicide damage. The site had been damaged the year before. “Overall foliage injury level appears less than in 2018 but the overall health of the oak trees at this site has not improved and appears to have declined slightly. A number of trees demonstrate epicormic branching and dieback with some mortality.”
Mature oaks “have been dying for several years” at the 40-acre Goode’s Woods in Macoupin County, and nearly all mature oaks have reduced leaf size and thin canopy coverage, state biologists reported in 2019.
The 12-acre Sunbury Railroad Prairie in Livingston County preserves rare but important habitat for several mammals and grassland birds. But in 2019, species damaged by herbicide damage included ”obedient plant, woodland sunflowers (approx. 100 individuals), drooping coneflower, rigid goldenrod, milkweed, leadplant, bee-balm monarda, round-headed bush clover, flowering spurge, ironweed, asters, prairie dropseed, cherry, and prairie dock.”
In Illinois, records show herbicide damage to nature preserves |Johnathan Hettinger
More than 60 areas managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resource, including state parks and nature preserves, reported herbicide damage in 2018 or 2019, according to records obtained by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting via the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Below are excerpts of damage reports at DNR lands across Illinois.The 25-acre Marissa Woods Nature Preserve in St. Clair County is a good example of an undisturbed forest and likely was once a savannah that is now changing due to lack of fire. In 2019, biologists reported two dozen dead oaks, along with more than 100 oak and hickory trees showing significant herbicide damage.
The 35-acre Julius J. Knobeloch Woods in St. Clair County is designed to provide “educational opportunities to those who might otherwise never experience a natural area” and includes a .7 mile scenic drive. In 2019, Biologists observed damage in 12 species from 10 plant families. “Thin canopies, dieback, and mortality appear to have trended upward since 2017.” About 30 trees, mostly oaks, had recently died.
The 2,900-acre Big River State Forest in Henderson County is “a remnant of a vast prairie woodland border area that once covered much of Illinois and home to two endangered plants.” In 2019, state biologists reported that some trees had died “likely from previous years’ damage. All new growth (this year’s growth) was affected by brown patches or cupping at margins.”
The 196-acre Sipple Slough Woods in Washington County is home to a locally rare population of a wildflower called Aureolaria grandiflora. But in 2019, biologists reported that it was “significantly depressed” and that more than 100 oak trees had herbicide damage. The site had been damaged the year before. “Overall foliage injury level appears less than in 2018 but the overall health of the oak trees at this site has not improved and appears to have declined slightly. A number of trees demonstrate epicormic branching and dieback with some mortality.”
Mature oaks “have been dying for several years” at the 40-acre Goode’s Woods in Macoupin County, and nearly all mature oaks have reduced leaf size and thin canopy coverage, state biologists reported in 2019.
The 12-acre Sunbury Railroad Prairie in Livingston County preserves rare but important habitat for several mammals and grassland birds. But in 2019, species damaged by herbicide damage included ”obedient plant, woodland sunflowers (approx. 100 individuals), drooping coneflower, rigid goldenrod, milkweed, leadplant, bee-balm monarda, round-headed bush clover, flowering spurge, ironweed, asters, prairie dropseed, cherry, and prairie dock.”
