Sept 2019
By Chris Golden
Have you been to Spring Creek Preserve? I hadn’t until in April I visited there for the first time with some other outdoor enthusiasts. The Fondulac Park District (East Peoria) owns the 262-acre property that started with a 38-acre donation in 1964. The preserve is being managed as a natural area, with no development planned beyond trails. In 2018, about three quarters of the park’s land became an Illinois Land and Water Reserve. This designation adds an important layer of protection that will help keep the park in a natural condition.
HOI Sierra Club member, Bob Bartelt, lives near the preserve and has been a volunteer steward there since 2012. Bob enjoys the rich flora of the preserve that includes wildflowers and a variety of trees and shrubs. An interesting shrub that Bob pointed out on that first visit was leatherwood that is common in the park but is rarely encountered elsewhere in Illinois. A retired entomologist, Bob says the preserve has a variety of interesting insects. For you birders, the variety of habitats that make up the preserve—wooded bluffs, bottomland, old farm fields—are home to over 100 bird species reported thus far. While I was helping at the August workday at the preserve a pileated woodpecker made his presence known.
You too are invited to join in a workday held by the Fondulac Park District the second Tuesday of the month from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Invasive plant species are a major concern at the preserve. All are welcome to come to the workdays and help with their removal. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy and learn more about the preserve while helping retain its high quality for future generations.
Upcoming workdays are: September 10, October 8, November 12 and December 10. Meet at the parking lot located on Spring Creek Road about 0.2 miles east of Highway 116. Volunteers should dress for the weather and terrain, bring gloves, favorite tools, water and insect repellent (if needed). The park district will also have tools and water available. There is a portable restroom on site. If you have questions, contact Bob at robert.bartelt@sbcglobal.net or me, Chris Golden, at cnmgolden@gmail.com.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for a workday to discover and explore Spring Creek Preserve. There are four miles of marked hiking trails. Stream crossings are dry much of the year but no footbridges are in place yet. Visit Spring Creek Preserve soon and get to know this local natural treasure.