Location

 

North of Camp McDonald Road. West of the Metra railroad tracks. South of Willow Road. East of Foster Ave. Located in the town of Wheeling Illinois.

 

Size

 

5acres

 

History

 

The land was prairie and wet prairie based on the original pre-settlement land survey maps. There is no evidence that it was ever used for agricultural purposes, but soil samples indicate some disturbance did occur. The area became a ComEd right of way sometime between 1938 to 1960 when the high tension power lines were installed. For some reason, a community of native wet prairie plants survived, likely due to the railroad and right of way that was installed.

 

Plants

 

Native species include:

 

Common dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Commomon Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum)

Grass-leaved Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia)

Common Elderberry (Sambucus nigra canadensis)

Dark Green Bulrush (Scripus atrovirens)

Blue Vervain (Verbana hastata)

Willow Asters - various

Dogwood - silky or swamp

 

Invasives/non-natives include: Under management

 

Queen Anne’s Lace aka Wild carrot (Daucus carota)

Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

cattail Giant reed aka phragmities (Phragmites australis)

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)

 

Noted features

 

This site hosts dozens of species of wet prairie sedges, rushes and grasses, as well as several very conservative plants, ie.,the narrow leaved Loosestrife and native orchids. A very large section has been invaded by cattails. The area is an important site for seed collection. The Prospect Heights Bike Path runs through the site in a mostly north-south direction. At the south end of the site there is a “Little Free Library - Take a book/Return a book” kiosk.