January 2007 OutdoorIllinois / 25
Wet and peaty habitats between the
ridges support rare sedges, bog arrow
grass (Triglochin spp.), a variety of
orchids and two carnivorous wetland
plants—bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)
and sundew (Drosera rotundifolia). Red
root (Carex inops subsp. heliophila) is
found in the sand savanna. Horizontal
juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) and bear-berry
(Arctostaphylos uva-uris) are adapt-ed
to the dry conditions of the open sta-ble
foredunes and beach ridges. Kalm’s
St. Johnswort (Hypericum kalmianum) is
found in the moist calcareous sand of the
zone between the dry ridges and wet
swales. Dynamic sand movement pro-vides
open foredune habitat for the suc-cessful
reintroduction of the federally
threatened Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium
pitcheri) in the southern part of the park.
A multitude of rare insects also are
found at the site, many of which are
dependent on a particular plant species
as a food source during a part of their life
cycle. When the plant’s habitat is rare, the
plant is rare. When the plant is rare, the
dependent insect species also is rare.
The primary food source for the caterpillar
of the Hoary elfin butterfly (Incisalia
polios) is bearberry, and since little undis-turbed
dune habitat remains to support
bearberry, both species are rare in Illinois.
Some of these species are rare in Illi-nois
because they are at the south edge
of their range and are biological treasure
troves of genetic diversity that could
allow for species’ adaptations to chang-ing
climate. But the biggest threat to
most rare species is the loss of suitable
habitat. Shoreline development and arti-ficial
methods of erosion control threat-en
these sand habitats and remnants of
Illinois’ biological heritage.
—Debra Nelson, Natural Heritage
Biologist, DNR Division of Natural
Heritage, Spring Grove
Coastal Property
Unique habitats at one northeastern Illinois park create an
Illinois biological “hot spot” for plants and animals.
Does an endangered
species live in your com-munity?
Chances are
good they do. What hap-pens
when a change to
the environment is proposed?
Recently a subdivision was proposed
in the Village of Lake Barrington, on high
ground overlooking the Wagner Fen For-est
Preserve, an Illinois Natural Areas
Inventory Site (INAI) and dedicated
nature preserve. Controversy flared as
local residents and conservation groups
rallied to protect the preserve, a rare cal-careous
fen supporting nine endangered
or threatened species, including the
sandhill crane (Grus canadensis), Bland-ing’s
turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) and
snakemouth pogonia (Pogonia
ophioglossoides). The fear was that the
proposed development would damage or
destroy the groundwater recharge area
crucial to the preserve’s survival.
State law requires state agencies and
local governments, such as Lake Barring-ton,
to consult DNR before authorizing,
performing or funding any action that
may adversely affect state-threatened or
endangered species or their essential
habitats, or modify
an INAI site, such
as Wagner Fen.
DNR consults on
thousands of pro-posals
every year,
providing advice to
avoid or reduce
threats to protected
resources.
In this case,
community leaders
chose to implement
consultation by
convening a stake-holder’s
group
which included the
developer, DNR,
the Lake County Forest Preserve District,
the Nature Preserves Commission, local
homeowners associations and conserva-tion
groups. The group designed a
groundwater study, paid for by the devel-oper,
that provided data about the origins,
flow paths, chemistry and quantity of
groundwater associated with Wagner Fen.
The findings demonstrated that threats
from the proposed project were not as
serious as originally believed. Stakehold-ers
were able to negotiate a development
plan which avoids or reduces the more
serious impacts.
Most proposed actions are not as
publicly controversial as those affecting
Wagner Fen, and whether an agency or
local government implements DNR rec-ommendations
generally depends on
factors other than public outcry, includ-ing
the extent of their power or their per-ception
of how best to promote the gen-eral
welfare. While actions detrimental
to listed species often proceed
unchanged, consultation at least
assures informed choice.
You can help protect natural areas
and endangered species by encouraging
your local officials to consult with DNR,
and by urging serious consideration of
DNR recommendations before projects
go forward. Consultation is most effective
when local citizens get involved.
—Keith Shank, Impact Assessment
Analyst, DNR Office of Realty and
Environmental Planning
The Consultation
Process
Citizens, developers and biologists work together to
minimize habitat damage.
In 1999, the Illinois General Assembly
approved legislation giving the
Department of Natural Resources the
authority to allow taking of endangered
or threatened species when that take is
incidental to carrying out an otherwise
lawful activity. This “incidental take”
authority allows the Department to work
with developers, highway departments
and others, whose work may involve an
unavoidable taking of rare species, to
assure that the effect on the species is
minimized and mitigated.
24 / OutdoorIllinois January 2007
Some of Illinois’ newest real
estate—sand deposited by
wind and wave action only
a few hundred years ago—
lies along the shoreline of
Lake Michigan.
Tucked within the dry beach ridges
and wet swales at Adeline Jay Geo-
Karis Illinois Beach State Park are 14
distinct plant communities supporting
more than 40 state threatened and
endangered plant and animal species:
beach, foredune, sand prairie, coastal
sand savanna, fen, sedge meadow,
marsh—and a globally rare wet swale
community called panne.
Subtle elevational, moisture and soil
gradients (sometimes only a few feet
apart) are largely responsible for the vari-ety
of plant communities. Desert-like con-ditions
exist along dry ridges where sand
prairie and black oak sand savanna com-munities
support plants such as prickly
pear cactus (Opuntia sp.) and downy yel-low
paintbrush (Castilleja sessiliflora).
Piittccheerr’’ss tthiissttllee ((Ciirrssiium piittccheerrii))
Hoarryy eellffiin butttteerrffllyy ((IIncciissalliia polliioss))
With DNR as a consultant, a developer-funded groundwater study near the
Wagner Fen Forest Preserve in Lake County helped alleviate concerns about
environmental impacts of nearby development.
Sandhiillll ccrranee ((Grruss ccanadeenssiiss))
(Photo courtesy Mike Redmer.)
(Photo courtesy Adele Hodde.)
(Photo courtesy Tom Peterson.)
(Photo courtesy Jim Miner, Illinois State Geological Survey.)
(Photo courtesy Carol Freeman.)
