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At the center of the forested corridor along the Sangamon River in this area is Allerton Park. The natural area is an example of a relatively undisturbed stream-valley ecosystem. It inlcudes bottomland forest, reclaimed prairie, and wetlands. |
SIZE: 53,734 acres; 84 square miles
LOCATION:Central Illinois; Macon and Piatt counties
The major natural features of the Sangamon River RRA are the forest tract at Robert Allerton Park and the Sangamon River. The area is highly agricultural. This RRA is relatively small.
LANDCOVER : Nearly three-fourths of the Sangamon River RRA is
cropland, the highest percentage among the RRAs. Fourteen percent of the
RRA is grassland and 10% is wooded. Upland and bottomland wood percentages
are moderately low. This site has the lowest acreage and lowest percentage
of nonforested wetlands of the RRAs; there are only 49 acres of nonforested
wetland identified in this site.
NATURAL AREAS : The two Natural Areas are Robert Allerton Park and the Sangamon River.
BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT STREAMS : A 15.5 mile stretch of the Sangamon River is designated as a BSS stream.
HERITAGE SITES : There are eight Heritage sites in this RRA representing four communities types, three animal species, and one large forest tract.
STATE AND FEDERAL LAND : No state or federal land occurs in this RRA.
NATURE PRESERVES : No Nature Preserves occur in this RRA.
NATURAL DIVISIONS : This RRA lies entirely within the Grand Prairie Natural Division.
SUMMARY OF SITE CHARACTERISTICS: SIZE, BIOLOGIC RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC LANDS
| Total Acreage |
53,734 |
| Natural Areas | |
|
Acreage |
880 |
|
Number |
2 |
| Biologically Significant Stream Mileage | 15.5 |
| Natural Heritage Sites | 8 |
| State Land | |
|
State Parks |
0 |
|
State Conservation Areas |
0 |
|
State Forests |
0 |
|
State Fish & Wildlife Areas |
0 |
|
Acreage |
0 |
|
Percentage of RRA |
0.0 |
| Federal Land | |
|
Acreage |
0 |
|
Percentage of RRA |
0.0 |
| LANDCOVER |
Acres |
% of RRA |
| Upland forest | 3,212.53 | 5.98 |
| Bottomland forest | 1,892.48 | 3.52 |
| Wetland- nonforested | 29.30 | 0.05 |
| Grassland | 7,604.83 | 14.15 |
| Cropland | 39,445.37 | 73.41 |
| Urban/Built-up | 1,213.08 | 2.26 |
| Water | 337.19 | 0.63 |
| TOTAL | 53,734.78 | 100.00 |
| ILLINOIS NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY SITES |
Acres |
| Robert Allerton Park | 719 |
| Sangamon River | 161 |
| BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT STREAMS |
Miles |
| Goose Creek | 0.0 |
| Sangamon River, source to Piatt/Macon county line | 15.5 |
| NATURAL HERITAGE CATEGORIES | ||
| Communities |
Occurrences |
Types/Species |
|
Floodplain Forest |
2 | 2 |
|
Forest |
2 | 2 |
| Threatened and Endangered Animals | ||
|
Bird |
2 | 2 |
|
Reptile |
1 | 1 |
| Threatened and Endangered Plants | ||
| Geological Feature | ||
| Other | ||
|
Forest Block >500 Acres |
1 | 1 |
| STATE AND FEDERAL LAND |
Acres |
| State Parks | 0 |
| State Conservation Areas | 0 |
| State Forests | 0 |
| State Fish and Wildlife Areas | 0 |
| Federal Land | 0 |
| ILLINOIS NATURE PRESERVES |
| None |
| NATURAL DIVISIONS |
Acres in RRA |
% of RRA |
% of Division |
| Grand Prairie | 53,735 | 100.0 | 0.4 |