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Microclimates along the lakefront range from extremely dry beaches and sand dunes to the moist swales or sloughs between the sand ridges. In this relatively small area the flora ranges from the prickly pear cactus and creeping juniper to wetlands plants and wildflowers such as orchids, wood lillies, gentians, and Indian paintbrushes. |
Size: 49,172 acres; 77 square miles
Location: Northeastern Illinois on Lake Michigan; Lake and Cook counties
Illinois Beach RRA is one of the most ecologically rich and unique areas
in Illinois. The diversity of habitats created because of its location
on the shores of Lake Michigan support a wide variety of plants and animals.
Significant and unusual topographic features include beaches, ridges and
swales, and dunes. The area is an important migratory route for birds.
This site's boundaries include urbanized areas of the Chicago metropolitan
region.
LANDCOVER: The predominant landcover in Illinois Beach RRA is
urban/built-up (63%), followed by upland woods (15%). Illinois Beach RRA
has the second highest percentage of urban/built -up acreage among the
RRAs. This RRA ranks third in percentage of nonforested wetlands.
NATURAL AREAS: There are 15 Natural Areas, covering almost 9% of the site. Illinois Beach and Illinois Dunes North account for three-fourths of the total Natural Area acreage.
BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT STREAMS: This site has no BSS streams.
HERITAGE SITES: Illinois Beach RRA has 155 Heritage points. Twenty-one significant community types occur in this RRA, several of which are primary communities--foredunes, beaches, and bluffs--specific to this part of the state. The Heritage database lists 47 plant species, 17 animal species, and a peregrine falcon hacking site for this RRA.
STATE AND FEDERAL LAND: State land consists of Illinois Beach State Park. Fort Sheridan is federally owned.
NATURE PRESERVES: There are three Nature Preserves in this site. Many unique lakefront communities such as lakeshore, foredune, sand prairie, sand savanna, fen, panne, sedge meadow, marsh, and pond are found in these Nature Preserves.
NATURAL DIVISION: Illinois Beach RRA is in the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division.
SUMMARY OF SITE CHARACTERISTICS: SIZE, BIOLOGIC RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC LANDS
| Total Acreage |
49,172 |
| Natural Areas | |
|
Acreage |
4,252 |
|
Number |
15 |
| Biologically Significant Stream Mileage | 0 |
| Natural Heritage Sites | 155 |
| State Land | |
|
State Parks |
1 |
|
State Conservation Areas |
0 |
|
State Forests |
0 |
|
State Fish & Wildlife Areas |
0 |
|
Acreage |
3,092 |
|
Percentage of RRA |
6.3 |
| Federal Land | |
|
Acreage |
726 |
|
Percentage of RRA |
1.5 |
| LANDCOVER |
Acres |
% of RRA |
| Upland forest | 7,134.37 | 14.51 |
| Bottomland forest | 504.58 | 1.03 |
| Wetland-nonforested | 2,180.29 | 4.43 |
| Grassland | 1,909.74 | 3.88 |
| Cropland | 927.27 | 1.89 |
| Urban/Built-up | 30,866.50 | 62.77 |
| Water | 5,350.88 | 10.88 |
| Total | 48,873.63 | 99.39 |
| ILLINOIS NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY SITES |
Acres |
| Blair Woods | 135 |
| Blodgett Bluff | 5 |
| Crabtree Farm Woods | 37 |
| Fort Sheridan Bluff | 24 |
| Fort Sheridan Site | 2 |
| Glencoe Balsam Poplar Site | 6 |
| Hubbard Woods Site | 2 |
| Illinois Beach | 2,013 |
| Illinois Dunes North | 1,222 |
| Lake Bluff Woods | 34 |
| Lyons Woods | * |
| McCormick Nature Preserve | 135 |
| Ravinia Bluff | 4 |
| Tangley Oaks Woods | 87 |
| Waukegan Beach | 547 |
| * = point location, map not available |
BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT STREAMS
None
| NATURAL HERITAGE CATEGORIES |
Occurrences |
Types/Species |
| Communities | ||
|
Lake |
2 | 2 |
|
Wetland |
9 | 5 |
|
Forest |
8 | 2 |
|
Savanna |
2 | 2 |
|
Prairie |
11 | 7 |
|
Primary |
7 | 3 |
| Threatened and Endangered Animals | ||
|
Bird |
11 | 9 |
|
Fish |
4 | 2 |
|
Reptile |
2 | 2 |
|
Insect |
4 | 4 |
| Threatened and Endangered Plants | ||
|
Plant-Dicot |
46 | 22 |
|
Plant-Gymnosperm |
16 | 4 |
|
Plant-Monocot |
1632 | 21 |
| Geological Feature | ||
| Other | ||
|
Hacking Site Peregrine Falcon |
1 | 1 |
STATE AND FEDERAL LAND
| State Parks | |
|
Illinois Beach |
3,092 |
|
State Conservation Areas |
0 |
|
State Forests |
0 |
|
State Fish and Wildlife Areas |
0 |
| Federal Land | |
|
Fort Sheridan |
726 |
| ILLINOIS NATURE PRESERVES |
Acres |
|
Illinois Beach |
1,095 |
|
North Dunes |
242 |
|
Spring Bluff |
214 |
| NATURAL DIVISIONS |
Acres in RRA |
% of RRA |
% of Division |
| Northeastern Morainal | 48,685 | 99.0 | 2.0 |
| Major Water Bodies | 487 | 1.0 | .0 |