Conservation-Focused Groups
Swanberg Nature Preserve
Momence, Illinois
Swanberg Nature Preserve is one man’s vision to teach his children about the importance of conservation. When fully restored, this 100-acre site will include the major ecotypes of Illinois. A 50-acre oak savanna will be bordered by a 30-acre freshwater marsh and a 20-acre riparian woodland along the Kankakee River. LRMG designed the plan to restore the land to its original state. We currently manage the restoration of the preserve, which has been seeded with native plants and several multi-use trails have been installed.
Wetland and Native Community Restoration and
Master Plan for Dooley Conservation Farm
Crete, Illinois
The master plan for Dooley Farm is composed of two phases: restoration of the existing wetland and restoration of the surrounding upland habitat. A large component of the wetland restoration will consist of restoring the hydrology to a more dynamic state through the installation of a more efficient water spillway. The next step in the restoration of the wetland will consist of eradicating and managing invasive weedy species and establishing more waterfowl-friendly native emergent and wet/mesic vegetation. The surrounding upland will be enhanced through a more effective and sustainable management program and additional plantings to create a diverse native plant community. The ultimate goal of the master plan is to establish and manage habitat for migratory waterfowl and neo-tropical migrating birds.
Floristic Survey and Plant Community Mapping within the Plum Creek Greenway
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Will County, Illinois
Plant communities, within five separate sections of the Greenway, were identified, graded, and mapped based on the methodology of the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory. More than thirteen floristic community types were identified. Along with grading the plant communities based upon their amount of human disturbance, a Floristic Quality Index was calculated for each community. Species of concern were recorded and mapped and recommendations for future management of the area was suggested. The results were analyzed through summary statistics, classification, and ordination. A document of more than 300 pages was compiled to report the results.