Spunky Bluffs

Wetland Restoration along the Illinois River

Wetland Ecosystems were a vital part of the Illinois River Valley centuries ago.Their inherent value cannot be calculated given the tremendous amount of plant and animal life they support.It is estimated that 46% of all threatened and endangered species in the United States are associated with wetland habitats. (1) Wetlands are valuable for their habitat, which produces massive numbers of plant and animal life as well as their role in reducing floods and improving water quality.One type of habitat associated with wetlands is a community of moist soil plants.These plants, which include a variety of grasses, sedges and forbs,are highly productive and serve as shelter, protection from predators and food sources for a variety of animals.The Illinois River Valley floodplains contained thousands of moist soil plant communities, which in turn supported millions of waterfowl, and other animals.Although moist soil plants are adapted to a moist environment and can withstand periodic flooding, current regulatory practices on the Illinois River and elsewhere are reducing these wetland communities to mudflats.In addition, much of the Illinois River Floodplain has been leveed for agriculture, reducing the size of these communities to a fraction of their former glory.Numbers of animals relying on moist soil plant communities have likewise decreased tremendously over the past 100 years.Understanding and restoring moist soil plant communities is the first step in reviving the vital floodplains ecosystem that existed along the Illinois River.The Illinois Nature Conservancy has purchased two sites along the Illinois River which will be restored to wetland habitat, Emiquon (near Havanna, IL) and Spunky Bottoms (near Meredosia, IL)A total of 11,000 acreswill be restored to native habitat.Restoration Plans call for backwater lakes with associated moist soil plant communities, a swamp forest,and short and tall grass prairies.

This paper will address plant characteristics, important plant species and ecosystem requirements of moist soil plants proposed for Emiquon and Spunky Bottoms.

Plant List for Backwater Lake and Ditches