Heron Pond – Little Black Slough Nature Preserve (also known simply as Heron Pond) is a parcel of protected
wetland property located in
Belknap, Illinois, approximately 5 miles (8 km) southwest of
Vienna, in
Johnson County. It was designated a
National Natural Landmark in 1972.
As part of the
Cache River basin, it is classified as a
wetland of international importance under the
Ramsar Convention.
Biological history
Heron Pond – Little Black Slough Nature Preserve protects a swath of Cache River drainage upstream from the Post Creek Cutoff. Its biology and geology are representative of the Coastal Plain natural division in Illinois, which is the northernmost extent of the
Gulf Coastal Plain in North America. It combines upland limestone bluffs (Wildcat Bluff), Cache River floodplain, and a drier
mesic
Mesic may refer to:
* Mesic, North Carolina, a town in the United States
* Mesic habitat, a type of habitat
See also
*Mesić (disambiguation)
*Mešić Mešić is a Bosnian surname, a patronymic derived from the masculine given name '' Meša'', it ...
woodland (Boss Island).
The wetland sections of this Nature Preserve protect several
old growth stands of
bald cypress and
water tupelo
''Nyssa aquatica'', commonly called the water tupelo, cottongum, wild olive, large tupelo, tupelo-gum, or water-gum, is a large, long-lived tree in the tupelo genus ''(Nyssa)'' that grows in swamps and floodplains in the Southeastern United St ...
, and a
heron
The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...
rookery. As of 2023, the Illinois state-champion
cherrybark oak can be viewed from the Todd Fink-Heron Pond hiking trail.
The name of the Wildcat Bluff upland may commemorate one of the nature preserve's
top carnivores, the
bobcat
The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...
.
River otters can also be found at Heron Pond.
Birdwatchers visit Heron Pond – Little Black Slough to search for a variety of
raptors, including the
black vulture,
red-shouldered hawk, and the
barred owl, and enjoy a variety of songbirds, including the
Kentucky warbler and the
yellow-throated warbler.
Today
The Heron Pond – Little Black Slough Nature Preserve complex comprises 1,861 acres (753 hectares) of land accessible from
U.S. Highway 45
U.S. Route 45 (US 45) is a major north-south United States highway and a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as .
US 45 is notable for incorporatin ...
. In terms of area, it is the largest natural area owned and operated by the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
A floating boardwalk that is part of the Todd Fink-Heron Pond Trail allows visitors to enter the bald cypress/water tupelo swamp.
The name of the small nearby town of
Cypress, Illinois, appears to commemorate the cypress trees of the upper Cache River drainage, including the groves now protected within the Heron Pond – Little Black Slough Nature Preserve.
References
External links
Heron Pond-Little Black Slough Natural Area- Illinois Department of Natural Resources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heron Pond - Little Black Slough Nature Preserve
Protected areas of Johnson County, Illinois
National Natural Landmarks in Illinois
Wetlands of Illinois
Nature reserves in Illinois
Landforms of Johnson County, Illinois
Ramsar sites in the United States