Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area

Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area is an Illinois state park covering 4,363 acres (1,766 ha) in Fulton County, Illinois, United States.

Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Location within Illinois
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area (the United States)
LocationFulton County, Illinois
Nearest cityCanton, Illinois
Area4,363 acres (1,766 ha)
Governing bodyIllinois Department of Natural Resources

History

From 1910 to 1958, the former bottomland lake and marsh were leveed and drained for farming.[1]

From the late 1880s to the mid-1980s, approximately 90% of the site was strip-mined for coal.[2][3]

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources purchased the land in the 1980s.[4] The Illinois Department of Natural Resources partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a reclamation project that was completed in May 2003. The project optimized the habitat for wildlife (fish and waterfowl), improved flood control, and increased food and cover for wildlife.[5]

Flora and fauna

Flora

The park borders the Illinois River and contains over 200 water bodies that serve as a freshwater marsh habitat for wildlife. The land contains scattered deep-water lakes, floodplain forests, levees, shallow marshes, and extensive grasslands.[6]

Some species of native flora include:[7]

Fauna

Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area is home to migrating and local waterfowl, fish, and other native wildlife.

Some of the native species include: waterfowl such as duck, goose; dove, quail, pheasant, rabbit, deer, and coyote.[8]

Birds

Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area is an important stopover site for many migratory birds. The Audubon Society has chosen it as an Important Bird Area.[9] It also supports breeding populations for wetland and grassland birds. Some of the species of birds include:

Butterflies

Native plants provide a habitat for butterflies.

Fish

Some of the species of fish include:

References
  1. "BANNER MARSH PONDS". I Fish Illinois. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. "BANNER MARSH PONDS". I Fish Illinois. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  3. "Banner Marsh". Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  4. "About Banner Marsh SFWA". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  5. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/be0bac057670459984266f47f6cca1ff. Retrieved 7 March 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. "Important Bird Areas: Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area". National Audubon Society. National Audubon Society. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  7. "Banner Marsh State Fish & Wildlife Area". Illinois River Road. Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  8. "Hunter Fact Sheets". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  9. "Important Bird Areas: Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area". National Audubon Society. National Audubon Society.
  10. "Fishing at Banner Marsh SFWA". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 7 March 2023.


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