The Cache River Wetlands
The eleven counties of southernmost Illinois, mostly south of Illinois Route 13, offer birding possibilities that are truly remarkable. This area is comprised of six Natural Divisions, physio-graphically distinct regions, (the Southern Till Plain, the Ozarks, the Lower Mississippi River Bottoms, the Shawnee Hills, the Coastal Plain, and the Wabash Border) each supporting distinctly different flora and fauna.
Southernmost Illinois is bordered by the Mighty Mississippi River to the west and the Ohio River to the east and south. Along these two great rivers can be found bird species not common to inland regions of southernmost Illinois. Each river serves as a road map for migratory birds, seasonally funneling migratory species to and through the area.
Over 370,000 acres of public lands can be found inland south of Illinois Route 13. Three National Wildlife Refuges, nearly a dozen state parks and conservation areas, and, of course, the Shawnee National Forest all crisscross the southernmost Illinois region. These holdings with their grasslands, woodlands, and myriad of streams and lakes provide critical habitat for several hundred resident and migratory bird species.
At the southernmost tip of Illinois east meets west and north meets south, geographically, creating one of the richest realms of diversity, the Cache River Watershed. Said to look more like Louisiana than Illinois, the Cache River Watershed supported an estimated 250,000 acres of mature swampy cypress-tupelo forests in pre-settlement times. Historic records note the “ceaseless cries and chatter” of tremendous numbers of woodpeckers present near the old mouth of the Cache River.
From its birthplace near Cobden, the Cache River meanders southeast towards Mermet Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area but turns southwest before reaching Mermet Lake. From there the Cache River runs west southwest where it meets up with Cypress Creek then continues southwest past Ullin and Tamms, collecting water from several small tributaries along the way. The Cache comes within a few miles of Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area before bending back southeast towards Mounds. A short distance farther the Cache spills into the Ohio River.
When Swampland Was Not A Good Thing
In an attempt to control the disastrous effects of seasonal flooding, settlers along the Lower Cache built several drainage systems, the biggest and most effective being the Post Creek Cutoff. Dug in the early 1900’s, the Post Creek Cutoff was a ditch running straight south from the Cache to the Ohio River at a point where the Cache ran nearest the Ohio. Over time erosion had enlarged the ditch to the point it had the effect of draining the life blood from the Cache River watershed.
These alterations made an area previously considered mosquito infested, malaria spawning swampland more acceptable for logging, farming, and general habitation. Over the forthcoming years, the Cache River Watershed managed to evade the negative affects of advancing civilization (over population, industrialization, and pollution) but the realm was suffering ecologically. Soil erosion from channelization, forest fragmentation from logging and agricultural clearing, and the spread of exotic plants introduced by settlers were all changing what was left of the original watershed.
Seeing that the watershed’s life force was fading, a group of organizations, government agencies, and concerned citizens combined efforts to form the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership. This group has been working since 1990 to protect and restore approximately 60,000 acres within the watershed to pre-settlement conditions. Some of the better known areas within the Joint Venture restoration area are the Cache River State Natural Area (including such places as Heron Pond, Little Black Slough, and Section 8 Woods), Cypress Creek National Wildlife Area (including Frank Bellrose Waterfowl Reserve and Limekiln Slough), The Nature Conservancy’s Grassy Slough Preserve, and Horseshoe Lake and Mermet Lake State Fish & Wildlife Areas.
Adopting Swamps and Watching Birds
The Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture is in some aspects racing against time. As important as some of the larger, well known sites are, there are smaller places within the Joint Venture region that are just as important but because of funding shortfalls are not getting tended to. In some instances just a dam built across a small gully at the cost of only $5000 or less can prevent vital backwater from escaping the watershed. It’s like plugging a leak.
A program titled “Adopt-A-Swamp” was initiated as a way to fund such projects. Administered through the Illinois Conservation Foundation, “Adopt-A-Swamp” funds can be collected to “purchase a plug” for some of the many gullies eroding away the watershed. But not only is it good to have a way of administering funds, it’s important to have effective way of acquiring the funds. Thus the Nature Fest of Southernmost Illinois was conceived.
Initially started as the Birding Blitz of Southernmost Illinois, a birding contest in which competing teams went out to locate as many bird species as they could in one day, the Birding Blitz and the Nature Fest offers more to all. The Nature Fest of Southernmost Illinois is day full of activities focusing on the Cache River Watershed. Informational programs, live bird demonstrations, and outings that deliver hands-on learning are all designed to educate the public on the uniqueness of the watershed’s ecosystem and its importance as habitat for rare plants and animals and, more specifically, migratory and resident bird species.
The Nature Fest event takes place the last Saturday of April during the height of spring bird migration through southernmost Illinois. The Fest weekend activities have attracted nearly 1000 participants. In 2005 ten registered Birding Blitz teams, birding in the Cache Wetlands and the surrounding southernmost area, located a collective total of 198 species in one day. In addition to competing, Birding Blitz teams must collect pledges from sponsors. Birding Blitz team pledges as well as proceeds from the Fest all go to the “Adopt-A-Swamp” program.
Upcoming Events in June and July 2010:
Out of the Wild: Thursday, June 3, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Birds of Prey
Thursday, July 1, 1 - 3 p.m. Fish of the Cache
Get up close and personal with the critters that live in the Cache watershed at Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 State Route 37 South, Cypress, Ill. 618-657-2064.
Out of the Wild will also be the first Thursday in August and September
Canoe the Cache: Saturday, June 5 Various times during the day, reservations required.
There's no better way to see the Cache than by boat. Free guided canoe trips meander to the state champion bald cypress tree or Eagle Pond. Contact Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge at 618-634-2231 for information and reservations. Tours will also be available in September and November.
WOW! Wetlands Southern Illinois. Workshop for non-formal and formal educators Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 State Route 37 South, Cypress, Illinois.
This is a multi-disciplinary, hands-on curriculum that teaches fundamentals of wetland values, functions, bio-diversity and more. Appropriate for grades K-12. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 618-657-2064, Wed.-Sun., 9:00-4:00 for registration information and registration form. Cost $20.00 which includes WOW! Wonders of Wetlands curriculum guide, certification, resource materials, lunch and more. CPDU's available.
Plants in Our Everyday Lives: Saturday, July 24, 1p.m. to 3p.m.
Native vegetation provides us with food and medicine to this day. Come discover some of the plants that are edible and those that have healing qualities. Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 State Route 37 South, Cypress, Ill. Call 618-657-2064 for information.
Flying Wild Educator Training Workshop. Thursday, July 22, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Workshop for educators in the formal classroom or non-formal educators in settings of summer camp, youth groups, home school, nature center staff.
topics range from basic bird biology, I.D., and ecology, to bird conservation service learning activities. Cost $15.00. Need more information contact Molie Oliver, 618-657-2064. To register go to www.illinoisaudubon.org. CPDUs available.
The 2010 Calendar of Events is available. May call 618-657-2064, Cache River Wetlands Center to have a copy mailed to you or go to web site for Cache River State Natural Area - www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/PARKS/R5/CACHERVR or Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge - www.fws.gov/midwest/cypresscreek.
