Chauncey Marsh is Growing

Wetlands are “biological supermarkets,” providing food for a staggering diversity of wildlife. In addition, they provide valuable benefits to nearby communities, such as absorbing flooding and filtering water. Yet today, they’re in danger: In some states, as much as 90% of wetlands have been destroyed.

In 2022, TNC helped the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) grow Chauncey Marsh, a vital marsh habitat in the Illinois portion of the Wabash Valley. The area’s mix of sloughs, oak-hickory woodlands and restored prairie is home to 11 state-listed species, including bald eagles, least bitterns, cerulean warblers and eastern ribbon snakes.

To increase the size and connectivity of this important marsh, TNC purchased a 649-acre parcel of unprotected land adjacent to property already owned by IDNR. The purchase is a mix of farmland and forest. The Embarras River also runs through the property. By putting this parcel into conservation management, TNC and IDNR have created a 1,300-acre of protected land that stores water, filters sediment and excess nutrients and provides wildlife habitat.

This tract, colloquially referred to as the Carroll T. Cox Addition, has been donated to IDNR so that it can be stewarded as part of the larger Chauncey Marsh State Natural Area. Funding for this purchase was made possible by the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.