Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge is a 5255 acres (21.3 km²) national wildlife refuge located along the Illinois River
in Cass County and Morgan County in the U.S. state of Illinois
. The refuge is adjacent to Meredosia, Illinois
, but is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from a headquarters located in Havana, Illinois
.
, that borders the Illinois River and its flyway
for waterfowl
. Much of the Refuge is located on a patch of wetland that is still called Meredosia Island although it is now permanently connected to the mainland by drained parcels of former riverbed. To the east of the Refuge is a large shallow lake, Meredosia Lake
While attempts were made in the early 1900s to drain and reclaim much of the Illinois Riverbed for farming, this was not done with Meredosia Island. The sodden land, which resisted reclamation, was acquired in the early 1920s by the Chicago Meredosia Gun Club, a group of men of means who appreciated the opportunity to shoot duck
s and geese
.
The gun club's caretakers began the active management of pond
s on Meredosia Island for waterfowl. After the federal Fish and Wildlife Service took over much of the Island in 1971 to form the current Refuge, these efforts continued.
Fish and Wildlife Service land acquisition efforts continue. As of 2009, the USFWS had acquired a 3852 acres (15.6 km²) parcel, slightly less than 75 pecent of the total authorized "footprint" that the Refuge will cover when the acquisition process is complete. The lands currently under active federal ownership or management are now managed not only for waterfowl, but also for shorebirds, wading birds and other wildlife that are native to the Illinois River valley.
The Fish and Wildlife Service's long-range plans for the Refuge call for it to contain a mixture of backwater lake, bottomland forest, upland forest, prairie, seasonal wetland, and permanent marsh habitats.
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
in Cass County and Morgan County in the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The refuge is adjacent to Meredosia, Illinois
Meredosia, Illinois
Meredosia is a village in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,041 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Meredosia is located at ....
, but is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from a headquarters located in Havana, Illinois
Havana, Illinois
Havana is a city in Mason County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,577 at the 2000 census, and 3,260 at a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Mason County.-Geography:...
.
Ecology and history
The Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge is localted on a riverine zone, historically wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
, that borders the Illinois River and its flyway
Flyway
A flyway is a flight path used in bird migration. Flyways generally span over continents and often oceans.-Flyways of the Americas:*Atlantic Flyway*Central Flyway*Mississippi Flyway*Pacific Flyway*Allegheny Front...
for waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
. Much of the Refuge is located on a patch of wetland that is still called Meredosia Island although it is now permanently connected to the mainland by drained parcels of former riverbed. To the east of the Refuge is a large shallow lake, Meredosia Lake
While attempts were made in the early 1900s to drain and reclaim much of the Illinois Riverbed for farming, this was not done with Meredosia Island. The sodden land, which resisted reclamation, was acquired in the early 1920s by the Chicago Meredosia Gun Club, a group of men of means who appreciated the opportunity to shoot duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s and geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
.
The gun club's caretakers began the active management of pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s on Meredosia Island for waterfowl. After the federal Fish and Wildlife Service took over much of the Island in 1971 to form the current Refuge, these efforts continued.
Fish and Wildlife Service land acquisition efforts continue. As of 2009, the USFWS had acquired a 3852 acres (15.6 km²) parcel, slightly less than 75 pecent of the total authorized "footprint" that the Refuge will cover when the acquisition process is complete. The lands currently under active federal ownership or management are now managed not only for waterfowl, but also for shorebirds, wading birds and other wildlife that are native to the Illinois River valley.
The Fish and Wildlife Service's long-range plans for the Refuge call for it to contain a mixture of backwater lake, bottomland forest, upland forest, prairie, seasonal wetland, and permanent marsh habitats.