The Preserve
Bluff Spring Fen is a 100 acre Illinois Nature Preserve with over 450 plant species, 56 butterfly species, more than 20 dragonfly species, and over 90 bird species, with more than 30 of them nesting on site. The Fen is open to the public every day of the year. To get to Bluff Spring Fen, take US Highway 20 or State Route 25 to the southeast side of Elgin. Turn onto Bluff City Boulevard, which runs parallel to Route 20 on the south side, and head for the main entrance of the Bluff City Cemetery (east of Rt. 25). Enter the cemetery, and follow the curving road to the small parking lot with the split rail fence. Please make sure to be out before the cemetery closes and locks it’s gate. Closing times are posted at the main entrance.
Friends of the Bluff Spring Fen
The Nature Preserve is managed by Friends of the Bluff Spring Fen (FBSF), a not-for-profit group of volunteers trained in restoration through The Nature Conservancy and working under the auspices of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. The mission of FBSF is to restore, manage, and sustain the native ecosystems of the Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve through volunteer workdays under Rules for Management of Illinois Nature Preserves. We also seek to protect the surface and groundwater hydrology upon which the Preserve relies. In addition, we provide education and first-hand knowledge to the general public about Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois native ecosystems, and environmental conservation through tours, presentations, and outreach.
Donations can be made to Friends of the Bluff Spring Fen to help us purchase equipment and supplies for our restoration work. To donate, please send a check payable to Friends of the Bluff Spring Fen, c/o Mel Manner, 41W039 Bowes Bend Dr, Elgin IL 60124. Donations are tax-deductible. We are a 501(c)(3) public charitable organization.
Fen Walks and Tours
We host walks each year which are open to the public. Each walk will be lead by an experienced volunteer who will share his or her knowledge of the Fen and its species. Families are more than welcome. What better way to teach children to cherish nature? The walks will last approximately 2 hours. The trails are intentionally kept as minimalistic and natural as possible, so boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, and bug spray are strongly recommended. Our walks have become very popular, so registration is required. We will also give tours to groups of 8 or more people. For more information or registration, call Rick Manner at 847-464-4426.
Orchid Walk - May 17, 2008, 9:30 a.m. - Highlight: White lady's slipper orchids
Butterfly Walk - June 21, 2008, 10:30 a.m. - Highlight: Baltimore checkerspots
Wildflower Walk - July 19, 2008, 9:30 a.m. - Highlight: Yellow Coneflower, Culver’s Root
Liatris Walk - Aug. 16, 2008, 9:30 a.m. - Highlight: Liatris and sunflowers
Fall Wildflower Walk -Sept. 20, 2008, 9:30 a.m. - Highlight: Asters
Want to Learn? - Want to Help? - Join an FBSF Workday - No Experience Necessary
Come experience the joys of nature while helping out at one of our workdays. It's a great way to learn about the plants and restoration, while helping to protect a wonderful site. We provide the knowledge and the tools, but we need your hands to help us get all the work done. You do not need any experience to volunteer. Children accompanied by an adult are welcome on all workdays. Workdays are on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, unless this would hit a holiday weekend, such as 4th of July or Labor Day. We begin at 9 a.m. DRESS FOR THE WEATHER. Wear old, durable clothes, boots or old shoes, and long pants. Bring work gloves and bug-spray if you have them. April through August is when we do weed control. We do hand pulling, cutting and controlled herbiciding of aggressive weeds. In late summer and fall, we do mostly seed collecting. From December through March, we do winter invasive brush and tree clearing. For more information, call Rick Manner at 847-464-4426.
Contact Us
For more information about Bluff Spring Fen or Friends of the Fen, please contact Rick Manner at bluffspringfen@sbcglobal.net or 847-464-4426.