Shawnee National Forest

The transportation of invasive insects & diseases through firewood is destroying trees in urban, suburban & forest areas. See what you can do.

Research Natural Areas Program
Research Natural Areas (RNAs) are established by the USDA Forest Service as representative examples of minimally disturbed natural ecosystems.

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Points of Pride

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The following projects are successful due to the commitment, dedication and hard work of our employees. We point to both the projects and our employees with great pride.

• Early African American Heritage Program – Since 1995, the Heritage Program has been involved in a number of projects highlighting early African American heritage in southern Illinois, including archaeological investigations at the antebellum freeman community Miller Grove. Through a grant from the WO Civil Rights Office (HBCUC Program) we have been able to determine that these freed slaves were instrumental in guiding fugitive slaves through the area on the Underground Railroad and served their country in the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. The HBCUC program has been awarded both the Regional and Secretary’s Honor Awards for both this program and their work in the Forest’s botany program.
  
• Trails Master Planning (TMP) – For about two years the Shawnee National Forest has acted as convener and facilitator for a large group of highly engaged horseback riders and environmentalists. The TMP group currently is working on four goals from trail proposals to educational efforts. The process is building credibility among the riding community, one of our largest recreation user groups.
  
• Fish Tales – This is a conservation education program targeting underserved children ages 7-12 and has three objectives: (1) to provide a recreation opportunity by teaching children how to fish, (2) to use fishing as a springboard to teach conservation education messages and (3) to provide a positive experience and memories to last a lifetime. This highly successful partnership has received both a Regional Honor Award and a Rise to the Future Award.
  
• Oakwood Bottoms Greentree Reservoir – This is an area managed to provide habitat for wintering and migrating waterfowl by artificially flooding 3200 acres of bottomland hardwood. This is a highly successful partnership with Ducks Unlimited and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Oakwood was awarded a national Taking Wing Award.
  
• Inahgeh Wetlands Project – This project emphasizes ecosystem restoration of permanent and seasonal wetlands along the Mississippi River in southern Illinois. The project is a cooperative effort involving Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Forest Service and third party organizations.
  
• Miller Grove - Miller Grove once again intrigued Shawnee National Forest visitors this summer. During its second season, the University of Illinois Extension and the Forest Service formed a partnership and expanded the Environmental History and Conservation Education Day Camp “I, too, am America” to serve over 170 young people. Beginning June 26th students from the surrounding area had the opportunity to travel back in time to learn about nineteenth century life ways and to participate in archaeological excavations designed to uncover more evidence about the activities of the inhabitants of Miller Grove.
  
• "Lands Nobody Wanted" quilt - On July 18, work began on the roughly 4’ x 6’ quilt entitled the “Lands Nobody Wanted” after William Shands scholarly history of the Eastern Region National Forests. The initial meeting to develop the picture theme of the quilt was held at the Shawnee Supervisor’s Office in Harrisburg, IL. The quilt will be finished in fall 2003, “if the creeks don’t rise.” When completed, the quilt will hang in the lobby of the Forest Supervisor’s Office. Forest employees and Passport In Time volunteers have completed three quilts during the past two years, including an Underground Railroad sampler quilt and a landscape or picture quilt, and the “Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration” landscape quilt. All of the quilts depict different aspects of the history of the Shawnee Hills, southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest.