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Join us for the 11th year of Cache River Nature Fest!
SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012
8:00 am - 4:00 pm Rain or Shine!
Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 State Route 37 South, Cypress, IL
62923
Cache River Nature Fest 2012 will feature a variety of events and activities; LIVE Cache River wildlife including; snakes, turtles, eagles, owls and hawks, hummingbird and finch banding, nature games and activities, interactive exhibits, wing board and identification by Ducks Unlimited, a life-size eagle nest and wing span chart, basket weaving made from native and invasive plants, and even fried Asian carp taste testing!!
Canoe tours and hiking excursions will be offered throughout the day. We have a variety of activities for this year's event that highlight and focus on the Cache River’s biodiversity. All activities are free. All trips are on designated trails; however, it is important to wear appropriate footwear for canoeing, sturdy shoes for land excursions and to dress for the weather. Consider bringing water, food, binoculars, field guides, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and anything else that might make your outdoor experience more enjoyable.
Program information and registration is located at the Cache River Wetlands Center. All Programs are free. Pre-registration is required for canoe tours; please call Cypress Creek NWR at 618-634-2231, starting April 13th to reserve a space. Visitors may register for other tours and hikes the day of the event at the Cache River Wetlands Center.
For more information contact; Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge at 618-634-2231 or the Cache River Wetlands Center at 618-657-2064.
The USFWS is committed to providing access to this event for all participants. Please direct all request for sign language interpreting services or other accommodation needs to Liz Jones at 618-634-2231.
> To View Event Flyer Click Here
The day will conclude with an evening social, open to the public, at Rustle Hill Winery (8595 New Highway 51 N, Cobden, IL 62920). Join the Friends of the Cache River Watershed for free appetizers (while supplies last) and a silent auction; t-shirts and native plant will also be for sale on site to help raise money for wetland restoration efforts in the Cache River Watershed. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged!!
> To view Evening Social Flyer Click Here
2012 Cache River Nature Fest T-Shirt Design
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Participate in Cache River Nature Fest and play a part in restoring the Cache River wetlands! Net proceeds from t-shirt and FRIENDS merchandise sales, donations, and pledge dollars collected from the Birding Blitz competition go towards wetland restoration & education projects within the Cache River watershed and surrounding area. Nature Fest t-shirts are available for sale at the Cache River Wetlands Center. The 2012 Cache River Nature Fest t-shirt features original artwork of a Barn Owl perched on a Bald Cypress tree. The Barn Owl is a State Endangered Species in Illinois, and although rare throughout most of the state, the Cache River Wetlands play a vital role in providing habitat and breeding grounds for this striking bird!
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Illinois' Bayou - Cache River Wetlands
Making up only 1.5% of the land area in Illinois, the Cache basin harbors 11.5% of the State's high quality floodplain forests, 23% of its remaining high quality barrens habitat, and 91% of the State's high quality swamp/wetland communities. The area shelters 100 state threatened or endangered species and seven federally threatened or endangered species. The Cache River Wetlands are home to some of the oldest living trees east of the Mississippi River, includes three National Natural Landmarks, and has been designated a "Wetlands of International Importance", putting it in the same ecological league as Okefenokee Swamp and the Everglades.
The area is managed and protected by a unique public-private partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Ducks Unlimited. This partnership, known as the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture, has a broad vision of restoring the integrity of the Cache River system establishing a goal to restore over 60,000 acres along the Cache River and its major tributaries. The partnership along with other resource agencies, organizations and citizens are working to restore the Cache River to a level of structure and function that would ensure a self-sustaining river-floodplain system.
Areas of Interest within the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture
Cypress Creek
National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Cypress
Creek National Wildlife Refuge one of over 500 Refuges across the
country that provides valuable habitat for a diversity of waterfowl and
other migratory birds, resident wildlife, and endangered and threatened
species. The Refuge includes 16,000 acres along the Lower Cache River
protecting remnants of bald cypress-water tupelo swamps, oak barrens, and
vast stands of bottomland hardwood forests. The refuge is important resting,
nesting, and feeding habitat for waterfowl and a diversity of other
migratory and wading birds. Other resident wildlife include deer, squirrels,
foxes, mink, as well as, bobcats, river otters, and a host of frogs and
toads, turtles and snakes. With such diversity the Refuge provides many
opportunities to watch wildlife, hunt, fish, canoe, and hike. The Refuge
office is located at 137 Rustic Campus Drive, on the campus of Shawnee
Community College (nine miles east of Ullin, Il.) where additional site
information is available. Contact (618)-634-2231 or visit
http://midwest.fws.gov/CypressCreek.
Cache River State Natural Area - Illinois Department of Natural
Resources
The
Cache River State Natural Area is situated on the Upper and Lower
Cache River within a floodplain carved long ago by glacial
floodwaters of the Ohio River. The area includes over 15,000 acres
composed of three management units: Little Black Slough, Lower Cache
River Swamps, and Glass Hill. Among the outstanding natural features
found within this area are massive bald cypress trees aged between
700 and 1,000 years old, shadowy bottomland forests, undisturbed
mature upland forests, and bald cypress-water tupelo swamps rich
with life. The Cache River SNA provides food, water, and cover for
an incredible number of plants and animals, more than 100 of which
are listed as State and seven which are listed as Federally
threatened or endangered species. Viewing platforms, boardwalks and
over 20 miles of trails provide many opportunities to experience the
Cache. Additional information can be obtained from the SNA Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center at (618) 657-2064 or the SNA
headquarters office at (618)-634-9678 or visit
http://www.dnr.illinois.gov.
Grassy Slough Preserve - The Nature Conservancy
Grassy Slough Preserve sits where
the lower section of the Cache River begins near the village of
Belknap. The site covers 3,000 acres and historically consisted of
forested wetlands. Today efforts are underway to restore the area to
a mosaic of swamps, marshes, canebrakes, and bottomland hardwood
forests. The area includes 500 acres of restored wetlands which
attract a myriad of birds including migrating waterfowl and
shorebirds, bald eagles, herons, and egrets. The Jean Farwell
Memorial Viewing Area overlooks the site and provides opportunities
to observe a diversity of wildlife.
For additional information about other natural areas and highlights throughout southern Illinois, check out the Local Information page.
Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center
Cache
River Nature Fest 2011 will take place out of the Cache River
Wetlands Center. The 7,000 square-foot interpretive center, owned and
operated by the Illinois DNR, and is supported by the Cypress Creek
National Wildlife Refuge and The Nature Conservancy. Here, visitors may
acquire information on agency partners, recreation opportunities, and
habitat restoration projects currently underway. The center provides
visitors with a wealth of information about the value of wetlands, the
area's cultural and natural history and unique sites to explore. The
facility includes a 2000 square foot exhibit area, a 725 square foot
audio visual room and wildlife viewing area overlooking a wetland.
Visitors are invited to learn about the history of the watershed along
an impressive timeline in the exhibits. The timeline is full of
fascinating local artifacts, has a video screen with five perspectives
of the Cache River watershed, and audio sticks sharing local oral
history. A twelve minute orientation film gives a wonderful overview and
introduction of the watershed, explaining the unique bio-diversity of
the flora and fauna that can be experienced here. Visitors can also
acquaint themselves with the area by exploring an interactive diorama of
a bald cypress-water tupelo swamp, two interactive touch screens
featuring images of the Cache River watershed and migratory birds, area
State champion tree information and changing landscape displays. The
center also provides programs and activities to the general public
throughout the year, emphasizing this historically rich and biodiverse
region of southern Illinois. Located south of White Hill on Illinois
Route 37, the center is named for Henry N. Barkhausen, an industrialist
and avid outdoorsman, who served as director of the Illinois Department
of Conservation from 1970-73. He also served as a board member on a
local citizens' committee to promote restoration and protection of the
Cache River area.
To contact the Wetlands Center call (618) 657-2064, Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The Wetlands Center is located at 8885 State Route 37 South, Cypress, Illinois 62923, two miles north of the intersection of State Route 169 and 37; nine miles south of the intersection of State Route 146 and 37.
To reach the Cache River Wetlands Center from Vienna, IL, go West 5 miles on Route 146 from the intersection of Route 146 & US Route 45, turn left or South on Route 37, then 9 miles to Wetlands Center entrance - follow signs.
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The Southern Illinois Birding Fest is sponsored by these organizations . . . Thank you! |
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 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY |
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© 2012 Cache River Nature Fest. All Rights Reserved.