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IL 5. La Rue Swamp (Pine Hills Swamp) (Wolf Lake). Acreage: 1 1 50. 



Location: Union County; Alto Pass (WolF Lake 7.5') Quadrangle; 18 miles SW 

 of Carbondale, just N of Wolf Lake; reached via Rt. 3 and a U.S. Forest Service 

 road. 



Description: A spring-fed swamp on the Mississippi River flood plain, which 

 contains many old meanders of the Mississippi River. In the deeper parts of the 

 area, there is considerable open water with many fallen logs and snags; in shal- 

 lower areas a wooded swamp exists. Trees of this swamp include: pumpkin ash, 

 swamp cottonwood, red maple, southern hackberry, and water locust. The many 

 large springs add diversity to the aquatic habitats by providing a cool environ- 

 ment where more northern species abound, while some distance from these 

 springs the water is warmer apd a southern element dominates. "This is perhaps 

 the most important wetland in Illinois." (Dr. R. A. Evers). 



References: Ashby, W. C, and R. W. Kelting. 1963. Vegetation of the Pine 

 Hills Field Station in southwestern Illinois. Trans. 111. Acad. Sci. 56:188-201; 

 Evers, R. A. 1963. Some unusual natural areas in Illinois and a few of their 

 plants. Natural History Survey Biological Notes No. 50, p. 21-22; Gunning, G., 

 and W. M. Lewis. 1955. The fish population of a springfed swamp in the Missis- 

 sippi bottoms of southern Illinois. Ecology 36:552-558; Mohlenbrock, R. 1959. 

 A floristic study of a southern Illinois swampy area. Ohio J. Sci. 59:89-100; 

 Rossman, D. A. 1960. Herpetofaunal survey of the Pine Hills area of southern 

 Illinois. Q. J. Fla. Acad. Sci. 22 (4):207-225. 



Encroachments: Duck hunters utilize the area. Overzealous collecting. 

 Designated a Natural Area by the USFS. 



Ownership: Federal, USFS, Shawnee National Forest, Harrisburg, Illinois. 

 Southern Illinois University owns and maintains a field station at the southern 

 end. Also, William Rumfeld, Jack Houston, and the Atlas Powder Co. own por- 

 tions. 



Data source: John Schwegman, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, 303 West 

 Grand Ave., Carterville, 111. 62918; Dr. Robert Mohlenbrock, Department of 

 Botany, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, III. 62901; Dr. Robert A. 

 Evers, Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana, III. 61801. 



Other knowledgeable persons: Dr. W. D. Klimstra and Dr. W. M. Lewis, 

 Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, III. 62901. 



