A “Restorative” ISAP Gathering at the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge

Back in June, the quarterly ISAP partner meeting was hosted by The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) at their farmhouse located within TWI’s Sue & Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge at Hennepin & Hopper Lakes in Hennepin, IL. After the business portion of the meeting, members were given the opportunity to see and learn more about the Refuge. TWI acquired this 3,000-acre site along the Illinois River and began restoring it to high-quality native habitats in 2001.

Given the day’s heat and humidity, the group met up with Rick Seibert, TWI’s recently retired Refuge site manager, at a shady spot by the bird viewing platform near the Refuge boat launch. Rick spoke about his long history with the site, starting back when he ran and managed the drainage pump for many years to keep the land dry for the corn and soybean farmers who previously owned it. At the turn of the 20th century, the local farmers formed the Hennepin Drainage & Levee District (now decommissioned) and installed levees, ditches, tiles, and a pump to drain the floodplain area for crop production. However, by the end of the century, it was getting too expensive for the farmers to maintain the pumping system and the 100-year flood level protection levee system.

Rick Seibert, who was TWI’s Dixon Refuge Site Manager for over 20 years, shares the history of the restoration site.

In this case the land was better wet than dry. In 2001, Rick turned off the pump and TWI began restoring the 3,000-acre site. Restoration was funded in part through Conservation Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program permanent easements. The lakebeds refilled naturally with water from the surrounding seeps and springs and precipitation within three months. While many native species of plants and animals began to return on their own, it took a lot of effort (and financial support) to restore the mosaic of lakes, marshes, seeps, savannas, and prairies originally found here. TWI’s goal in restoring the Dixon Refuge has been to bring back levels of biodiversity approaching what was once typical of the Illinois landscape prior to European settlement.

For the last 23 years, Rick not only operated the new pumping system to manage the water levels for the lake and various wetland habitats, but he taught and managed a number of restoration technicians and summer interns. Many of these young people have gone on to careers in the field of conservation. Rick shared with the group how he came into the site manager position without any formal restoration ecology education, but he learned on the job and became proficient in plant identification, restoration techniques, and invasive management under the supervision of TWI’s Senior Ecologist, Dr. Gary Sullivan.

In 2012, the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge was officially listed as a Wetland of International Importance—one of only 41 in the United States—in accordance with the global Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. This designation recognizes the Refuge for the rare wetlands, endangered species, native fish populations, and large numbers of migratory waterfowl it supports. Over the years, TWI has continued to improve the Refuge through special intensive-restoration projects. The Oak Ridge Trail and Restoration Project, for example, restored rare savanna and marsh habitats in the center of the site and established the Marquis Oak Ridge Trail, which opened the Refuge’s interior to visitors for the first time. Meanwhile, TWI is dedicated to the long-term management of the full site.

ISAP members take in the view of the lakes and hemi-marsh on a bird viewing platform near the boat launch at the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge.

Afterwards, the ISAP partners were invited to explore the site anytime by visiting the 30-foot observation tower, walking the seven-plus miles of maintained trails and boardwalks, paddling or fishing in the stocked lakes (in season), discovering the Refuge’s Dore Seep Nature Preserve, or visiting the south end of the Refuge where TWI acquired a new parcel in 2014. This area, known as Sandy Hollow, has been restored to high-quality upland habitats including rare sand prairie and sand savanna, which can be viewed from the Pyott Pavilion, dedicated to TWI co-founder Al Pyott. TWI recently acquired an adjoining 40-acre parcel, “Sandy Knob,” and its restoration will begin this fall.

Where once only corn and soybeans grew, a mosaic of lakes, marshes, seeps, savannas, and prairies now supports a huge range of native flora and fauna. More than 730 native plant species thrive at the Refuge, and more than 270 bird species have observed nesting, foraging, or resting there. Meanwhile, thousands of migrating waterfowl use Hennepin & Hopper Lakes as a critical stopover in spring and fall.

The Dixon Waterfowl Refuge is open to visitors 365 days a year from dawn to dusk. More information here: https://www.wetlands-initiative.org/dixon-waterfowl-refuge-hh.

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Jill Kostel