There’s a new space in Macomb for those who love the outdoors.
The Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary, 1900 Wigwam Hollow Rd., includes 200 acres of oak and hickory forests along with a five-acre restored prairie in the middle.
The bird sanctuary is owned by Prairie Land Conservancy. Executive Director Victoria Livingston encourages people to visit it.
“Not every community is lucky enough to have natural green space that is open to the public for hiking. So even if you are sort of new to the outdoors, or it’s been a long time since you walked a trail, we do have some relatively accessible spaces,” she said.
“The majority of prairie trail is pretty flat and pretty easy to traverse. I would encourage people to get out and think outside their comfort zone. Just spend some time in nature. It’s good for a lot of reasons, and we’re really excited to provide this opportunity.”
The bird sanctuary is open from dawn until dusk. It has a gravel parking lot. The trailhead is in the middle of the lot. No restrooms are available.
Livingston said the site provides sanctuary for migratory birds, species in decline, and endangered bats. She said the land is connected to habitat owned by Western Illinois University and others.
“It’s really vital to keep this many acres together so that we don’t have the habitat loss that we see in other places,” Livingston said.
She recommends traversing the site slowly.
“Most of our birds are pretty open to being spotted, so it takes a little bit of time and patience, but if you keep your eyes to the sky and in the trees, you’ll find some really interesting things,” Livingston said.
Acquiring the land
Prairie Land Conservancy acquired nearly 18 acres of the site from the Illinois Audubon Society in 2012.
Seven years later, Lew and Suanne Marx donated their adjoining land to PLC, and the organization purchased additional acreage through the Illinois Clean Energy and The Conservation Fund.
Restoration efforts through the years included removing invasive plant species and replanting native tree species.
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