June 2008 10 / OutdoorIllinois June 2008 OutdoorIllinois / 11
briefly dominated the surrounding
uplands, but were replaced by oaks
within 200 years.
Arrow points discovered in the area
indicate Native Americans hunted
around Volo Bog where they also likely
gathered blueberries and cranberries.
The coming of European-American set-tlers
in the mid 1800s had a continuing
effect upon the surrounding land—oaks
declined and ragweed increased—but
the bog persisted.
W. G. Waterman, of Northwestern
University, first described Volo Bog to
the scientific community in 1926 when
he wrote: “Old inhabitants say the pond
occupied the whole of the open area
within the tamarack forest when first
visited about 50 years ago....”
While scientists analyzed Volo Bog,
local residents carved a living from the surrounding land. Farmer Sayer’s dairy
barn was built in the late 1800s, proba-bly
from tamaracks—the hallmark tree
of bogs. Local residents collected blue-berries,
skated on the winter pond and
treaded carefully on a quaking summer
pond. Owner Claude Garland allowed a
boardwalk—a single plank—to be con-structed
into the middle of the bog.
The 1950s saw inklings of environ-mental
awakening and in 1951, The
Nature Conservancy initiated a move-ment
to protect and manage Volo Bog.
After TNC acquired the bog in 1958,
it was turned over to the University of
Illinois for management. At the time,
botany class assignments included plant
collection, and busloads of students
from the U of I and elsewhere collected
rare orchids and other unique bog
plants. Meanwhile, the private hunt-club
had added a go-cart track to
expand on member activities of fishing,
hunting and trap-shooting. It wasn’t
apparent at the time, but “scientists”
were having more impact upon the
ecosystem than sportsmen.
In the late 1960s, the bog that had
persisted for 11,000 years was threat-ened
by a multimillion dollar develop-ment
project, resulting in a two-year
court battle for preservation of a
buffer zone.
Instrumental in the battle to save
Volo Bog were local residents who
formed a Save the Bog committee. In
1983, volunteers established the
Friends of Volo Bog, which has funded
educational programs, helped to facili-tate
many site projects and helped fight
a proposed highway that would have
bisected the natural area.
This is a year of celebration at Volo
Bog—50 years ago The Nature Conser-vancy
stepped forward to acquire this
precious resource, and 25 years ago the
Friends of Volo Bog was organized.
Volo Bog is a treasure owned by the
people of Illinois, and the beneficiary of
generations of enlightened and for-warding
thinking individuals from the
public and private community.
And its secrets remain to be rediscov-ered
with each new generation.
Stacy Iwanicki is the natural resources
coordinator at Volo Bog State Natural
Area and Moraine Hills State Park in
northeastern Illinois.
V1ol9o B5og7 owner Claude Garland
indicated willingness to sell 47 acres
to the University of Illinois
T1N9C p5rep7ared a dissertation about
Volo and other bogs, citing the need
for a comprehensive study of bogs in
Illinois, northern Indiana and southern
Wisconsin
T1N9C fu5nd7-raising campaign—mostly
from teachers and students—netted
$40,000 for land acquisition
T1N9C p5urc8hased Volo and Wauconda
bogs
LSakee pCot. Z.o n1ing9 Bo6ard9 of Appeals
requested to rezone 655 acres for a
$94 million development; initially
denied by one vote, the request
was approved by Lake Co. Board
of Supervisors
IAllinpoirs Aitlto r1ney9 Ge7ne0ral filed suit
asking for proof construction would
not harm the bog; developer drained
4 feet of water from Sullivan Lake (to
which Volo Bog is connected); Lake
Co. Building and Zoning ordered a stop
to the project; circuit court judge
granted permission to continue as long
as construction did not affect the bog’s
water levels
Volo Bog
landmark dates
UJ uof In tuerne d1 w9etla7nd0 over to the
Department of Conservation (now
DNR); dedicated as an Illinois
Nature Preserve
sJtaate nma.d e 1fin9al o7ffe1r to purchase
land as buffer to Volo Bog
a1fte9r tw7o3 years in court, DOC
acquired 153 acres bordering Volo Bog
for approximately $339,000
NFaetiobnal. P a1rk 9Ser7vic3e registered wet-land
as a National Natural Landmark
f1irs9t Si7te S7uperintendent assigned
V1ol9o B7og9 designated a State
Natural Area by the Department
of Conservation
o1ld9 da8iry 0barn/sportsman club-house
renovated and opened as
a visitor center
Once a treasure trove for
botanists and plant collectors,
today the Lake County
bog community provides
scientists of all ages a unique
research opportunity. And,
the artistically inclined find
inspiration in the bog’s
picturesque backdrop and
Located in a restored dairy barn rare plants and animals.
(lower left), displays in the Volo
Bog nature center provide an
overview of bog communities.
For total immersion, take a stroll
on the boardwalk (above).
wood ducck
ggrreeeen heerron
ffeerrn ffiiddlleeheead
drraggonffllyy
wiintteerrbeerrrryy hollllyy
ssandhiillll ccrranee
(Photo courtesy Arlene Koziol.)
(Photo courtesy Tom Lowden.) (Photo courtesy Tom Lowden.)
(Photo courtesy Tom Lowden.) (Photo courtesy Dale Sanford.)
(Photo courtesy Dale Sanford.)
