Warnecke Woods
Come visit Warnecke Woods in Princeton, IL
Warnecke Woods is a 33.5-acre botanical gem that was donated to the Bureau County Natural Resources Conservation Service District in 1984 by Marie Warnecke. Ecologically, the site is a mix of rare black oak/black maple savannah, swampy floodplain forest dominated by swamp white oak, and abandoned agricultural land which is gradually succeeding back to woodland through careful management. There are a good variety of forest birds for a smaller site, an easily accessible trail system, and a picnic area. Interesting savanna plants include Ohio buckeye, wild leek, gray dogwood, Virginia bluebells, gooseberry, and downy yellow violet. Down in the lowlands, the early spring woodland wildflower show features ephemeral species such as jack-in-the-pulpit, spring beauty, trout lily, American pennyroyal, mayapple, bloodroot, skunk cabbage, and red trillium.