Silver Creek Woods Preserve

161.3 acres

Not open to the public. Natural Land Institute members may visit with permission. To request permission and to let us know when you would like to visit please call or email: 815.964.6666 or info@naturalland.org.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for the two-day Bioblitz on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, 2026. Read about the details in the links below.

• Bioblitz: Secrets of the Night
• Bioblitz: Quest for the Star-nosed Mole

Silver Creek Woods Preserve was a special place for the founders of Natural Land Institute (NLI), George and Barbara Fell. They donated the southern portion (126.3 acres) of the Preserve to NLI. This portion of the Preserve includes restored prairie in the eastern third (enrolled in CRP 1997-2007), and also planted with savanna plantings in 2015.  Adjacent to its south on private lands are remnants of one of the finest prairie remnants in the county (Silver Creek Prairie Illinois Natural Areas Inventory site). Oak-hickory woodland comprised mainly of second growth, covers the western half of the property. A patch of pawpaw (Asimina triloba) in the woodland’s southeastern corner near the creek is of unknown origin. The spring fed, high quality Silver Creek (AKA Rock Creek) runs through a floodplain wetland north to south through the middle of the property. It contains one of the largest populations of an Illinois endangered fish species (Mottled Skulpin). 35 acres were added to the north part of the preserve and include a continuation of the meandering creek floodplain – flanking the western edge of the parcel’s north half, with prairie restoration to its northeast and southwest.  Prairie restoration areas on the northern parcel have week diversity and infestations of reed canary grass. The floodplain is infested with reed canary grass and the oak-hickory woodland contains thick stands of invasive Amur honeysuckle, some of which has been removed.

Third Saturday Volunteer Stewardship Days

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The third Saturday of the month volunteers help remove invasive non-native species and with other land management tasks at this preserve. This is a great opportunity to see the preserve whether you are a member, or not and provided valuable community service for the natural environment.

Contact Jim Akers if you would like to volunteer: jnakers@hotmail.com, call or text him at 815-520-1309.

For volunteer days use entrance located at 6040 Tipple Road (Rockford, IL 61102). Look for the gate with the NLI/Silver Creek Woods sign.