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Brushy Lake
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Madison County, IL | 400 Acres
Type: Natural Area
Owned by: HeartLands Conservancy, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Metro East Sanitary District, and Madison County
Our role: Given the importance of the American Bottom (i.e., the historic floodplain of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis Metro East area), HeartLands Conservancy acquired 80 acres of wetlands and frequently flooded farmland in 2011. The conservation area is a part of a 400-acre conservation area known as Levee Lake. Funding support was provided by the Grand Victoria Foundation. We own and manage this property for wildlife habitat. We are actively restoring habitat.
Hours: We host periodic tours of the area. The property doesn’t yet contain trails for general public access given its marshy terrain and sensitive wildlife habitat.
Location & Directions
Located just west of Fairmont Avenue, west of Collinsville, Illinois.
Trails & Facilities
Given the marshy terrain, as well as its sensitive nature for wildlife habitat, this site is currently only available for tours. We host periodic tours and announce them through our eNewsletter (you can sign up here). There are no trails, facilities, or parking areas available at this location.
However, there are trails located nearby at Arlington Wetlands.
Wildlife & Habitat
Brushy Lake, and the larger Levee Lake area, serve as the best remaining swamp – pond habitats in the American Bottom ecosystem.
Habitat here consists of shrubby marshes, forest, and wet prairies.
Plants of interest include lotus, milkeweeds, various oak varieties, maples, and willows.
Depending on the season, you may be able to see a variety of birds and other wildlife.
Water birds, such as Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and Black Crowned Night Herons are prominent in the American Bottom wetlands.
White-tailed deer, river otters, minks, and varieties of fish are found here as well.
Regulations
The property is only accessible through guided walks hosted by the HeartLands Conservancy.
As a community-supported conservation organization, your support is important to foster the love of the land, care for the lands we own, and protect additional properties. We therefore want you to know that when you participate in our programs or visit our properties, you do so recognizing that we may use photographs or videos of program participants for educational and promotional use. By visiting our properties, you therefore acknowledge this possibility and convey consent.
Overview
Brushy Lake Conservation Area
The Brushy Lake Conservation Area protects one of the last remaining shrub-pond habitats in the American Bottom ecosystem. These shrubby marshes are home to a wide variety of wildlife—from water birds to turtles, frogs, and the sleek river otter.
Once prominent breeding areas for a variety of egrets and herons, the American Bottom area has lost the majority of its shrubby wetlands that the birds rely on. Protected wetlands and wet prairie restorations are helping to restore the habitat they need to thrive. The recent return of Great Egrets to the property is a hopeful sign that when we care for the land and water, nature responds.
By conserving this rare and ecologically rich landscape, we’re not only protecting habitat—we’re ensuring that future generations can connect with the historic beauty of the American Bottom and the wildlife it sustains.
If you would like to find out more about how to create a new public conservation area and conserve wildlife habitat, feel free to call Anna McAtee at (618) 566-4451 ex 23 or email her at an*********@*******************cy.org.
You may find information on our Land Conservation page and Ways to Give page helpful, too.