J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve

Ritchie Nature Preserve is a pocket of rich, untouched floodplain in the midst of suburban development. It lies along the banks of Sand Creek, which flows into the nearby Little Calumet River, a tributary of Lake Michigan. The quiet beech and maple woodland is covered with ephemeral wildflowers in the spring, including a beautiful display of large-flowered trilliums. The preserve also provides significant habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including migrating and nesting birds.

Age of oldest trees- Historic imagery indicates the presence of older growth trees in the 1939 aerial imagery (sent separately)

Dominant tree species-Fagus grandifolia, Quercus rubra, Q. velutina

Characteristics- Based on historical imagery, this woodland has been largely undisturbed. Many of the old growth trees are able to be seen in the attached historical aerial imagery from 1939

Unique features- great spring ephemeral populations (30+ spring flowering species, notably a large population of White trillium)