State expands holdings around Volo Bog

From the March 5, 2009 Daily Herald:

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois officials have purchased 32 acres in northwest Lake County that they say contain one the state's natural wonders: a bog.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says it bought the land for nearly $1.1 million. The Illinois Conservation Foundation provided a private donation of $125,000 toward the cost.

Officials say the new state property offers access to the existing Volo Bog State Natural Area, while also buffering it from encroaching development. The bog transformed over thousands of years from a deep lake to a floating mat of moss and cattails, providing a home for rare plant and animal species.

The Volo Bog is a National Natural Landmark. IDNR Director Marc Miller says the purchase helps protect of the state's most unique landscapes.