Sand Ridge State Forest

DBpedia resource is: http://dbpedia.org/resource/Sand_Ridge_State_Forest

Abstract is: Sand Ridge State Forest is a conservation area located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Containing 7,200 acres (2,900 ha), it is the largest state forest in Illinois. It is located in northern Mason County. The nearest town is Manito, Illinois, and the nearest numbered highway is U.S. Highway 136. It is located on a low bluff, or "sand ridge", overlooking the Illinois River, hence the name. The sand ridge is believed to be an artifact of the post-glacial Kankakee Torrent. The Sand Ridge State Forest largely dates back to 1939, when the state of Illinois purchased parcels of submarginal sandy farmland for conservation purposes. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted pine trees on much of the land. Today, the 7,200-acre (2,900 ha) state forest contains 3,916 acres (1,585 ha) of dryland oak-hickory woodlands, 2,492 acres (1,008 ha) of pine woodlands, and 792 acres (321 ha) of open fields and sand prairies. Endemic species include the prickly pear cactus, Opuntia, more familiar to Mexicans and residents of the U.S. Southwest. The Sand Ridge State Forest contains the Clear Lake Site, an archeological site listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sand Ridge State Forest is …