A savanna is an ecosystem with trees, but an open canopy allowing grassland plants to dominate. A forest or woodland has greater canopy cover, shading out other plants. It is estimated that it may take several hundred years to transition from sand to oak forest. The sandy soil limits the growth of the Black Oaks, so those at Illinois Beach are smaller than others in Illinois. Black Oaks are often hollowed out in the trunk, providing shelter for birds, mammals, insects and more.
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Walk through a savanna at Illinois Beach and you will see widely-spaced trees (mostly Black Oaks) surrounded by grassland plants. The Black Oaks here tend to be smaller than in other parts of Illinois because the sandy soil limits their growth. It may take several hundred years of plants enriching the sand with humus (decayed plant material) before the area can support a woodland. Watch for birds, mammals, and insects hiding in the hollowed out trunks of the trees.
Room to roost
Many birds need good roosting trees and open habitat where they can search for food. Savannas provide both.
Among the oaks
Look for these sun-loving plants growing under a savanna’s open canopy.
