Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area, Wildlife refuge in Saline County, Illinois, US.
Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area is a protected nature area with several lakes that formed from old mining operations, patches of forest, and grassland sections. At its center sits Sahara Lake, a larger body of water surrounded by smaller ponds throughout the property.
Coal mining operations at this location continued until 1993, when the Sahara Coal Company ceased production. The abandoned mining land was transferred to Illinois in 1999 to be managed as a conservation and recreational area.
The land's transformation from an industrial coal site into a space where people hunt and fish reflects how communities work to reclaim degraded areas for public use.
Hunting requires special permits at this location, while fishing is allowed under certain conditions. Motorboats on Sahara Lake are limited to 10 horsepower, while electric motors are the only option on the other water bodies.
The uneven terrain created by old mining spoil ridges produces a varied landscape that supports different wildlife habitats throughout the area. This distinctive topography sets the place apart from most other nature reserves in the region.
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