About Starhill Forest Arboretum
Located on 48 acres in southern Menard County, IL, Starhill
Forest is a private arboretum owned andoperated
by the Sternberg family since 1976. The land has been farmed and grazed
since the mid-19th century, when Abraham Lincoln traveled on the same
road during his New Salem days.
Old
trees in the forested areas date to about 1850, and the oldest planted
trees were started from seed in 1964 and transplanted from another
location. Permanent records kept by Starhill Forest include provenanceinformation, propagation method and year, mapped location within the
arboretum via a surveyed grid system, and other data. In addition,
permanent records of other taxa that have been tested and have not
survived include cause of death, when known.
The primary scientific collection is a quercetum (oak
collection) comprising a living reference component of the APGA North
American Plant Collections Consortium. Additionally, approximately
180 other genera of woody plants are available for study, as well as
herb and perennial landscapes, a native prairie garden, several provenance
tests, riparian natural communities, old-growth forest, and a conifer
plantation. In all, nearly 2000 woody taxa are represented.
GPS
Location — North 39°56.1' / West 89°48.1'
Mean Elevation — 560 feet (180m) MSL
Topographic Relief — Approximately 80 feet (25m)
Certified
Tree Farm National ID No. 20018831