The H & B Bremer Sanctuary is located at Hillsboro, about 50 miles south of Springfield, in Montgomery County. It was given to the Illinois Audubon Society in 1977 by Helen and Betty Bremer, who wished to preserve the farm which had been in their family since 1857. They wanted to be sure it would not be sub-divided or developed, and that it would be managed as a wildlife sanctuary.
The goal at the H & B Bremer Wildlife Sanctuary is to provide habitat for forest, savanna, and grassland birds. The sanctuary is primarily upland oak-hickory forest, which provides habitat for a variety of breeding birds. Old crop fields are being restored to prairie and savanna. Forty acres of grassland has attracted a breeding population of Henslow’s Sparrow.
Bremer stewards meet every Tuesday and Thursday morning for workdays. The primary focus is restoring 203 acres of previous timber and farmland to tallgrass prairie and wildflowers with control burns and reseeding with purchased and annually gathered seeds.
The restored barn is an educational site for local school children as well as a gathering place for the public in organized events throughout the year sponsored by the Hickory Hills Chapter. Download the Hickory Hills Chapter 2022 Spring Newsletter with the 2022 Calendar of Events
Public Access Guidelines
- Trails are open dawn to dusk
- Please stay on the trails
- Pets must be kept on a leash
