Hidden Springs State Forest Explained

Hidden Springs State Forest
Iucn Category:	VI
Map:	Illinois
Map Width:	225
Location:	Shelby County, Illinois, USA
Nearest City:	Clarksburg, Illinois
Coordinates:	39.3186°N -88.69°W
Area:	1200acres
Established:	1960
Governing Body:	Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Hidden Springs State Forest is a conservation area on 1200acres in Shelby County, Illinois, United States.

2008 closing

Hidden Springs State Forest was one of eleven state parks slated to close indefinitely on November 1, 2008, due to budget cuts by then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.^[1] After delay, which restored funding for some of the parks, a proposal to close seven state parks and a dozen state historic sites, including Hidden Springs, went ahead on November 30, 2008.^[2] After the impeachment of Illinois Governor Blagojevich, new governor Pat Quinn reopened the closed state parks in February.^[3] In March 2009 Quinn announced he is committed to reopening the state historic sites by June 30, 2009.^[4]

External links

• DNR Hidden Springs State Forest site

Notes and References

1. Dempsey, Pam G. "Governor closing 24 state sites, including Kickapoo State Park", The News Gazette (Champaign, Illinois), August 29, 2008, accessed August 31, 2008.
2. Garcia, Monique and Gregory, Ted. "State park closings a tough pill for some to swallow", Chicago Tribune, November 29, 2008, accessed April 12, 2009.
3. "Governor Quinn calls on IDNR to Reopen State Parks ", (Press release), Illinois Department of Natural Resources, February 26, 2009, accessed April 12, 2009.
4. "Quinn To Reopen State Parks And Historic Sites Closed By Blagojevich", The Associated Press, via Huffington Post, March 25, 2009, accessed April 12, 2009.