The 800-acre Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve encompasses a mixture of wetlands and streamside forests.  Here, humble coldwater springs and streams emerge, forming the nourishing capillaries that are the lifeblood of Big Darby Creek’s permanent flow downstream. 

These headwaters are fed by a complex of underground seeps, which contribute millions of gallons of clean, cold water to tributary streams of nearby Big Darby Creek.

These headwater streams, and the floodplains, forests and wetlands around them, are important not only for their influence on water quality and hydrology in the Big Darby, but also because they provide important habitat for plants and animals. 

But this natural treasure faces many threats, including pollution from nearby development, as well as man-made changes to natural stream flows and habitat destruction. 

What You'll See

Flora and fauna surveys of the headwaters region that supports Big Darby Creek have found such species as central mottled sculpin, southern redbelly dace and least brook lamprey, which are indicators of good stream health. 

Wetlands in the area support such plant species as marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit and cottonwood and, along with the surrounding forests, sustain wild turkey, eastern screech owls and great crested flycatchers. 

Current Conservation Work

The Nature Conservancy and its partners have been working to protect the Big Darby headwaters through land acquisition, education and restoration efforts. 

• Since 1999, the Conservancy has acquired over 800 acres of the floodplain forests, wetlands and prairies that comprise Big Darby’s headwaters.  Purchased from willing sellers, these lands represent the foundation of the Conservancy’s larger conservation vision for the area. 
  
   
• In spring of 2007, the Conservancy launched an impressive project to restore the headwaters of Big Darby Creek to re-create its natural meandering flow.  The project, which will take more than two years to complete, will help to reverse decades of channel modifications made for farm drainage and highway construction. 
  
   
• In spring of 2008, the Conservancy opened Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve to the public. The preserve features a handicap-accessible trail and interpretive signage showcasing the importance of the headwaters to people and wildlife. 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Randall Schieber (Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve); Photo © Randall Schieber (Flowers at Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve).