The Sam Parr Biological Station is located next to Stephen A. Forbes State Park, near Kinmundy in southern Illinois. Covering 60 hectares, the site is designed for research on fish populations using a variety of managed ponds. It operates under the Illinois Natural History Survey, which is part of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What We Do
Sam Parr provides a rare opportunity to conduct large-scale experiments in a controlled, semi-natural setting. Researchers at the station investigate how native and non-native species interact, how fish respond to different habitat structures, and how regulations and harvest practices shape fish populations over time.
Projects at the station frequently focus on:
- Predator-prey dynamics
- Fish behavioral traits and social interactions
- Habitat enhancements and structural complexity
- Experimental harvest regulations
- Successional patterns of algae and invertebrate colonization
Studies range from intensive short-term tests to multi-year projects that track long-term ecological change.
Facilities and Resources
The station features a variety of ponds, laboratories, and support buildings designed for significant field experimentation. Notable aspects include:
- Nine 0.4-hectare drainable ponds (constructed in 1963)
- Five 0.13-hectare ponds (added in 1965)
- Ten 0.04-hectare ponds (built in 1980)
- An outdoor array of 800-gallon experimental tanks
- A 2,700-square-foot laboratory with two wet labs, office space, and a library/conference room
- A six-room residence for visiting researchers and staff
- Two service and storage buildings for equipment and supplies
The variety of pond sizes and infrastructure empowers researchers to run parallel studies and scale up ideas that begin in the lab.
Areas of Research
Sam Parr has a long history of experimental pond studies focused on applied questions in fisheries science. Past and ongoing work has included:
- Comparing the life histories of largemouth and smallmouth bass
- Studying the role of grass carp in aquatic vegetation control
- Testing biological recycling using swine manure and Chinese carp
- Examining crayfish production for commercial viability
- Investigating behavioral syndromes in fish and how they relate to competition and growth
These initiatives enable managers and policymakers to evaluate ideas prior to practical implementation.
Who Works Here?
The station is led by Associate Director Dr. Mike Nannini and is supported by research technicians, graduate students, and collaborative scientists from across the region. Staff work closely with other stations and agencies to answer questions that concern anglers, ecologists, and decision-makers.
A History of Research and Innovation
The Sam Parr Biological Station was founded in 1963 through the collaboration of the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Originally named the Marion County Fisheries Research Center, it was renamed in 1966 to honor Sam A. Parr’s legacy in Illinois conservation and outdoor leadership.
Dr. Homer Buck was the station’s first leader until 1987. His early research helped define the station’s purpose, including a 1970 study on pond production, which the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society recognized as the best paper of the year.
Following Buck’s tenure, Dr. Paul Brown (1987–1990) and Dr. David Wahl (1990–2000s) continued to build on the foundation he set. They expanded the station’s research by focusing on fish development, predator-prey interactions, and the practical testing of ecological strategies in pond systems. Thanks to the efforts of these noteworthy researchers, Sam Parr emerged as a center for leadership in field-based fish ecology studies across Illinois.
Associate directors throughout the history of the station have included Dick Baur (1969 – 1981), Mike Hooe (1981 – 1993), Cindy Kolar (1993 – 1997), Steve Chipps (1997 – 1999), Ken Ostrand (1999 – 2004), and Mike Nannini (2004 – present).