Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area protects about 6,000 acres along the Illinois River in central Illinois, a landscape of roughly equal land and water first purchased in 1925. Shaped by the river into bluffs, ravines, bottomland lakes, islands, sloughs, and upland forest, it supports diverse plant and animal life from hardwood forests and songbirds to backwater habitat used by herons, eagles, beaver, and migrating waterfowl. Divided into several units on both sides of the river, it also serves as a major public recreation area for hunting, fishing, boating, camping, and hiking. Its importance lies in preserving Illinois River backwater habitat while accommodating outdoor use.