The Forest Preserve District of Will County was created by referendum on July 25, 1927, to preserve open spaces in

Will County, Illinois Will County is a county in the northeastern part of the state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 696,355, an increase of 2.8% from 677,560 in 2010, making it Illinois's fourth-most populous county. The county sea ...

, US. The first land acquisition was in 1930. , the District owns or manages of land. Current Will County board members make up a board of commissioners, which oversees the affairs of the Forest Preserve District.

Forest and nature preserves

The Forest Preserve District of Will County owns or manages land in 70 forest preserves, including 10 designated as Illinois Nature Preserves for their rare natural features. Many preserves offer amenities such as picnic shelters, campsites, canoe/kayak/boat launches, fishing access, ice skating ponds, playgrounds, and sled hills. The Forest Preserve District also operates three off-leash dog parks, which require a permit for use.

Trails

The Forest Preserve District of Will County owns or manages more than of trails for biking, cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, in-line skating, running, and/or snowshoeing, depending on the trail surface. Many of the trails are part of regional trail systems, such as the

Grand Illinois Trail The Grand Illinois Trail (occasionally abbreviated GIT) is a multipurpose recreational trail in the northern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. At over in length, it is the longest trail in Illinois. Parts of it are in the coast-to-coast Ameri ...

and the

American Discovery Trail The American Discovery Trail is a system of recreational trails and roads that collectively form a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. Horses can also be ridden on most of this trail. The coastal tr ...

Visitor centers

The district's visitor centers provide information regarding historical sites and natural settings along with

environmental education Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating discipli ...

. The visitor centers each provide unique services and have varying hours of operation. Seven visitor centers are located throughout Will County: *Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, McKinley Woods - Kerry Sheridan Grove, Channahon * Isle a la Cache Museum,

Romeoville Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The village is located southwest of Chicago on the Gateway Wetlands, directly west of the Des Plaines River. Per the 2020 census, the population was 39,863. It is located in the s ...

* Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Visitor Center, Plainfield * Monee Reservoir, Monee * Plum Creek Nature Center at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, Beecher *Sugar Creek Administration Center, Sugar Creek Preserve, Joliet

Conservation and land management

In 2010, Will County's population was 677,560, 35% higher than in 2000, making it one of the nation's fastest-growing counties. As the population increases, there is a decrease in available land for open space. To preserve the limited open space, the Forest Preserve District of Will County acquires land through property sales, donations, and leases. Once property is acquired, the Forest Preserve District implements its Land Management Program. The program involves protection, maintenance, restoration, or reconstruction of native

ecosystems An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

to preserve the diversity of native flora and fauna. This is accomplished through removal of invasive plant species, installation of native plant species, controlled burns, and other activities.

Events and programming

Each year, family friendly special events are hosted by the Forest Preserve District of Will County. These events range from bike rides to festivals that are attended by thousands of people. Smaller, more frequent programming offered by the Forest Preserve District provides individuals and families opportunities to learn and experience new things year-round. Learning to kayak, bird watching with a naturalist, and talking to an historical re-enactor are some of the programs that are typically offered. The Forest Preserve District also offers environmental, historical, and cultural education programs for students in the classroom and at visitor centers throughout Will County as well as programming for youth groups.

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forest Preserve District Of Will County Nature reserves in Illinois Protected areas of Will County, Illinois 1927 establishments in Illinois