Forest Preserve District Will Restore Wheaton Wetland

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County will restore wetlands and prairie at the Danada Forest Preserve in Wheaton, according to a district press release. The project is a joint effort with DuPage County Stormwater Management.

The project will restore 21 acres of wetlands and 23 acres of prairie just south of Butterfield Road starting this spring. In the late 1800s farmers installed clay tiles and tilled the land to make it suitable for cropland and pastures. The Forest Preserve District hopes to reverse these efforts over the next several years.

Map showing the Danada Forest Preserve, powered by Google.

“Several years ago, DuPage County and the Forest Preserve District reviewed areas in need of restoration that would offer both stormwater management and ecological benefits, and Danada was at the top of that list,” said Jim Zay, chairman of the DuPage County Stormwater Management Committee in the press release. “We’re so pleased to break ground on this important project and to utilize Wetland Mitigation Banking Funds to fulfill their intended purpose of cleaning our water and improving our environment.”

Photo via Forest Preserve District of DuPage County