On Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m., Bourbonnais Township Park District will unveil its Interpretive Arboretum Trail at Willowhaven Nature Park. The trail consists of 25 species of trees, including many native to Illinois. This project was designed to create an arboretum and interpretive bioswale that runs along a trail from Willowhaven Nature Center to an existing parking area near the dog park.
Along the trail, new tree plantings will feature identification tags with an interactive feature to show the benefits of each species. Focus of the project is to provide native plantings and restore habitat in a park space that was once agricultural land. Mowed turf was replaced with more sustainable trees, including Swamp White Oak Tree and Shawnee Brave Cypress, to create pollinators’ habitat and food source.
Of the approximately 2.5 acres of area planted for the Interpretive Arboretum Trail, an additional 10-15 acres within the park can be expanded. Acres suitable for wetland, prairie, and woodland restoration allow for future growth around the park. The trail, 1451 N. 4000 E. Road in Kankakee, is free and open to the public daily, from dawn-to-dusk, and is accessible for pedestrians and biking access.
ComEd and Openlands announced BTPD was one of 23 public agencies from northern Illinois to receive an environmental grant from the annual ComEd Green Region Programs. The park district received $3,000. The project was awarded in 2021, planted in 2022, and finalized in 2023.
“Receiving the grant helped Bourbonnais Township Park District place the finishing touches on Willowhaven. We look forward to seeing this grant’s positive impact on our local environment,” said Executive Director Dr. Edward Piatt.