2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan
The 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program earmarks $25 million to preserve land in perpetuity; $12 million for critical regional and local trail connections, new preserve access areas, and enhanced visitor centers; and $13 million to restore 2,500 acres of habitat to provide clean water, clean air and increased biodiversity.
The land preservation component of the plan could protect 1,200 acres or more. By adding to existing preserves, the plan maximizes management efforts and promotes equitable access to nature.
The land acquisition program emphasizes current and past preservation efforts in these preserves: DuPage River Confluence, Jackson Creek, the Spring Creek and Plum Creek greenways and the Braidwood Sands area in southwestern Will County, an area rich in natural resources.
Trail, access and facility improvement plans include include these sites:
- DuPage River Trail, Weber Road connection
- Wolf’s Crossing Road trail connection
- Riverview Farmstead loop trail and amenities
- Veterans Memorial Trail, 159th Street to 135th Street
- Veterans Memorial Trail, Spring Creek to Route 6
- Forked Creek Greenway Trail, Wauponsee Glacial Trail to Forsythe Woods
- Jackson Creek Greenway Trail and access
- Wauponsee Glacial Trail improvements, Laraway Road to Hoff Road
- Plum Creek Nature Center renovations
Acquisitions
A look at major property purchases through the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan.
District completes first purchase under new capital plan
The 241-acre parcel in Custer Township adds a significant piece to the ecological puzzle in southern Will County because it is among a network of protected areas known for sandy soils and rare plant and animal species.
Oldest preserve expands with acquisition
The 106-acre acquisition adjacent to Messenger Woods Nature Preserve will allow the Forest Preserve to eventually extend the Spring Creek Greenway Trail, connecting Hadley Valley and Messenger Marsh preserves.
500-acre acquisition is second largest in District history
The 495-acre parcel is now part of a 3,300-acre Plum Creek Greenway acquisition program that began in 1938. This property includes origins of Plum Creek and moraines carved by glaciers thousands of years ago.
Family-owned woodland acquired for new Horse Creek Preserve
The 126-acre parcel in Custer Township is home to more than 32,000 black walnut, oak, maple, ash, pine and cherry trees and features Horse Creek, which is a high-quality aquatic habitat.
Additional acquisitions
Property acquisitions come in a variety of sizes and every acre matters. While larger purchases help expand the preserves, smaller acquisitions can play an equally important role in providing buffers or improving public access. Those include:
- Isle a la Cache, 0.389 acres
- Riverview Farmstead Preserve, 40.116 acres
- Hickory Creek Preserve, 1.182 ares
- Fiddyment Creek Preserve, 9.574 acres
Improvements
A look at the major improvements conducted through the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan.
Old Plank Road Trail gets fresh new look
A $1.3 million resurfacing project focused on putting down a new layer of asphalt on 7 miles of trail, plus Americans with Disabilities Act improvements at street crossings, dead tree removal and repairs for root damage and water pooling.
Section of Book Road converted into trail
The trail will connect to an existing DuPage River Trail segment at Riverview Farmstead Preserve in Naperville. The project also includes upgrading the trail crossing at 119th Street and installing new concrete bench pads and benches.
Messenger Woods gets new entrance road
The $377,766 project replaced the pothole-riddled road at the nature preserve in Homer Glen, where the work raised the road by 12 inches. The road also includes geosynthetic fabric and grids in the base layers to improve drainage.
Theodore Marsh project helps wildlife
The trail was paved to prevent limestone screenings from washing down the slope when it rained. A rougher type of asphalt was used to allow reptiles to get better traction so they can more quickly move across the trail.
On video
Learn more about the District's efforts to protect open space.