Swamp Stomp
Volume 17, Issue 12
Starting the week of February 20, 2017, work has started on creating and restoring dozens of acres of wetlands and prairies in DuPage County in Illinois.
Originally, the area of the Danada Forest Preserve on the south side of Butterfield Road, a half mile west of Naperville Road were wetlands and prairie. 150 years ago it was converted from wetlands and prairie to farmland. The process to convert the area back to its original state is set to begin.
Nick Fuller, Natural Resources Project Coordinator for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, says 21 acres will be turned back into wetlands while 23 acres are turned into prairie.
According to Fuller, the importance of the wetlands is to lessen the chance for flooding and to clean storm water naturally by allowing the water to better seep into the ground.
Fuller says the wetlands “act like sponges for capturing storm water, filtering it, allowing it to go into the groundwater table and recharge that groundwater which we use for drinking water.”
“The plan is to disable the buried tiles and install features that will bring back more natural groundwater conditions, according to the news release” (Tafoya).
In order to convert the area back into the native wetlands and prairie, the invasive species of plants that have taken over the area will be removed and natural species will be planted to restore the native area.
DuPage County Board Member Jim Zay says the project will cost $980,000 and will be paid for with fees charged to landowners who encroach on wetlands.
He says, “No taxpayer money on this. This is all coming out of these fees that developers and landowners pay.”
The Forest Preserve and its trails will remain open during most of the work, the news release revealed. However, the District may need to temporarily close trails and natural areas for visitors’ safety.
Do you think more original wetlands and prairies that have been converted for other uses should be brought back to the way they originally were? Why or why not? Are there any instances when you believe that it is more beneficial to an area to remove wetlands and prairies and change it for other uses? Are there any areas that were not originally wetlands or prairie that you think would benefit from converting that area into wetlands and prairie? Why do you think some people may be hesitant to continue bringing back converted wetlands and prairie?
Source: Tafoya, Bernie. “Forest Preserve District Set To Begin Danada Wetland Restoration.” CBS Chicago. CBS, 14 Feb. 2017. Web. 15 Feb. 2017.