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PROPOSED MISCELLANEOUS ITEM OF BUSINESS
REQUEST TO REGISTER A PORTION OF THE JENS JENSEN GRASSLAND AND WOODLAND FOR REGISTRATION AS AN ILLINOIS LAND AND WATER RESERVE (“ILWR”)
Department: Resource Management
Summary: Requesting authority, pursuant to Section 9 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act (70 ILCS810/9), to register a portion of the Jens Jensen Preserve as an Illinois Land and Water Reserve ("ILWR") with the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission (“INPC”).
This dedication contributes to one of the key goals set forward in the Next Century Conservation Plan to dedicate and register 20,000 acres with the INPC by 2025. Dedication of a site as an ILWR provides a high level of protection for land in Illinois, and is granted only to natural areas of important ecological quality.
The proposed Jens Jensen ILWR is an approximately 220 acre portion of the preserves located in the Village of Palatine in northwest Cook County. The site consists of remnant woods, along with reconstructed prairie and wetlands. Formal ecological management of the site began in the late 2000's as mitigation for work performed by Openlands and volunteers in connection with the O’Hare Airport expansion. Currently the site exhibits mature oak woodlands with massive red and bur oaks, as well as a large prairie reconstruction that harbors over 200 species. The understory and ground layer vegetation contain many conservative species, including some listed species.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County (“FPCC”) currently has 23 dedicated Nature Preserves and 2 Land and Water Reserves. The addition of Jens Jensen ILWR would bring the FPCC's total INPC protected lands to approximately 7,900 acres.
It is respectfully requested that authority be granted to the FPCC to submit Jens Jensen Grassland and Woodland to the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission for review and formal dedication as an Illinois Land and Water Reserve.
District(s): Districtwide
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