DuPage Forest Preserve District acquires Bolger Farm near Wheaton

The Morton Arboretum and Danada Forest Preserve land have long been separated by a horse-boarding center near Wheaton.

But with the forest preserve district acquiring that property on the east side of Leask Lane, the conservation agency is adding about 35 acres to what it calls a “critical natural corridor.”

The district recently finalized the $12 million purchase of the Gladstone Ridge property — the “open space link” between the arboretum and Danada, an area with its own equestrian history.

“This purchase reflects our community’s values and commitment to conservation,” Forest Preserve District President Daniel Hebreard said in a statement. “Thanks to the public’s trust and support, we can ensure this land stays protected and accessible for future generations while connecting two of DuPage County’s most beloved natural areas.”

The property — also known as Bolger Farm — is surrounded on roughly three sides by Danada and the arboretum to the south. Over the summer, forest preserve commissioners authorized district leaders to negotiate and enter into a contract to acquire it from the Bolger family.

“We have heard loud and clear from the public that they want us to prioritize open space acquisitions when opportunities arise,” Executive Director Karie Friling said in a statement.

Roughly 26 acres of the property are dedicated for outdoor equestrian use, Jennifer Meyer, a land preservation specialist, wrote in an interoffice memo in October. The remainder of the property includes the main residence and its yard, an apartment building, stables, an indoor riding arena, rain run-in sheds, and a building used to store machinery and property maintenance items.

Hebreard has said the facilities on the site are going to be slated for demolition.

According to the district’s 2024 Land Preservation Plan, 25% of DuPage County is open space, and the district protects almost half of that, or 13% of the county’s total acreage.

The acquisition adds to Danada’s existing 797-acre footprint.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20241202/news/dupage-forest-preserve-acquires-bolger-farm-near-wheaton/