Will County forest district acquires 241 acres in far south region of county

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has finalized the purchased of a 241-acre parcel in Custer Township, in the far southwestern portion of the county.

This marks the district’s first major land acquisition under its 2025–2030 Capital Improvement Program and brings the district’s total land holdings to 23,449 acres, according to a news release from the forest preserve district announcing the acquisition.

Located near Coal City Road and Illinois Route 53, the parcel is near two state-owned preserves, Hitts Siding Prairie Nature Preserve and Wilmington Shrub Prairie, and three Forest Preserve properties.

The acquisition is part of a “broader ecological region known for its rare sandy soils and rare plant and animal communities,” according to the forest preserve district release.

“This addition helps protect the rare sand communities of the Braidwood Dunes, Sand Ridge Savanna and Kankakee Sands Preserve complex and creates future possibilities for public fishing and recreation in Wilmington,” Cori Crawford, the Forest Preserve’s real estate and data supervisor, said in the release. “It’s a true win for both conservation and the community.”

The $2.8 million acquisition was funded through a $50 million general obligation bond issue approved by the Forest Preserve Board of Commissioners in 2024.

Of that total, $25 million is dedicated to land preservation, $12 million to regional and local trail connections and new access areas, and $13 million to habitat restoration, according to the forest preserve district.

The land “closes a key gap” between local, state and federal open space holdings, contributing to a corridor of more than 8,200 acres of “ecologically significant habitat,” the forest preserve district said.

The area includes private hunting and fishing clubs, the Des Plaines River Conservation Area, Goose Lake Prairie Nature Preserve in nearby Grundy County and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

The Custer Township property could be used for recreational purposes, with possible uses including hiking, fishing, kayaking and picnicking, as well as future access to equestrian and group camping, according to the forest preserve district.

The district expects to have a land use plan and conceptual master plan by 2030.

“With these foundational plans in place, the Forest Preserve will be well-positioned to pursue external funding opportunities – such as the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program or other grant sources – to support the phased development of the preserve,” Colleen Novander, the Forest Preserve’s director of planning and land preservation, said in the release.

The forest preserve district also recently acquired a 1.18-acre parcel for $23,353 at Wolf Road and U.S. Route 30 in Mokena, expanding Hickory Creek Preserve.

The addition protects and buffers wooded floodplain and wetland habitat along a major tributary of Hickory Creek, according to the forest preserve district.

In addition to providing public access and habitat protection, the Forest Preserve’s open space contributes to flood control, carbon storage, wildlife habitat and the survival of threatened and endangered species.