[BCNnet] FPD land grab attempt in DuPage

[bobolnk at ix.netcom.com]

Forwarded message from Chicago Wilderness below- 

Although I know nothing about the land in question, I think it's great that the district itself is asking for help with this issue from CW members.  

Judy Pollock
bobolnk at ix.netcom.com

June 21, 2005

Dear Fellow Chicago Wilderness Member,

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County seeks support in 
keeping one of its  preserves intact.  Please read the information 
below and feel free to forward this e-mail on to others that may be 
interested.

Thank you.
Michelle Uting
Membership Outreach Coordinator


The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (District) is being 
pressured by Wheaton Warrenville Unit School District 200 (WWD 200) 
to sell an approximate 30 acre parcel of land at the southwest 
corner of Herrick and Butterfield roads to be used as a re-build 
site for the Hubble Middle School. The District is to receive, in 
exchange, an agricultural parcel located at the northeast corner of 
Herrick and Warrenville roads, albeit the land that WWD 200 
proposes to swap has more acres, it is merely an agricultural 
field.  

Meanwhile, the District parcel has been under restoration and 
management and has a great stand of 6 - 8-inch class oaks that were 
planted nearly 20 years ago and are maturing nicely.  

In 1994, the District developed a stewardship program with Wheaton- Warrenville High School students called Land Ethic and Partnership 
(L.E.A.P.).  More than 1,500 students crossed Butterfield Road and 
cleared invasives, planted plugs, distributed seed, and learned 
about soils.  In addition, the area contains wetland, wet prairie, 
re-forested oak savanna, and mesic prairie plant communities and is 
a contiguous land parcel to the recent purchase by the District of 
the St. James Farm. 

The District is standing firm that this parcel should remain as 
District land for all DuPage County residents. We would appreciate 
any support of the District's position in protecting your forest 
preserve property by means of letters to the editor, calls to talk 
shows, letters to District Commissioners and/or WWD 200 officials, 
e-mails, phone calls, and any other furthering of this call for 
help throughout your various network of contacts.

Further information regarding this issue can be found in two 
articles found
in the Daily Herald:
1) 06-16-05 "Hubble site could be in forest district's hands"
2) 06-17-05 "DuPage forest officials strike back at school district 
claims"

Respectfully,
John "Ole" Oldenburg
Director, Office of Natural Resources joldenburg at dupageforest.com