The Kane County Forest Preserve District has announced a number of prescribed burns that will take place in the district.
Each spring and fall, the district conducts prescribed burns across prairies, woodlands and wetlands in an effort to restore and maintain the ecological health of a site, according to a press release from the district.
The controlled burns help release nutrients from burned plant material, encourage seed growth and expose bare soil to sunlight so native plants can flourish, officials said. Prescribed burns also reduce the amount of non-native brush, such as buckthorn and honeysuckle.
Targeted sites for this burn season include portions of the following preserves: Almon Underwood Forest Preserve in Elburn, Andersen Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Arlene Shoemaker Forest Preserve in Aurora, Aurora West Forest Preserve in Aurora, Barnes Forest Preserve in Aurora, Big Rock Forest Preserve in Big Rock, Binnie Forest Preserve in West Dundee, Blackberry Maples Forest Preserve in Elburn, Bliss Woods Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove, Bolcum Road Wetlands Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Bowes Creek Greenway Forest Preserve in Elgin,
Bowes Creek Woods Forest Preserve in Elgin, Brunner Family Forest Preserve in Dundee, Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve in Burlington and Burnidge Forest Preserve in Elgin.
Also, Campton Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Culver Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove, Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia, Eagles Forest Preserve in Elgin, Elburn Forest Preserve in Elburn, Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva,
Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin, Fox River Bluff Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Fox River Bluff West Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Fox River Forested Fen Forest Preserve in Elgin, Fox River Shores Forest Preserve in Carpentersville, Freeman Kame Meagher Forest Preserve in Gilberts, Glenwood Park Forest Preserve in Batavia,
Grunwald Farms Forest Preserve in Elburn, Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve in Geneva, Great Western Trail – 64 Triangle, Great Western Trail – Brown Road, Hampshire Forest Preserve in Hampshire, Hannaford Woods/Nickels Farm Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove, Helm Woods Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills and Hoscheit Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles.
Also, Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn, Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve in South Elgin, Kenyon Farm Forest Preserve in South Elgin, Lake Run Forest Preserve in Aurora, LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles,
Les Arends Forest Preserve in Batavia, Lone Grove Forest Preserve in Maple Park, McLean Fen Forest Preserve in South Elgin, Meissner Prairie – Corron Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Mill Creek Forest Preserve in Batavia, Mill Creek Greenway Forest Preserve in Elburn, Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve in Hampshire, Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora, Otter Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin, Pingree Grove Forest Preserve in Pingree Grove and Prairie Green Forest Preserve in Geneva.
Also, Raceway Woods Forest Preserve in Carpentersville, Raymond Street Forest Preserve in Elgin, Sauer Family Prairie Kame Forest Preserve in Elburn, Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve in West Dundee, Stony Creek in Elgin,
Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles, Tyler Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin and Willoughby Farms Forest Preserve in West Dundee.
Before a controlled burn, trained staff survey the preserve and create a detailed plan of action, district officials said. They then monitor the weather and wait until conditions are right, to minimize the chance of smoke blowing toward homes and roads, according to the release.
Staff also notify nearby residents via mail, so that those with health concerns can avoid the smoke, officials said.
Information on burns is also posted on the district website at www.kaneforest.com, officials said, and on social media, which can be found by searching @forestpreserve.
For more information on prescribed burns, contact the Forest Preserve District of Kane County at
630-232-5980.
