The District’s Park, Planning & Development staff and Natural Resource Manager are scheduled to present highlights of the proposed ‘Draft’ Jubilee Point Park Natural Area Improvement Plan (“Plan”) to the Board of Commissioners at the December 19, 2023 Regular Board Meeting. The primary goal of the Plan is to recommend best management practices and improvements to transition the park site’s unmanaged natural areas, predominantly vegetated with invasive species, to managed native natural areas consisting of open woodlands, prairie/grasslands and wetlands. Trees targeted for removal within the proposed park development area will be considered for replacement in accordance with the Village of Woodridge’s Tree Preservation Code based on best management practices. The Plan’s outcome will improve the overall ecology of the park property that complements the Community’s desire for community park improvements approved in the 2014 Town Centre Master Plan and updated 2022 Schematic Design Master Plan. Subsequent to Board review, the Plan will be reviewed by expert conservationists and ecologists for final feedback; and presented for Board final review and acceptance at the January 16, 2024 Regular Board Meeting.
Additionally, the Board will consider at the January 16, 2024 Board Meeting acceptance of the low qualified bidder and contract approval for the Jubilee Point Park – Woody Invasive Species Removal Project, MSP #23-22c. The proposed project will remove invasive and hazardous vegetation this winter by manual cutting with chainsaws/brush cutters, chip & remove material from site and/or complete Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & Village permitted prescribed burn piles on site. The Project goal is to remove 100% of the non-native invasive woody species from the project sites. The target species shall include buckthorns (Rhamnus spp.), non-native honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.), White Mulberry (Morus alba), Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus),and Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora). Willows (Salix spp.) under three inches in diameter shall also be removed. Other non-native and/or invasive species may be removed as approved by the Park District Natural Resource Manager.
