CHAMPAIGN COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT

What is a forest preserve district?

While county forest preserve districts have a long history — nearly a century of service — in Illinois, many people still confuse them with the local park district.

Champaign County has five forest preserves, some of them very close to towns. But it’s not the Mahomet Park District that operates Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, even though it’s adjacent to Mahomet. Nor is it the Homer Park District that runs the Homer Lake Forest Preserve, even though the lake takes its name from the nearby town. Neither Mahomet nor Homer have their own park district.

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District operates Lake of the Woods and Homer Lake, along with three other properties: Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, north of Penfield; River Bend Forest Preserve, also adjacent to Mahomet; and the new Sangamon River Forest Preserve, located south of Fisher.

So exactly what is a forest preserve and what makes it different from a park district?

Please see page 4

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District now has five properties with the addition of the Sangamon River Forest Preserve near Fisher.

Index

Campground gets ready for winter The campground at Middle Fork Forest Preserve prepares for winter with the shower house set to close Nov. 1 (the campground remains open, however). Page 2Page_2.html
Where to see the colors of autumn This year could be a good one for colorful fall leaves. Find out where to see them in Champaign County. Page 2Page_2.html
Monarchs head south to Mexico Monarch butterflies are on their way to Mexico and making stops in Champaign County. Page 3Page_3.html
Garden spiders part of life’s web Garden spiders may look creepy, but they are quite beneficial. Page 5Page_5.html
Collecting stories from World War II A talk about the impact of World War II on the University of Illinois campus takes place at 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Early American Museum, Lake of the Woods. There will also be an accompanying exhibit. Page 5Page_5.html
A picture-perfect covered bridge Champaign County is home to one covered bridge — and you will find it at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve near Mahomet. The bridge is one of the most picturesque structures in the county. Page 6Page_6.html

Champaign County Forest Preserve Prairie Breeze                                                     www.ccfpd.org            Page 1

A quarterly e-newsletter                                                                  Issue 1 — Fall 2008