Lake Zurich Park Revitalized As Arboretum

LAKE ZURICH, IL - From the Village of Lake Zurich: The Village of Lake Zurich is proud to announce the revitalization and restoration of Kuechmann Park into a unique open space that highlights the natural oak habitat of the area.

On the first day of spring, March 20, 2019 at 9:00 am, Village officials and community volunteers will host a neighborhood public gathering to announce a transformation effort that will rebrand the park into “Kuechmann Arboretum.” The new conservation arboretum will focus on preserving the old-growth oak trees and the importance of removing invasive species and planting pollinators.

Kuechmann Park is a 29 year old park located at 626 North Old Rand Road and contains dozens of
trees that are over 100 years old. Kuechmann has 36 trees that are over 150 years old and 54 trees that are over 100 years old (the oldest of which is about 275 years old!). The majority of these are oak trees, however there are also maples and boxelders.

The Village’s arboretum project will direct resources into the underutilized 7.8 acre public park to
rebrand the space as a certified conservation arboretum, with a focus on three objectives: oak
preservation, invasive species removal, and the importance of pollinators. The project will be financed by a combination of non-profit and community donations, corporate sponsorships, and Village general funds.

The Village will work with community volunteers and non-profit organizations to rehabilitate an
abandoned walking trail, remove invasive buckthorn and huckleberry, install pollinator vegetation, picnic tables, and benches, while developing three interpretive learning kiosk stations along the trail. This beautiful natural area is primed to be a unique space within the Lake Zurich area, as this park will highlight passive recreation and natural education opportunities instead of athletic fields and ball courts.

Kuechmann Park has been largely neglected for many years, but is in the midst of a multi-pronged rejuvenation effort. Local volunteers have spent hundreds of hours working to remove invasives over the past few years. The Village has demolished an abandoned farmhouse on the property and a wild flower area is being planned.

The Village intends to partner with the several community volunteers and local scouting groups, as well as corporate sponsors, to further create a healthy conservation area at Kuechmann, rebranding the space from a “park” to an “arboretum.”