Naperville Park District to Conduct 2015 Seasonal Controlled Burns

Beginning in mid-March or later Naperville Park District crews will be conducting prescribed ground-level burns in various areas throughout the city in an effort to improve the habitat for native plants.

“Controlled burns mimic nature’s way of keeping weeds under control so that native vegetation can thrive in the natural areas of our parks,” explained Kevin Finnegan, director of parks.

Timing of the burns depends on ground temperature after the snow melts. “There’s actually a small window of time during which we can complete spring burns,” added Finnegan. “The ground needs to be sufficiently warm, but the grass must remain dormant for the burn to be successful.”

Additionally, weather conditions and wind velocity and direction permit only a few sites to be burned each year, during either the spring or fall burn seasons. Trained crews supervise this process, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Naperville Fire Department issues an annual permit to the park district for this activity.

Residents near the selected sites have been notified via mail that the Naperville Park District’s Controlled Burn Program will be conducted in their area in the near future. For more information about controlled burns in your area, please call 630-848-5035 or visit our website at www.napervilleparks.org.

The following parks have areas that can benefit from regular controlled burns; however, not all of the parks listed will receive burn treatment this spring. The list shows the extent of native plant areas that the Park District manages throughout the community.

2015 Burn Sites

Arrowhead Park

Ashbury Park

Bailey Hobson Woods

Baileywood Park

Brighton Ridge Park

Brook Crossings

Brook Prairie

Carol Acres

Clow Creek Greenway

Commissioners Park

Country Lakes Park

DuPage River Park

DuPage River Sp. Complex

Frontier Sports Complex

Goodrich Woods

Heritage Woods

Hobson West Ponds

Hunters Woods

Kingsley Prairie

Knoch Knolls

Knoch Knolls Commons

May Watts Park

Meadow Glens

Naperbrook Golf Course

Nike Sports Complex

Old Farm Greenway

Old Farm Park

Olesen Estates

Pioneer Park

Rivercrest Estates

River Run Preserve

Riverwalk (Sindt Woods)

Rock Ridge Park

Seager Park

Sportsman’s Park

Springbrook Crossings

Springbrook Golf Course

Springbrook Parkway

Stanford Meadows

Summerfield Lake

Tall Grass Greenway

Tall Grass Lakes

Timber Creek Park

University Heights

Veterans Park

Walnut Ridge Woods

Weigand Riverfront Park

Westglen Commons

Wildflower Park

Will-O-Way Commons

Winding Creek Park