Cooperative Agreement F23AC02164

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Program (CFDA 15.630) awarded a $125,000 two-year Cooperative Agreement to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to conduct restoration activities at Bemis Woods North and South in Illinois. The project involves removing 63.4 acres of invasive brush and herbaceous plants, including honeysuckle, buckthorn, reed canary grass, and lesser celandine, from prairie, oak woodland, and floodplain forest habitats. This restoration work aims to recover native plant communities, enhance habitat connectivity along the Salt Creek corridor, and reduce surface runoff and soil erosion - ultimately improving the health of the Salt Creek ecosystem and expanding high-quality habitat for native wildlife such as bats, insects, and plants. The Forest Preserve District will serve as the prime recipient and is responsible for executing the restoration activities outlined in the award.