Pilcher Park Woodland In Peril, Volunteer Community Sheds New Light

(The following edited press release is from Stone Hansard, field representative for Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves.)

JOLIET — Across 640 acres, Pilcher Park provides refuge for many rare, habitat-sensitive plants, birds, insects and other animals. The towering trees and celebrated spring wildflower display provide respite for area residents, too. But the tranquil setting can obscure an unsettling fact: Pilcher Park is experiencing a stark decline in species abundance and diversity.

The good news is that thoughtful, collaborative people can set Pilcher Park on the path to recovery. Friends of Pilcher Park is a new all-volunteer community dedicated to restoring and preserving this rare, original oak woodland. All are invited to kick off the next season of ecological restoration on November 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pilcher Park was dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in 2018, providing it the state’s highest level of legal habitat protection. It’s a jewel of the Joliet Park District and a beloved destination for local residents. How could it be possible that Pilcher Park’s ecosystem health is actually in decline?

Legal protection alone is rarely enough to truly protect a site from slow degradation and ecosystem collapse.

“Suppression of natural fire and encroachment of invasive species have led to excessive shade, resulting in the loss of much of the park’s summer and fall flora and fauna” said Matt Evans, Managing Ecologist, Woodlands at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “The shade also means that oak trees, the keystone species of these woods, are no longer reproducing.”

Park districts and the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission do valiant work, but are often under- resourced and expected to cover vast territories. Volunteers dedicated to a single site like Pilcher Park can become intimately familiar with the landscape and provide exceptional care.

Friends of Pilcher Park is leading invasive tree and brush removal, collection and spreading of local seeds, and reintroduction of prescribed fire to restore diversity and health ecosystem function to Pilcher Park.

“We’re letting the light back in!” said Martha Sojka, Community Development Division Director for Will County. “It’s a great joy to take part in community-led stewardship of globally rare ecosystems right here in Joliet. In the face of climate change and habitat loss, anyone can make an incredibly meaningful difference through this work. We’re a part of nature, and it needs us to survive.”

The kick-off event on November 10th is sponsored by the Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves and
supported by the Joliet Park District. All are invited to join on November 10th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We’ll meet in the Pilcher Park Nature Center parking lot, at 2501 Highland Park Drive. Wear sturdy shoes and warm clothes you don’t mind getting dirty (wool, cotton, canvas or other natural fibers recommended). We’ll walk, talk, and work. Come help plan and lead, or just pitch in. No experience necessary.

About Friends of Pilcher Park Nature Preserve

Founded in 2023, Friends of Pilcher Park Nature Preserve is committed to restoring a healthy and biodiverse oak woodland ecosystem at Pilcher Park in Joliet. Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves supports the Illinois Nature Preserves System by advocating for and finding increased support, resources, funding, and staff for the system and assisting local volunteer communities as they help restore and care for their Illinois biodiversity reserves.