Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Special to suffredin.org

The Board of Commissioners of the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) today approved the request to purchase a 1.6-acre parcel of land in unincorporated Cook County near Orland Park. The parcel is located at 13541 South 110^th Ave. The property will bring the total acres of Forest Preserve land to more than 69,318 acres. In total, the FPCC manages nearly 70,000 acres of protected land.

“One of the goals of the Next Century Conservation Plan is to expand the total footprint of the Forest Preserves, enabling us to protect open land and ensure native plants and wildlife can thrive,” said Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. “Each parcel of land we acquire is important as we work toward that goal.”

The Next Century Conservation Plan, commissioned by President Preckwinkle in 2013, calls for the FPCC to expand the Forest Preserves over the next 25 years. In addition to advancing that goal, the parcel acquisition will complete the Tampier Lake Greenway.

“This parcel completes the Tampier Lake Greenway, closing an in-holding gap between Tampier Lake and McGinnis Slough,” said Arnold Randall, General Superintendent of the FPCC. “By acquiring this parcel, we are able to prevent future development and protect the land as habitat for a variety of native flora and fauna.”

Tampier Lake is a popular location for boating and fishing, and offers visitors three miles of shoreline and three different access areas. Tampier Lake is also a popular nesting site for a variety of birds, including dickcissels, bobolinks, grasshopper and savannah sparrows and white-eyed and Bell’s vireos. McGinnis Slough is a shallow, 300-acre body of water that offers visitors the opportunity to spot a variety of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds.

Today’s Board approval grants the FPCC the authority to purchase the parcel for $285,000. The money will come from the FPCC’s Land Acquisition Fund.

To learn more about the Forest Preserves of Cook County, visit fpdcc.com.