Group Forms to Restore Conservation Area View Full Caption

DUNNING — Park advocates are looking for a few good volunteers to help shape the future of an oasis of 23 acres of wetlands and woodlands slowly being restored to its natural state.

Friends of the Parks, which has been working since 2007 to restore the Dunning-Read Conservation Area, will host a meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 at Eli's Cheesecake, 6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive, to give the public an update on the progress on the site, and to recruit members for an advisory council.

Unfamiliar with Dunning and the former insane asylum site? Heather Cherone with the background info:

The council would determine which programs will be offered on the conservation area near Irving Park Road and Oak Park Avenue.

Volunteers are working to rid the grassy land of invasive plant species while using it as an outdoor classroom, said Friends of the Parks Director of Stewardship and Member Benefits Mary Eileen Sullivan.

Open to the public from March to November, the site features a ¾-mile walking trail, a small rain garden and a plant nursery. The site is an ideal place to educate the public about the need for biodiversity, Sullivan said

The goal is to turn the site back into a prairie, Sullivan said.

The conservation area was once part of the grounds of the Chicago-Read Mental Health Center.

Visitors to the passive park can see rare animals not often seen in the city, including prairie crayfish and garter snakes. Coyotes also frequent the grounds, and red-tailed hawks often search for prey there, according to the Friends of the Parks.

The conservation area was once part of the grounds of the Chicago-Read Mental Health Center.

During the summer, students worked on the site as part of After School Matters' program, working to rid the site of Buckthorn and other non-native, invasive species while leading hikes.

Volunteer workdays take place from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of the month through November, regardless of the weather.

For more information, email sullivanme@fotp.org.

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