Potential Site : Wilmot Woods
The Wilmot Woods Site
The 291-acre Wilmot Woods Forest Preserve is located in Libertyville along the Des Plaines River, between Independence Grove Forest Preserve to the north and Old School Forest Preserve to the south. The public can access Wilmot Woods via the Des Plaines River Trail system and the Oak Springs Road Canoe Launch (temporarily closed while Libertyville Township completes the Oak Spring Road Bridge Replacement Project). Situated along the river, Wilmot Woods is dominated by floodplain forests, but also contains oak woodlands and rare flatwoods, noted for their ability to support rare plants and wildlife. Several tributary streams flow into Wilmot Woods and connect to the Des Plaines River, including Meadow Haven Creek, which enters the site from the north. These creeks and drainageways convey stormwater from a larger area off-site, extending all the way to I-94 and including parts of Libertyville, Waukegan, Green Oaks and unincorporated areas. The site has high stormwater storage functional value in addition to providing habitat and contributing to the river’s wildlife migration corridor.