Natural Areas

Our goal for these natural areas is to restore areas characteristic of Illinois' most diverse habitats. Restoration includes planting and seeding native plants, removing nuisance plants, and conducting prescribed burns to encourage healthy growth.

Natural areas are open sunrise to sunset. Naturalists are available, and classes are designed for all age groups and interests. Nature programs utilize these areas with school groups, special request programs, and the public. To inquire about programs and services, call the Anita Purves Nature Center at 217-384-4062. Help us maintain these natural areas by not collecting items, walking pets or cycling.

What is a Natural Area?

The Urbana Park District protects, restores and manages natural areas. By "natural area", the District refers to an area that is preserved or restored to a state that is characteristic of Illinois' native habitats, like prairies and woodlands. These designated areas include Busey Woods in Crystal Lake Park, much of Meadowbrook Park, Weaver Park, and the Perkins Road site. Passive recreation such as photography, hiking, and birding in small groups is encouraged. Collecting of plants, wildlife and natural items is prohibited.

Benefits of Natural Areas?

Natural areas maintain ecosystem balance and build resilience to climate change. They provide "ecosystem services" like improving water and air quality by absorbing excess water and carbon dioxide. Management of natural areas promotes biodiversity by providing habitats and resources critical for supporting a wide variety of plants and wildlife.

The beauty and diversity of natural areas is inspiring. Observing wildlife, walking outside, and other interactions with nature are proven to improve human health and well-being. Natural spaces offer a variety of social, mental, and physical benefits. These include stress reduction, lower blood pressure, decreased depression and anxiety, and relief from the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder.

Why No Dogs?

Dogs–on leash or off–are a threat to wildlife. Wild animals perceive dogs as predators. This interrupts their normal behaviors, like feeding or resting, and causes them stress. Repeated stress can result in long-term decreases in growth, reproduction, and protection against disease. A dog's scent repels wildlife even after the dogs are gone. Dog urine "marks” territory, which can make it undesirable for wildlife.

Why No Bikes?

Bikes disturb wildlife habitats. Many of the District’s natural areas are seasonally wet environments, so the impact of bikes on the soft trails can make paths unusable for walkers.

Why might plants or trees be removed from natural areas?

Restoring and preserving natural areas takes a lot of ongoing work! Restoration and maintenance projects often include removing overcrowded or unwanted plants and trees, like bush honeysuckle and European alder, which don’t belong in Illinois prairies and woodlands.

Busey Woods

Busey Woods is a 59-acre bottomland Oak-Hickory forest. It is located at the north end of Crystal Lake Park with an entrance just west of the Anita Purves Nature Center. This natural area is notable for its native spring wildflowers, bird watching opportunities and a 1/3-mile elevated boardwalk. You can see a running list of species found in Busey Woods here.

Busey Woods is a remnant of the historic "Big Grove", a large woodland area that grew between the drainage of the Saline Branch and the Salt Fork of the Vermilion River. This grove--an island of trees in the midst of a sea of prairie--once extended from Urbana to Rantoul and from the Saline Branch to the Salt Fork. It was originally an area comprising 10 square miles of trees surrounded by wet tallgrass prairie growing on soils of glacial origin. Busey Woods and a section of the district's Weaver Park are the only surviving parcels of the Big Grove that are open to the public.

Staff at the Anita Purves Nature Center utilize Busey Woods for a wide variety of programs for school kids and the public. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recognizes Busey Woods as a Watchable Wildlife Site.

Busey Woods Trail Map Busey Woods Species

Weaver Park

With the help of volunteers, the Urbana Park District is restoring a variety of ecosystems at this quietly emerging park. Located south of the intersection of Main Street and Smith Road, the 60-acres of Weaver Park contains:

35 acres planted with prairie and native grasses
An award-winning watershed management wetland
A 5-acre woodland/savanna restoration
Parking for the Kickapoo Rail Trail
Spomer Prairie in Meadowbrook Prairie

Prairie was the dominant natural feature of Illinois before the settlers arrived. Since 1978, the Urbana Park District and countless volunteers have worked to re-create approximately 80 acres of Illinois native landscape. Visit Meadowbrook Park in south Urbana, along Windsor Road and Race Street, and explore and enjoy a part of Illinois’ natural history that has all but disappeared.

Perkins Road Wet Prairie

With the assistance of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation 2000 program, the district is restoring 35 acres behind the dog park. Once restored, the Perkins Road Wet Prairie will include prairie and wetland environments for wildlife observation, environmental education programs and recreation. For a sneak peek at this developing natural area, attend a "Connecting You to Nature" Hike.

Current Projects

Urbana Park District staff have been mowing and removing aggressive and invasive species from Meadowbrook Park. Removing these species before they come more established and spread their seed helps the prairie and other natural areas continue to thrive.

Plant Management in Natural Areas

Restoring natural areas to serve as high-quality habitats takes a lot of ongoing work! Restoration and maintenance projects often include removing overcrowded or unwanted plants and trees, like bush honeysuckle and European alder, which don’t belong in Illinois prairies and woodlands. At times, restoration activities may temporarily limit your access to some natural areas.

The Hickman Wildflower Walk at Meadowbrook Park was overgrown with invasive plants, which compete with other plants for sunlight and other resources.

Clearing of invasive plants involves mechanical removal with hand tools or heavy equipment as well as the conservative and targeted use of herbicides. Low-impact and ecologically-based alternatives are always the first option.

During restoration, invasive plants were removed from the Hickman Wildflower Walk at Meadowbrook Park.

After the unwanted plants have been removed, native flowers and plants once again have space to thrive. If re-seeding or planting is done, careful selection from local sources is important, and sometimes seeds are hand-collected from other well-established natural areas. The final result is a greater variety of plant life, which then supports a wide array of other life forms and creates a healthy and more resilient habitat.

After restoration, the Hickman Wildflower Walk at Meadowbrook Park is home to many different types of native plants that support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.

Healthy habitats offer many services to humans and wildlife alike such as:

Air and water purification
Supporting pollinators like bees and butterflies, which are important for agriculture and
home gardens alike
Erosion control to conserve and build-up healthy soils
Flood control during heavy rain events
Food and homes for birds and other wildlife
Storage of excess carbon dioxide, which slows down climate change

Crystal Lake Shoreline and Island Restoration

Work toward the Crystal Lake Rehabilitation Project is ongoing in 2024. Part of the project included removing invasive trees and shrubs from the lake shoreline and the north island.

These locations were then replanted with beautiful native plants that are more beneficial to wildlife. More than 60 trees and 300 shrubs were planted along the shoreline, and an additional 400+ shrub “live stakes” (sticks cut from living shrubs that will grow into new shrubs) were planted on the north island. Both locations were also planted with native wildflowers and grasses.

More shrub live stakes were planted than will survive, so the landscape contractor is expected to return and replant as needed. The contractor also continues to monitor the grass, wildflower, tree, and shrub plantings and will replant as needed through 2023.

Prescribed Burning in Natural Areas

The Urbana Park District burns select portions of its fire-dependent natural areas each year with the assistance of trained staff and volunteers. A prescribed burn must take place under strict weather, wind, and site-use conditions, so burns are often scheduled with short notice. The Environmental Protection Agency issues permits for each of these burns, and the Urbana Fire Department is always informed.

Fire is an important management tool for preserving and restoring prairies and woodlands, which historically developed in the presence of periodic fire. Fire discourages the growth of invasive species, and prairie plants actually grow more vigorously in areas that are occasionally burned! Prescribed fires help create beautiful and more diverse prairie habitat for years to come.

Prairie fires burn very quickly and cleanly, and the unburned areas serve as a refuge for wildlife on-site. Prescribed burn areas will be closed to visitors before and during the burn. Volunteers and staff will be available to help guide park visitors clear of the area.

For more information, call Derek Liebert at 217-344-9583 or Savannah Donovan at 217-384-4062.

Offer Your Support for Natural Areas

You can volunteer to help with projects and ongoing maintenance of park district natural areas! Wednesday Workdays take place from 9-11am each week at varying locations, which are announced weekly. During these sessions you might plant trees or flowers, collect or scatter seed, remove nuisance plants, maintain trails, and pick up trash as needed. Email Matt Balk at to join the email list for location announcements.

Clubs, scouts, and other groups of 8 or more people may request their own private workday by calling 217-384-4062.

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Resources for More Information

Photo	Plant	Common Name	Height	Bloom Time	Bloom Description
	Andropogon gerardii	Big Bluestem	4-8 feet	August to November	Purplish-red
	Baptisia alba	White False (Wild) Indigo	2-4 feet	April to July	Creamy white, occasionally streaked with darker patches
	Echinacea pallida	Pale Purple Coneflower	2-4 feet	May to July	Pale purple
	Echinacae purpurea	Purple Coneflower	2-5 feet	June to September	Purplish-pink
	Eryngium yuccifolium	Rattlesnake Master	4-6 feet	June to September	Greenish-white
	Monarda fistulosa	Wild Bergamont	2-5 feet	July to September	Pink/lavender
	Penstemon digitalis	Foxglove Beardtongue	3-5 feet	May to July	White
	Ratibida pinnata	Yellow Coneflower	3-5 feet	June to August	Yellow
	Silphium terebinthinaceum	Prairie Dock	3-8 feet	July to September	Yellow
	Oligoneuron rigidum	Stiff Goldenrod	1-5 feet	August to October	Yellow
	Sorghastrum nutans	Indian Grass	3-8 feet	August to October	Light brown with yellow stamens
	Tradescantia ohiensis	Ohio Spiderwort	2-3 feet	May to July	Deep blue to rose blue