Experienced recreation, horticulture leaders vying to head DuPage forest preserve

Two candidates with a wealth of experience in conservation and government are opposing each other in a bid to become the next president of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

Incumbent Daniel Hebreard faces a challenge from former forest preserve commissioner Carl Schultz in the Nov. 3 election — and each has a career background and previous experience as an elected official serving the district.

Hebreard, 49, of Woodridge, has a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management and an MBA, according to his campaign website, and says he wants to continue the work the district has been undergoing since he first was elected to the president’s role in 2018.

This includes the list of 32 “certified projects” included in the district’s 2019 master plan, such as natural resource-related improvements, infrastructure maintenance and capital projects.

In a candidate questionnaire submitted to the Daily Herald, Hebreard said he is “thrilled” to be three-quarters done with the projects listed in the master plan and wants to “continue that work, connect more trails, improve amenities and continue supporting more sustainable governance.”

Schultz, however, says the district can be managed more efficiently with better communication and by making “wiser decisions financially in a more transparent way.”

Schultz, 69, of Aurora, served as a forest preserve commissioner from 2002 to 2012 and has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, along with entrepreneurial experience as owner of Horticultural Consultants.

“I will use my horticulture education, business background, life experience and time as commissioner to bring a unique perspective to the board,” Schultz wrote in his questionnaire to the Daily Herald. “My life's work has been to connect people and nature. This campaign is about protecting our natural legacy, making our forest preserves truly accessible for every family and delivering responsible stewardship you can trust.”

Other than continuing the improvements listed in the 2019 master plan, Hebreard says the district’s current priorities need to remain in place.

“The most important issue facing the Forest Preserve District is balancing safety and accessibility, restoration work and amenity improvement,” said Hebreard, who worked for the district for 13 years and rose to the position of senior ranger before running for an elected leadership role. “We must continue to thoughtfully evaluate these critical components and make strategic long term investments in each.”

He said this need for balanced investment also applies to the idea of maintaining historic structures on district property.

“The forest preserve has and should continually take thoughtful care and allocate resources to the historic structures on its property,” Hebreard said. “It should also be willing to work and support partners.”

Schultz, meanwhile, takes it a step further when it comes to support for historic buildings.

“The Forest Preserve District should always take the lead in what it does with what it has,” Schultz said. “Regarding historic buildings, if we own it, we should maintain it. We should not let it fall into disrepair.”

Schultz said this should apply to the Greene Barn and Oak Cottage at Greene Valley Forest Preserve near Naperville, which he said he championed while serving as a commissioner.

“A walk from one end of the barn to the other is a visual history of barn building in America,” he said. “There is demand for large meeting spaces for community use. We should open the barn to the public.”

Schultz also suggested a few new ideas to ensure forest preserve services and natural benefits are available for everyone in DuPage. He says the district could create “pop-up preserves' to bring district education and recreation to communities that have none,” and explore the possibility of adding a zipline and high ropes course at Big Woods Forest Preserve near Aurora.

Marie Wilson is a freelance reporter for the Daily Herald.