Natural areas in Hoffman Estates now bird, butterfly sanctuaries

Twenty-eight Hoffman Estates Park District's (HEParks) natural areas are now Certified Bird & Butterfly Sanctuaries by the Illinois Audubon Society. As stewards of the community, HEParks takes pride in maintaining and restoring local habitats to create vibrant and thriving ecologies.

The Certified Bird & Butterfly Sanctuaries award focuses on preserving and developing land to create healthy local ecologies. To qualify, stewards must understand and maintain, within the parkland, the four elements of habitat: food, shelter, water and space to raise young.

To preserve the habitat, organizations must commit to using nonchemical methods to maintain the habitat. Finally, organizations must provide community education on the importance of native habitats.

For information about the Certified Bird & Butterfly Sanctuary program, visit illinoisaudubon.org.

"As part of our commitment to maximize the biodiversity of our native stands, we look at ways to expand our maintenance practices to create healthy and strong ecosystems," said Matt Schiller, superintendent of parks for HEParks.

The process to convert many of the parcels from retention ponds and preserves to thriving habitats took Schiller and the Parks Maintenance team years of planning and care.

"As community environmental stewards, we advocate for current and future residents - human, plant and animal," Schiller said.

HEParks maintains more than 800 acres of land within Hoffman Estates, including parks, greenways, basins and preserves.

To learn more about the district's park management plan, visit www.heparks.org.

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