Title
Humphrey Woods Stewardship (2026-2030)
History
The Humphrey Woods are an isolated woodland and remnant of the Village’s past, located just west of the Village Center campus. The twenty-five (25) acre site is home to the historic replicas Hostert Cabins, which date back to the 1800s and the founding of the Village, as well as hundreds of plant species and mature trees more than two hundred (200) years old. The Village has long recognized Humphrey Woods as a valuable natural and historical resource.
In 2019, the Public Works Department and Hey and Associates began creating a plan for the restoration and long-term management of this area. These efforts began with an ecological assessment, which was completed in 2020, and provided a snapshot of the current condition of the woods, followed by the “Humphrey Woods Ecological Restoration and Management Project - Master Plan”, which was completed in July 2021. Bid documents were completed in November 2021.
The Humphrey Woods have since undergone five (5) years of ecological restoration and ongoing stewardship by V3 Construction Group, Ltd., under the oversight of Public Works and Hey and Associates. During this period, Humphrey Woods has been recognized by the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) and The Morton Arboretum, has significantly improved habitat conditions for local wildlife, and has become an additional Village destination where residents can experience and appreciate native plants and animals.
In 2020, the Village established a pool of pre-qualified Ecological Restoration Contractors (ERCs) from which the Village solicits ecological restoration and stewardship (i.e. maintenance) proposals. The ERCs selected were Stantec (f/k/a Cardno Inc.), Davey Resource Group, Pizzo & Associates, and V3 Construction Group, Ltd. Master Service Agreements (MSAs) were established with each ERC, which have since been extended. Since that time, the Public Works Department has had extensive experience working with a...
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