450 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



4. The peculiar beauty of parks and open spaces where the ex- 

 perience of nature can be enjoyed and we can sense that suburbia is 

 not endless. Through this process we can achieve significant 

 metropolitan forms. 



The last two areas lend themselves most easily to treatment at the 

 metropolitan level. Success locally with these two areas, in the 

 planning for clean water and clean air under special projects in 

 cooperation with several public agencies, leads us to recommend 

 further national exploration in this area. Also, in recognition of pro- 

 grams with the Federal open space program, success in assisting in 

 county open space acquisition, we recommend the extension of these 

 policies. Little sung, this latter program may be the single most 

 important harbinger of the new suburbia. 



The practice of applying natural resources management to pre- 

 serving, conserving and creating natural beauty in suburbia has been 

 made in Illinois through small beginnings. For example, our Com- 

 mission was a participant in transforming approximately 400 acres 

 of derelict land ( an abandoned and unkempt gravel pit which had 

 accumulated debris and junk since the operation terminated) into a 

 recreational area containing a 75 -acre lake, forested areas, camp- 

 ing facilities, picnicking areas, and slopes for winter sports. The 

 lake is designed as a ground-water lake, and sand and gravel are 

 being excavated to obtain a depression that will be below the level 

 of the water table. The revenue derived from the sale of pit run or 

 unsorted gravel covers the entire cost of developing the lake. The 

 hills and slopes for winter sports will be built up by above-ground 

 sanitary landfill which will not, due to careful planning, detract from 

 the natural beauty. Imagination and ingenuity were used to formu- 

 late a plan to restore lost natural beauty to a tract of derelict land at 

 a relatively modest cost and, at the same time, provide a sorely needed, 

 water oriented recreation area and winter sports center and accom- 

 modate a large volume of solid wastes. 



But perhaps the greatest contribution to natural beauty may come 

 through a better understanding of the water resources. Through 

 education and local planning assistance, many suburban valley floors 

 will provide natural beauty. Since much of the local area depends 

 upon ground water, we are mapping not only flood plains, but also 

 prime natural recharge areas (where water enters into the ground 

 and moves to the ground water reservoir), and the distribution of 

 aquifers or water bearing strata, and then recommending open space 

 uses in these locations to interrupt the sprawl and to provide form. 



