rieigee AU. S:O Nes Us PN 29 
THE FATE OF THORN CREEK WOODS 
BY BETTY GROTH 
IAS Vice President for Conservation 
IN THE 1830’s BEAUTIFUL THORN CREEK WOODS rolled on for miles 
south of Chicago’s lush, wet marshes, climbing hills with its oak, maple 
and hickory forest, spilling into green ravines, sunning itself on open 
plateaus, and edging around rich fresh water marshes. In 1833, Fort Dear- 
born gave birth to a little town in the marshlands by the Indian name of 
“Chicago.” 
TODAY, THORN CREEK WOODS’ LAST THOUSAND ACRES are 
threatened with advancing erosion of population pressures, caught in the 
crush of overcrowded Chicago, and ringed with oncoming ruin from urban 
and industrial expansion. 
AT STAKE IN THIS NATURAL WILD BEAUTY are many forest 
trees far into their second century. Of every 10 trees in Thorn Creek 
Woods, there are 4 white oaks, 3 northern red oaks, 1 bur oak, and 2 
other species—hickory or sugar maple, linden, elm, white ash, swamp 
white oak, Hill’s oak, or ironwood. Sugar maple, though limited, is 
spreading. Besides the flowing stream itself, there is the floodplain habitat, 
fresh green ravines, rolling hills that have never seen a bulldozer, plateau 
areas, marshlands, and a lake. There are wildflowers in lavish count, birds 
in abundance, an ecosystem in healthy balance, and thriving wildlife. 
FOR FREEDOM FROM CITY NOISE. air and water pollution, for 
escape to the simple life, free from pressure, Thorn Creek Woods is the 
last southward stand of outdoor wild beauty. All else near Chicago is 
megapolis. 
BUT THORN CREEK WOODS still could be headed for the chopping 
block of real estate development. A new city is planned in the site... fine 
housing... paved shopping plazas... slashed with a giant new expressway 
to pump heavy traffic onto the site. To the man in the street, this is simply 
“progress’—a chance to make another dollar. 
IF YOU’D RATHER HAVE a beautiful state park or healthful nature 
preserve instead of another shopping plaza, another sea of roofs, another 
giant expressway gutting scenic Illinois, you can write to the Governor, 
to the State Conservation Department, to the Will County Forest Preserve 
District to purchase more land, and to Housing and Urban Development 
to deny loans to the developers who would destroy the woods. 
LAST YEAR IT WAS ALMOST SAVED by a vote of 99 to 1 in the 
House of Representatives, but this year the struggle for funds had to begin 
again: House Bill 364 and Senate Bill 62, both 'of which died. Well-meaning 
developers, who wish to enrich the community, fear a state park would 
bring “people damage” to this proposed high-class living area. Conserva- 
tionists are fighting hard for a state park or nature preserve, working with 
the State, Will County, Open Lands Project, and the Forest Preserve Dis- 
trict to save the woods and wildlife for future generations. 
WHEN ARBOR DAY comes next year, and you plant your pathetic 
