April 15--The Cook County Forest Preserve District plans to expand its southwest suburban territory with the purchase of 163 acres in Palos Park.
The board approved a request to buy the land, owned by the Archdiocese of Chicago, for $5 million, forest preserve district officials said in a statement. Spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis said the district has not yet closed on the sale but is working on finalizing it. The archdiocese could not immediately be reached for comment.
The property, at 12375 McCarthy Road, holds mature oak woodlands and borders the 1,520-acre Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve, forest preserve district officials said. That location makes it particularly appealing, forest preserve district General Supt. Arnold Randall said in the statement.
"From an ecological standpoint, adding land near existing preserves has several benefits," he said. "Acquiring land prevents future development, which can cause habitat fragmentation, which separates an ecosystem and disrupts the species therein."
Lukidis said the forest preserve district has yet to decide how the site will be used, but officials said in the statement that adding land near other preserves in the Palos area will help create better-connected greenways and trails.
lzumbach@tribpub.com
