Evening walk in the woods

Hello everyone!

We will meet at Anita Purves Nature Center at 6pm. Bring good shoes, trail is partly boardwalk but the rest can be muddy. Weather should be nice so this will be a pleasant evening walk, muddy or not.

From the Urbana Park District: Busey Woods, 59 acres adjacent to the Anita Purves Nature Center

Busey Woods is a 59-acre nature preserve with a boardwalk loop, seasonal ponds and more. It is adjacent to Crystal Lake Park with an entrance just west of the Anita Purves Nature Center. Collecting items, walking pets and cycling are not permitted. Trained naturalists are available and classes are designed for all age groups and interests. To inquire about programs and services, call the Anita Purves Nature Center at 384-4062.

From Dumping Ground to Desirable Forest
Busey Woods is a remnant of the Big Grove, an oak hickory forest that stood in this area at the time settlers arrived. It was not until the 1970s that the Urbana Park District began to use and manage the woods. In recent history it had been used as a bird watching area or as a place to bring university classes for nature study. But it also became a dumping ground when Lincoln Square, the nearby mall, was constructed. You can still see rubble in the woods today. Since the early 1970s, and especially since 1991 when the district purchased the woods, the district has made strides to bring the woods back to a more undisturbed state through management techniques.