Andersen Woods Forest Preserve
04N970 Illinois Route 25
St. Charles, IL
St. Charles, IL
Description
Andersen Woods is part of a mixed hardwood forest that stretches along the Fox River. The Fox River Regional Bike Trail skirts the shoreline, as it makes its way through the preserve. Just south of Andersen Woods is Norris Woods, an Illinois Nature Preserve owned and managed by the St. Charles Park District.
Amenities
- Bike & Nature Trails
History
Oak and hickory trees reveal the area’s past as an open savanna. Large maples, characteristic of a more shaded forest ecosystem, are interspersed throughout these preserves. The District has cleared invasive and nonnative woody plants here to restore the open woodland and savanna. Together, Andersen and Norris Woods provide an important corridor for wildlife, along the river.
The preserve was purchased with the help of an acquisition grant in 2003 from the Arthur Andersen Company. The property was previously part of their St. Charles training facility land holdings. Future improvements include creating trail connections to provide public access.
Andersen Woods holds a great deal of history, being that is was part of the original "little woods," marked by early settlers in Kane County.