Ned Brown Forest Preserve
Encyclopedia
The Ned Brown Forest Preserve, popularly known as Busse Woods, adjoining Elk Grove Village, Illinois
and Schaumburg, Illinois
, is a 3,700-acre (15.0 km²) unit of the Cook County Forest Preserve
system. A section of the northeast quadrant of the forest preserve is the Busse Forest Nature Preserve, which was registered as a National Natural Landmark
in February 1980.
hardwood forest. A 440-acre (1.8 km²) segment of the woods, the Busse Forest Nature Preserve, is listed as a national natural landmark as a surviving fragment of flatwoods, a type of damp-ground forest formerly typical of extremely level patches of ground in the Great Lakes region. Parcels of land with slow rates of precipitation runoff into adjacent wetland
s and stream
s were likely to develop into flatwoods. A flatwoods forest is characterized by red maple
, swamp white oak
, and black ash trees. The black ash trees of Busse Woods are threatened by the emerald ash borer
, which was reported in Illinois for the first time in 2006.
Other parts of Busse Woods are better-drained and include species more typical of the forests of northern Illinois, such as the basswood, hickory
, sugar maple
, and white oak
, the latter species being the state tree of Illinois.
trail, the Busse Woods Trail, through the forest preserve: a 7.7 mile loop and two spurs providing pedestrian and bicycle access to the preserve. In contrast to the natural area, the northwest and southwest quadrants of the preserve are dominated by Busse Lake, a 590-acre (2.4 km²) artificial reservoir
that serves as a flood-control catchment for Salt Creek
and by the tall skyscraper
s of eastern Schaumburg.
stoner metal band Acid King
released a full-length album named Busse Woods
after the forest preserve.
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Elk Grove Village is a municipality located in northeastern Illinois adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and the City of Chicago. Elk Grove Village encompasses in land area with located in Cook County and located in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 32,745 at the 2010 census...
and Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg is a city located in Cook County in northeastern Illinois. A common misspelling of the city name is Schaumberg, a spelling which persists on some modern maps. Schaumburg is located just under northwest of downtown Chicago and approximately northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As...
, is a 3,700-acre (15.0 km²) unit of the Cook County Forest Preserve
Cook County Forest Preserves
The Cook County Forest Preserves are a network of open spaces, containing forest, prairie, wetland, streams, and lakes, that are set aside as natural areas. Cook County contains Chicago, Illinois, and is the center of a densely-populated urban metropolitan area in northeastern Illinois...
system. A section of the northeast quadrant of the forest preserve is the Busse Forest Nature Preserve, which was registered as a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
in February 1980.
Busse Woods biology
Busse Woods, the heart of the forest preserve, is a mature Great LakesGreat Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
hardwood forest. A 440-acre (1.8 km²) segment of the woods, the Busse Forest Nature Preserve, is listed as a national natural landmark as a surviving fragment of flatwoods, a type of damp-ground forest formerly typical of extremely level patches of ground in the Great Lakes region. Parcels of land with slow rates of precipitation runoff into adjacent wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s and stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s were likely to develop into flatwoods. A flatwoods forest is characterized by red maple
Red Maple
Acer rubrum , is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern North America. It ranges from the Lake of the Woods on the border between Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to near Miami, Florida, and southwest to east Texas...
, swamp white oak
Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor, the swamp white oak, is a medium-sized tree of the north central and northeastern mixed forests. It has a very large range, and can survive in a variety of habitats. It grows rapidly and can reach 300 to 350 years...
, and black ash trees. The black ash trees of Busse Woods are threatened by the emerald ash borer
Emerald ash borer
The emerald ash borer is a green beetle native to Asia.In North America the borer is an invasive species, highly destructive to ash trees in its introduced range. The potential damage of this insect rivals that of Chestnut blight and Dutch Elm Disease...
, which was reported in Illinois for the first time in 2006.
Other parts of Busse Woods are better-drained and include species more typical of the forests of northern Illinois, such as the basswood, hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
, sugar maple
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
, and white oak
White oak
Quercus alba, the white oak, is one of the pre-eminent hardwoods of eastern North America. It is a long-lived oak of the Fagaceae family, native to eastern North America and found from southern Quebec west to eastern Minnesota and south to northern Florida and eastern Texas. Specimens have been...
, the latter species being the state tree of Illinois.
Busse Woods recreation
There are 10.8 miles of paved bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
trail, the Busse Woods Trail, through the forest preserve: a 7.7 mile loop and two spurs providing pedestrian and bicycle access to the preserve. In contrast to the natural area, the northwest and southwest quadrants of the preserve are dominated by Busse Lake, a 590-acre (2.4 km²) artificial reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
that serves as a flood-control catchment for Salt Creek
Salt Creek (Des Plaines River Tributary)
Salt Creek is a stream in northeastern Illinois. It is an important tributary of the Des Plaines River, part of the Illinois River and ultimately the Mississippi River watersheds...
and by the tall skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s of eastern Schaumburg.
Busse Woods in pop culture
In 1999, San FranciscoSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
stoner metal band Acid King
Acid King
Acid King is a stoner metal band from San Francisco, California. It was formed in 1993 by frontwoman Lori S., drummer Joey Osbourne and bassist Peter Lucas. Acid King have since recorded three studio albums and three EPs with a series of bassists....
released a full-length album named Busse Woods
Busse Woods
Busse Woods is the second full-length album by stoner metal band Acid King. The album was originally released in 1999 through Man's Ruin Records, but was reissued in 2004 with bonus tracks, through Small Stone Records...
after the forest preserve.