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What's all that activity in the Woods?

McDonald Woods

McDonald Woods is a rare 100-acre piece of a larger oak woodland that thrived in this region just a century ago. While oak woodlands once dotted northeastern Illinois, today only small remnants remain.

The native plants in the woods provide food and refuge for an incredible array of animals, birds and insects. Over 400 species of native plants live here, 20 species of mammals, 118 species of birds and thousands of different insects call the woods their home.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is working to restore these woods to their presettlement condition. It is the setting for environmental education and conservation research and has been designated a demonstration site for oak woodland restoration in the Chicagoland area.

Two nature trails and a short boardwalk will guide you through a wetland area, an unrestored area of the woods, and sections where wildflowers flourish because of restoration efforts.

Find out what's in bloom now.

Download a guide for the McDonald Woods. (PDF 352K)

Take a virtual tour of the UNRESTORED section of McDonald Woods.
View a virtual tour of a RECOVERING section of McDonald Woods.

This virtual tour uses QuickTime VR technology. Click here to download a plugin.