Arbor Hills-Huntington-CarMax Ecological Restoration

Baxter & Woodman Natural Resources regularly works with Algonquin’s Public Works Department, serving as its primary ecological consultant and assisting the Village to fulfill its commitment to become a sustainable green infrastructure community.

The Village currently has over 300 acres of restored natural areas that are managed on a yearly basis. In 2023, the Village added three sites for ecological restoration comprising 15 acres (Arbor Hills Wetland, Huntington Detention, and CarMax open space) that form a green infrastructure connection to the newly restored Randall Road Wetland Complex. Prior to restoration, Arbor Hills was dominated by invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, and common reed grass. Huntington Detention was lined with turf grass and dominated by common reed grass. The new CarMax site contains an open space corridor linking Huntington Detention to the Randall Road Wetland area.

Baxter & Woodman Natural Resources prepared an ecological design for each site, implemented the restoration plans, and will perform stewardship for three years to establish the native plant communities.