You may wonder what’s happening on the south side of the southernmost parking area, between the parking lot and the golf course. Glad you asked! Cantigny Park has a brand new wetland habitat, a constructed water detention basin tied to the pending expansion of the south parking lot. The park is adding 325 new parking spaces to better accommodate visitors during major events.
The Cantigny Horticulture team, working with landscape contractor V3 Companies, planted the new “South Wetland” this summer with more than 40,000 native plugs, installing the vegetation in three different planting zones based on moisture tolerance. The plants will help clean the water before it enters the local watershed and provide good habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Frogs, dragonflies and birds found the new wetland almost immediately, which we take as a compliment! Park visitors will be able to view the wetland from an adjacent trail starting next year.
