About the Park
Oak Ridge Marsh is a 14-acre park owned by the
Village of Lake Zurich.
It is on the east side of Lions Drive about a half-mile north of
Main Street, just north of the gazebo at the Bird Observation Area. From the small entrance
with three parking lots, it stretches to the east and north between residential areas,
reaching the southwest side of Echo Lake.
Largely left in its natural state, there is a simple dirt path and a couple
benches for rest and contemplation. The habitat is forest and wetlands, with a mix of
oaks and hickories, some up to ten feet around, smaller trees like cherry and cottonwood
and a variety of plants at the ground level. This includes many spring wildflowers, such
as rue anemone, shooting star and mayapples.
About Oak Ridge Marsh Conservation Group
We are a group of volunteers working under the direction of the Parks and Recreation
Department of the Village of Lake Zurich to restore the native habitat of
Oak Ridge Marsh Nature Park. Join us on a
workday
as we continue restoration. The schedule is the first
and third Saturdays of each month from 9 to noon (come when you can).
Planting, seed collecting and weeding are our primary summer activities. We would love to
have you help in making our dream of
restoring the Oak Ridge Marsh woodland to its natural beauty, free from invaders.
Restoration Continues
Oak Ridge Marsh is well into the restoration, after four years of active volunteer
work! Approximately half of the property has been cleared of buckthorn, plant species have been
inventoried, new species have been seeded and planted to replace what's been lost in years
past as the buckthorn shaded many plants to death.
Pictured here is a new sign marking the spur trail going to Echo Lake, from the main loop trail
by the parking lot.
A Podcast of Oak Ridge Marsh is Available
We now offer a podcast for a self-guided walking tour of Breezewald Park and Oak Ridge Marsh.
It starts at Breezewald Park on Old Rand Road, and takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending
on your walking pace. Through this podcast audio tour of Lake Zurich's natural areas, you
will learn about the forces of nature which made Lake Zurich a unique area. You'll learn
about the wildlife that calls Lake Zurich "home" and the efforts to provide this wildlife
with a good place to live. And you'll get an invigorating walk through one of Lake Zurich's
most beautiful areas! Download the
small podcast
file(9.5MB) or the
large podcast file(19MB).
(You may need to right-click on the link to save the podcast on your computer...Mac users
with the original one-button mouse can control-click on the link).
For more information and pictures, please continue visiting our website, using the links
to the left.
