ROCHELLE — Visitors to Skare Park and residents living by the north border of the property might be wondering what is happening to many of the trees and foliage.
No, another tornado did not come through, and no, the region is not being cleared to put in any buildings. The work is part of the Deer Creek Mitigation project that is designed to restore that portion of the park back to its natural prairie state prior to the area being inhabited by man.
Although the region of the park is closed to the public and looks a bit torn up right now while overgrown and invasive trees and undergrowth are being removed, in the next few years visitors will be able to enjoy walking through and view a scenic natural preservation area.
“We have had several calls about what is going on and I know it looks like a mess right now and is a big change, but this is a good environmental project and it fits in our master plan for Skare Park,” said Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District park superintendent Don Elliott. “There was so much over growth of trees and invasive species, and this plan to restore the 70-acre area and reshape the creek has been approved by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Army Corps of Engineers.”

The project came about after local engineer Tom Huddleston learned that an expansion at the Quad City Airport required some type of compensatory work within the watershed region, which Skare Park and Deer Creek falls into.
Huddleston and representatives of private company Land and Water Resources, Inc. approached the park district board last year to present and seek approval for the creek mitigation project that will not only restore the original winding creek path and natural foliage in that area of Skare Park, but also provide $250,000 for related park maintenance.
Land and Water Resources receives credits from the Army Corps of Engineers for doing the multi-million dollar project and in turn may sell them for future commercial projects. As part of this project, the company also plans to provide funding to Rochelle Township High School to purchase equipment that can be used by geology classes to study and monitor the Skare Park property.
“The clearing, clean-up work, creek reshaping and species replanting should take about a year before we might be able to open up the walking trails in there again,” Elliott said. “Land and Water Resources is required to maintain the land for a period of five years before it gets turned over to the park district.”
Elliott said that initial five-year period is crucial for the natural species to take hold and develop, but then the funds being provided will help the park district maintain the entire park.
“That money has to be used at Skare Park, but it will allow us to do a better job of taking care of and developing the property,” Elliott added. “We can use it for cleanup, tree planting and other natural enhancements throughout the park.”
Elliott said any residents with questions about the project may contact him at the park district main office by calling 815-562-7813.
“I know it’s a change and some people are wondering exactly what is going on, but this is a very good project for the park and I’m confident the public will appreciate it when it’s done,” he said.