Lake Ellyn Park 2013 Master Plan

2. site analysis & existing conditions
4. Vegetation
Historical land surveys indicate that Lake Ellyn Park is
located largely in what was once described as a “timber”
by land surveyors, and Lake Ellyn was once a wetland
or marsh. Many of the existing native canopy trees are
likely offspring of trees from the original woodland described
by the land survey in 1825.
The current landscape vegetation within Lake Ellyn Park
includes several distinct areas defined by different landscape
typologies:
• The main part of the park south of Essex Road
on both the east and west sides of the lake is
predominated by mature, primarily native canopy
trees and turf grass understory. The trees are
predominantly Oak throughout the park, including
White Oak, Red Oak, and Burr Oak. Along the
west side of the lakeshore, there are a number of
Green and White Ash, now threatened by the
Emerald Ash Borer. Several other species are
scattered throughout the park, including Hickory,
Sugar Maple, American Elm, Cottonwood, Black
Walnut, and others (see Appendix B for complete
tree inventory). There are also exotic (non-native)
species including Norway Maple, Crabapple
species, and Callory Pear. The turf grass understory
is in varying conditions; heavily used and/or
shaded areas include areas of exposed soil and are
difficult to maintain in turf.
• The shoreline of Lake Ellyn includes two markedly
different conditions. One portion, generally along
the eastern and northern shores, is primarily turf
grass up to a varied reinforced stone edge, including
some sections of vertical stone wall extended below
the normal water level. Portions of the shoreline
are planted with shrubs, which block views and
access to the lake in these sections. The stone wall
and shoreline edge has deteriorated or separated in
many areas.
mature canopy trees dominate the landscape
• The shoreline generally along the southeast
and south lake shores, is in a more naturalized
condition, and has been more recently planted
with native prairie vegetation, with various levels of
establishment. Shoreline restoration plans indicate
aquatic vegetation was planned in several areas that
was either never implemented or did not succeed.
This included proposed wetland or marsh areas at
the two storm inlets.
• The Ruth Candy Parkway is primarily comprised of
open turfgrass and a few scattered trees, mostly of
younger age. The area was disturbed recently when
it was used as a construction staging area, when the
turfgrass was re-sodded.
• The Sam Perry Nature Preserve is a small piece of
remnant woodland. Although the park districtwide
tree survey does not cover this piece of
property, the Preserve includes a number of native
tree species with an understory that is severely
degraded and overgrown with non-native shrubs.
Lake Ellyn Park Master Plan
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