DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center — Improvements Phase 2
The construction of a 27,000-square-foot state-of-the-art wildlife rehabilitation clinic and visitor center, named the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center, is part of the second phase of the 2011 master plan for the facility, formerly known as Willowbrook Wildlife Center.
Located within Willowbrook Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn, the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center will be the District’s first net-zero designed building, producing more energy from renewable resources than it consumes.
Plans for the center also include new indoor and outdoor animal rehabilitation areas, interactive educational exhibits on wildlife rehabilitation, an outdoor classroom, an interpretive trail with wildlife observation areas, and outdoor activity spaces that demonstrate how to attract and live in harmony with native wildlife.
Project FAQs
DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center is a nationally recognized wildlife rehabilitation facility that provides care and medical treatment to 10,000 sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife each year. The aging clinic and outdoor rehabilitation area are not adequate for the needs of these wildlife patients.
Woodlands, wetlands, and prairies in DuPage and surrounding areas increase livability for people and wildlife, but urban development fragments larger habitats and presents hazards for wildlife (e.g. bird collisions with windows, vehicles, and power lines). This brings wildlife patients to the center on a regular basis.
Operated by the Forest Preserve District District of DuPage since 1956, the center is also a valuable resource for people to learn how to live in harmony with wildlife, offering educational programs for thousands of people, including school and scout groups, teachers, private rehabilitators, and municipalities.
The existing building is more than 40 years old. Since it was built, standards for wildlife rehabilitation have dramatically changed. Additionally, many of the building's mechanical systems are at the end of their useful lives and need to be replaced to support safe and effective operations for wildlife patients, staff, and volunteers.
The new facility will meet the center's current admissions, rehabilitation, and resident requirements.
Over the years, the area's human population has grown, impacting its wildlife population as well. The center treats an average of 10,000 sick, injured, and orphaned animals each year. The aging clinic and outdoor rehabilitation area are not adequate for the needs of these wildlife patients.
The clinic will increase efficiencies and ensure each species continues to receive appropriate medical care.
The visitor center will showcase the behind-the-scenes medical and rehabilitation process. Visitors will be able to view animals as they're examined, treated, in surgery, being fed, and rehabilitated behind one-way windows and through video monitors.
Existing non-releasable resident animals, most of which are geriatric, will be housed in specially designed enclosures appropriate to their needs to allow them to live out their lives as humanely as possible. Video monitors will showcase select animals as well as animals in the rehabilitation enclosures.
A wildlife garden with songbird habitat and an interpretive trail will allow the public to see wildlife in natural settings through specially designed observation nodes.
The center has a small population of resident animals that cannot be released due to injuries and debilitating conditions. These residents will be housed in specially designed enclosures that are species-appropriate to their needs and will allow them to live out their lives as humanely as possible. Staff will continue to provide enrichment activities, and the public will be able to observe them through live camera feeds.
Yes! The project was designed in multiple phases to continue the important work of wildlife rehabilitation uninterrupted throughout construction.
Willowbrook's outdoor trails closed on March 26, 2023.
On April 19, 2022, the Forest Preserve District board of commissioners voted on a $25.5 million guaranteed maximum-price contract with Wight & Company to design and construct the new facility.
In November 2021, the Forest Preserve District board of commissioners approved issuing general obligation limited-tax bonds to support District master plan projects. Property taxes will not increase as a result of these improvements.
Approximately $22 million from the bond sale will be dedicated to this project. The District is also pursuing an additional $3.5 million in grant funding for the project.
As of April 2022, the District has also secured $3.7 million in private donations to support the project. The Friends of the Forest Preserve District continues to develop donor opportunities for this critically important center.
All of DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center's operating expenses are funded by the Forest Preserve District, grants and private donations. The center does not receive state or federal funding.
Net-zero means the energy produced from renewable resources exceeds the energy consumed by a building.
The new facility will have energy-efficient features throughout, but two key elements will be its ground- and roof-mounted solar panels, which will convert the sun's energy into electricity, and a geothermal heating and cooling system.
A geothermal system circulates liquid through underground pipes and uses the natural ground temperature to heat and cool. In winter, the system extracts heat from the liquid and distributes it into the building. In summer, it removes heat from the building and carries it into the ground to cool.
The Forest Preserve District's planning department and DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center staff are collaborating with Wight & Company and Wight Construction Services. Wight & Company has worked with District staff since early 2021 to identify responsible solutions to the changing needs of animal rehabilitation and care.
The multidisciplinary team at Wight & Company worked with the District to develop the previous master plan for the center in 2011.
For more information about the company visit wightco.com.
Native animals have ranges that overlap human-imposed boundaries. Migratory birds are a great example. The center champions healthy interconnected ecosystems to foster and promote safe and sustainable communities for all living things in DuPage County and surrounding communities.
To learn how to support the project contact Jeannine Kannegiesser, District chief partnership and philanthropy officer and executive director of the Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.
Contact Anamari Dorgan, director of Community Engagement Services, at 630-462-5654 or adorgan@dupageforest.org.
Mar
2025
Status: In Progress
The new clinic and visitor center are expected to open to the public in summer 2025. Wildlife rehabilitation will continue uninterrupted throughout construction.
Apr
2022
On April 19, 2022 the District's board of commissioners voted on a guaranteed maximum-price contract with Wight & Company to design and build a 27,000-square-foot wildlife rehabilitation clinic and visitor center that will replace the 42-year-old building.
2011
In 2011 the District adopted a new master plan for Willowbrook Wildlife Center. Public input was previously solicited for the master plan through a public open house and survey.
In addition, the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) have made some significant changes in wildlife rehabilitation guidelines for housing and exhibiting wildlife that impact how the center will operate in the future.
The District began implementing Willowbrook’s master plan in 2013. Since that time, a new parking lot that improves public access was built, a new species recovery building for wildlife rehabilitation was built, and a 72.2-kilowatt solar array was installed for sustainability. All of these projects address several goals and objectives identified in that master plan.
History
The DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center is a nationally recognized wildlife rehabilitation center that provides care and medical treatment to approximately 10,000 sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife each year.
The center also supports the District's threatened and endangered species captive-rearing program and serves as an environmental and educational resource for the public.
Improvements were needed so the center can remain a national leader in engaging visitors in veterinary science, medical care, and wildlife rehabilitation while championing healthy interconnected ecosystems to foster safe, healthy, and sustainable communities for all living things in DuPage County and beyond.
As part of its planning efforts, the District reevaluated the center's vision and goals within the context of what has been learned over the past 65 years; incorporating new guidelines and best practices for wildlife rehabilitation; taking into consideration public concerns and community needs; and making an effort to remain true to the District’s and the center's missions.
Funding
In November 2021, the Forest Preserve District board of commissioners approved issuing general obligation limited-tax bonds to support District master plan projects. Approximately $22 million from the bond sale will pay for the project.
As of April 2022, the District has also secured $3.7 million in private donations to support the project. Additional opportunities to contribute are available through the Friends of the Forest Preserve District.
The District has sufficient bonding capacity to issue debt and fund this project without causing a net increase in property taxes for DuPage residents.
Operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County since 1956, all of the center's operating expenses are funded by the Forest Preserve District, grants and private donations. The center does not receive state or federal funding.
Related Documents and Resources
Public Feedback (PDF)
Board Presentation 9/14/21 (PDF)
Public Feedback on Plan 8/17/21 (PDF)
Wight Co. Presentation to Board 8/17/21 (PDF)
Previous Willowbrook Master Plan Public Input (PDF)
Willowbrook Master Plan Phase II Improvements Design Program (PDF)
Board Presentation 4/13/21 (PDF)