RED GATE WOODS AREA OF THE PALOS PRESERVE SYSTEM IN SOUTHWESTERN COOK COUNTY LOOKS LIKE A DISASTER ZONE.

THE GROUND IS LITTERED WITH TREE STUMPS AND BRANCHES THE KIND OF DESTRUCTION A TORNADO MIGHT WREAK OR A LOGGING COMPANY MIGHT LEAVE IN ITS CLEAR CUTTING WEEK.

IN FACT, THE DEVASTATION IS EVIDENCE OF THE OPPOSITE.

THE LANDSCAPE IS BEING BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE AND REPORTER PATTY WET LEAD JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THIS PATTY.

SO TO CASUAL UNTRAINED OBSERVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE CARNAGE, IS ACTUALLY ABOUT RESTORATION.

TELL US HOW CUTTING DOWN THE STREET IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.

WELL, THESE TREES ARE ACTUALLY AN INVASIVE SHRUB CALLED HONEYSUCKLE AND IT IS ALL OVER THE PRESERVE THEIR ABSOLUTELY CHOKING OUT THE FOREST AND WETLANDS.

>> SO THEY ARE JUST CHOPPING IT DOWN.

THEY'VE ALREADY CUT DOWN ABOUT 200 ACRES AS PART OF THE 1000 ACRE RESTORATION PROJECT, 10 MILLION DOLLARS.

IT'S GOING TO RUN THROUGH 2027 BIGGEST BY FAR RESTORATION PROJECT.

COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES EVER TAKEN ON HUGE IS TO GOT A REALLY SWEET NAME TO I KNOW ROADS, BUT IT TOO MANY THEY'RE BAD.

SO THE TRAILS AROUND THE AREA OF RESTORATION OF THE STILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR THE CLOTHES?

WELL, THIS IS GETTING A LOT OF THE HEAVY WORK IS DONE IN THE WINTER TIME.

>> TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON WILDLIFE AND THE SOIL.

SO A LOT OF THAT CLEAR CUTTING TOOK PLACE FROM OCTOBER TO MARCH.

NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING IN AND, YOU KNOW, FINE TUNING SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY WORKED DOWN, PICKING BACK UP THE HEAVY WORK OVER NEXT WINTER.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THERE ARE GOING TO SPOTS WHERE THEY MIGHT BE WORKING.

SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK AHEAD.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS WALKING AROUND FOR FOR 5 HOURS A COUPLE WEEKS WHEN YOU GO DOWN AS WELL, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

I'M SO BEYOND THE PROCESS OF CUTTING DOWN THESE INVASIVE SPECIES.

WHAT OTHER WORK IS GOING YES.

SO I MENTIONED I WAS WALKING AROUND FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS.

AND SOME OF THAT WAS BECAUSE WE'RE WALKING IN CIRCLES BECAUSE THE SIGNAGE VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

WHEN LIKE 3 TRAILS COME TOGETHER AND WHICH WHERE YOU SUPPOSED TO GO.

SO THAT IS ALSO GOING TO BE PART OF THIS PROJECT LIKE 5 MILLION DOLLARS IS GOING TO THE RESTORATION.

ANOTHER 5 IS GOING TO REBUILDING THE TRAILS, SOME OF WHICH ARE SERIOUSLY ERODED.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK HEAVILY ON THE WAY FINDING AND ADDING MORE MAPS AND LETTING YOU KNOW YOU ARE HERE.

YOU'RE HEADED TOWARD HITS A LOT BETTER JOB THAN LIKE.

BROWN, RED, ORANGE OR NUMBER 02:00AM.

I GOING?

YEAH, OK, ALRIGHT.

FOREST PRESERVES GETTING SOME ZYNGA LOOK AMAZING.

AREN'T GETTING MORE USER FRIENDLY AS WELL AS WAS LIKE.

PATTY WETTERLING, THANK YOU SO MUCH.