"The land speaks for itself. . . Everybody engaged in this project has a deep appreciation for the site, and that’s what motivates their commitment to try and preserve it.”  Emy Brawley, Openlands

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Print media coverage

Early last year, in 2012, Save the Timber, Openlands, and local citizens renewed efforts to save the western half of the site. Read the Western Springs Patch article here.

Unfortunately, one of the biggest roadblocks to saving Phase II has been the baffling reluctance of the Western Spring Board of Trustees to re-zone the land. The Sun-Times covers that fight here.

Faced with opposition from the Western Springs Board of Trustees, Openlands terminated their contract on the land in June. Read the Patch article here.

In October, Medley Capital, a New York-based investment firm, purchased the entire foreclosed Timber Trails property from PNC Bank, intending to complete the development in accord with the original annexation agreement, choosing Dartmoor homes as the builder. Read the Crain's article here.

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Broadcast media coverage

On April 8, 2005, the first tree cutting at Timber Trails took place.  This clip from CLTV shows the devastation.  As reporter Melanie Kopacz states: "Residents are not only angry over the cutting down of the trees but the fact that none of the soil had been tested beforehand, soil that could potentially be contaminated with harmful chemicals ."

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From CLTV's evening broadcast: "Some outraged residents in . . . Western Springs are questioning the timing of scores of centuries-old oak trees suddenly being cut down over the weekend,  [which] comes just days after the Village President [John Kravcik] lost his bid for re-election to a man who supports those who are trying to protect . . . the land in question.  As CLTV's Melanie Kopacz tells us, there is now also concern over the soil the trees grew in being contaminated."

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Local Fox News coverage: "Friday's digging began . . . about 5 o'clock, giving residents no time to file an injunction to stop it."