The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County officially marked the opening of its new DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in Glen Ellyn on Thursday, April 30, with a ribbon-cutting celebration attended by its Board of Commissioners and other elected officials as well as District staff, project partners, and donors.

Each year the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center provides care and medical treatment to more than 11,000 sick, injured, and orphaned native animals and serves as a resource for wildlife education, providing tens of thousands of visitors with information on living in harmony with wild animals.

The new 27,000-square-foot facility is designed to meet current wildlife rehabilitation standards, physically separate predator and prey species to reduce stress during recovery, and streamline staff workflow through a more efficient layout. It also enhances public understanding of the rehabilitation process through exhibits and viewing windows, where visitors can observe animals being examined, treated, fed, and rehabilitated.

Located within Willowbrook Forest Preserve, the center is the District’s first net-zero-designed building, which will generate as much energy as it uses through renewable resources, including solar power and geothermal systems.

“The DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting native wildlife and preserving the natural resources that make DuPage County special,” said Forest Preserve District President Daniel Hebreard. “Climate change is already affecting our communities and natural areas, and projects like this demonstrate how we can respond with sustainable design, responsible stewardship, and long-term investment in the health of our environment.”

The new center builds on a legacy of wildlife care at Willowbrook Forest Preserve that dates back more than 70 years, when early efforts to treat injured animals laid the foundation for the Forest Preserve District’s long-standing nationally recognized wildlife rehabilitation program.

 Photos from the event are available in the DuPage Wildlife CC Grand Opening gallery.