Shawnee Lookout Stream Restoration

Project Purpose

The landscape is known for its hills, valleys and incredible cultural history. On the former golf course, which closed in 2019, and in surrounding areas of the park, over 9,000 feet of streams were buried and moved into underground culverts. Great Parks and The Nature Conservancy will restore those streams to the surface in a process known as “daylighting.” Restoration will begin this year and includes the removal of culverts and asphalt from the old golf course, establishing riffles and pools along the stream and replacing invasive plants with a riparian buffer of native plants. Construction teams will plant 24,000 native trees and shrubs at the park, enhancing habitat for birds and other wildlife, providing shade for the stream and associated aquatic and riparian habitats, and improving water retention of the site. As part of the restoration project, the former cart path will be removed. A new 2-mile natural surface trail will replace it, following a more accessible grade.