The Forest Preserve District of Will County has taken ownership of 126 acres in Custer Township, formally converting the private estate of Chicago physicians Dr. Shin Theke Kang and Tae Sue Kang into a public forest preserve. The acquisition, reported by WJOL, marks the end of a decades-long private stewardship that began in the 1980s. The new public space will operate as Horse Creek Preserve, Kang Woodland.
The couple initially bought the land when the surrounding area was still heavily agricultural. Rather than develop it, they hired crews to plant roughly 40,000 trees, many of which survived without irrigation. Today, 32,000 of those saplings have matured into a diverse woodland of black walnut, oak, maple, ash, pine, and cherry.
This isn’t just a field of trees. It’s a functioning ecosystem. The canopy now shelters a historic bur oak estimated to be hundreds of years old, a living relic of the pre-settlement landscape. The creek corridor, which flows into the Kankakee River near the Wauponsee Trail, now benefits from stabilized soil and shaded waterways that support aquatic life.
The move expands the regional network of protected habitats in southwestern Will County. By linking private restoration efforts with public management, the district ensures the land remains a permanent natural barrier against further development.
The Forest Preserve District will now manage the site for public recreation and conservation. The first phase of public access planning is expected to begin this summer, with trail infrastructure designed to minimize impact on the sensitive creek habitat.