Parcels of land with slow rates of precipitation runoff into adjacent wetlands and streams were likely to develop into flatwoods.

A flatwoods forest is characterized by red maple, swamp white oak, and black ash trees.

[4] In contrast to the natural area, the northwest and southwest quadrants of the preserve are dominated by Busse Lake, a 590-acre (240 ha) artificial reservoir that serves as a flood-control catchment for Salt Creek that flows in from Rolling Meadows and by the tall skyscrapers of eastern Schaumburg.

It cooperates with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to oversee stewardship partnering operations at Busse Woods.

Partnership operations include invasive species management, trash removal, and native plant reseeding and restocking.