Openlands - Accomplishments

Accomplishments

To view an interactive map with select locations of accomplishments, click here.

Protecting the high-quality Kishwaukee River

This December, Openlands is adding almost 200 acres to its ongoing project to protect the high-quality Kishwaukee River through Boone County. The main stem headwaters of the Kishwaukee River start in McHenry County, close to the Wisconsin border. The river then flows west through Boone County, picking up several high-quality tributary streams, before joining the Rock River in Winnebago County. The Kishwaukee's South Branch runs through Kane and DeKalb counties and joins the main stem in Winnebago County just above the confluence with the Rock River. The Kishwaukee River is one of just a handful of rivers in the entire State of Illinois that have a "Class A" rating for aquatic quality.

Sculpture Garden and Healing Garden Taking Root in Ronan Park

Thanks in part to Openlands, a new multicultural sculpture park and healing garden, featuring an infinity path, lotus garden, children’s garden, labyrinth, and a celebration plaza, will take root in Ronan Park, located in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood. (Click here to view a flickr photo gallery of the ground-breaking ceremony on May 19.)

Ronan Park Expansion

In August 2009, Openlands Land Preservation transferred to the City of Chicago a 1.65-acre property, helping to expand this important riverfront park in a culturally diverse neighborhood.

Kishwaukee River Meander

Openlands collaborated with the Boone County Conservation District and other organizations to develop A Vision of the Kishwaukee River Water Trail, which details the location of a water trail system originating in McHenry County and continuing to the confluence of the Kishwaukee and Rock rivers.

Black Crown Marsh

Expanding Black Crown Marsh represents a twofold victory for Openlands Land Preservation: the purchase not only protects an area designated critical by the Northeastern Illinois Wetland Protection Project but also demonstrates the importance of partnerships in regional conservation efforts.

Hartigan Beach and Park Expansion

Openlands Land Preservation acquired an acre of rarely available Lake Michigan shoreline in Chicago's Rogers Park community, among the neighborhoods in greatest need of public open space, for the city and the Chicago Park District. This beach is another acquisition that will both serve local residents and help provide a continuous public lakefront from Evanston to Indiana. view map

Hoover Boy Scout Camp

Purchased during the Kendall County development boom, Openlands Land Preservation acted quickly and creatively to secure 400 forested acres with more than a mile of Fox River frontage in Yorkville, Illinois.

Nature Center for Hidden Lakes

This rolling 17½ acre property, located adjacent to the historic Hidden Lakes Trout Farm, the DuPage River Greenway, and Campfire Camp Kata Kani, will house the Bolingbrook Park District's new 6,300-square-foot nature center.

Bromann Park Expansion

Bromann Park, located in Chicago's densely populated Andersonville neighborhood, contains a well-used neighborhood playground, and expansion of the park has been a priority of the city for many years.

Van Vlissingen Prairie

Located at the northern edge of the 4,000-acre Calumet Open Space Reserve, this rare remnant prairie is part of the Lake Calumet region wetlands complex and home to numerous bird species and important native plants.

Blodgett Road Dolomite Prairie

At 200 acres, Blodgett Road Dolomite Prairie, near Wilmington, Illinois, is the largest dolomite prairie in the Des Plaines-Kankakee River confluence area. A grant from Openlands Land Preservation, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District, is helping to restore this unique parcel of land.

Goose Lake Prairie State Park Addition

With an auction deadline looming on the purchase of a 311-acre addition to Goose Lake Prairie State Park, near Morris, Illinois, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources turned to Openlands Land Preservation for help.

Middlefork Savanna

The Lake County Forest Preserve District was negotiating to buy an addition to the Middlefork Savanna, the district's highest quality preserve. Upon learning of an opportunity to bid on the property's back taxes, the district asked Openlands Land Preservation to bid on its behalf.

Peterson Farm

Peterson Park, in the City of McHenry, Illinois, is home to the landmark Peterson Farm, a historic site featuring a mid-1800s homestead.

Hydraulic Lots

When two parcels of land along the Fox River came on the market, Oswego officials knew time was of the essence. However, without money to buy the land, which could expand an existing riverfront park, the Oswegoland Park District asked Openlands Land Preservation for help.

Old Wayne Golf Course

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County wanted to buy Old Wayne Golf Course, linking two forest preserves next to the site with a bike trail. But the owner wanted to keep the land. So the district asked Openlands Land Preservation to find a solution.

Raceway Woods

A resident in unincorporated West Dundee was worried about the extensive development encroaching on the land he inherited from his father. Featuring woodlands, savannas, restored prairie, several fens, and a nine-acre stream corridor, the site was listed with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission.

Restoring a "biological treasure"

Orland Park resident and Cook County Forest Preserve site steward Pat Hayes is smitten with Openlands' ecological restoration work at McMahon Woods in Willow Springs, IL. She recounts "how beautiful the fall mist is on the ponds" as she recently came upon the site.

As a volunteer-expert who cares for the forest preserve's natural areas, she has reason to understand the significance of Openlands' work there. In a note to Linda Masters, Openlands ecologist, she shared that when Native Americans occupied this region, people could easily walk through the woods. The trees were widely spaced, the understory open, and the ground lush with wildflowers and grasses.

And if you dig a bit deeper, you'll find something very fragile and unique at McMahon Woods.

Dellwood Park West

At 196 acres, Dellwood Park West (DPW) is a site of extremes and marked differences. The southern portion of DPW property was once actively mined and used for the disposal of slag, a byproduct of the steel production at a steel mill that was once located adjacent to DPW.

Des Plaines River Conservation Area

The presence of recognized dolomite prairies of substantial size and quality at this location made it a choice for receiving Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund (MSCSF) funding. Both Grant Creek Prairie (seventy-eight acres on the east side of I-55) and the Des Plaines Dolomite Prairie (nine acres on the west side of I-55) were on the original Illinois Natural Areas Inventory conducted in 1977.