Land Transfer to Openlands

Openlands was active in protecting the open space at Fort Sheridan since the base closure was first announced: throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, we played an important role in advocating for the transfer of property to the Lake County Forest Preserve District. Ensuring that the public has the opportunity to enjoy Fort Sheridan and that its valuable natural features are protected is a logical extension of our work.

In  2004 legislation was signed by President George W. Bush authorizing the transfer of the bluffs, ravines, and shoreline at Fort Sheridan to a non-profit land conservation organization for the purpose of providing permanent protection. In 2006 Openlands acquired the land and, with a generous $4 million contribution from the Grand Victoria Foundation, began  restoration of this ecologically sensitive property.

Openlands' Fort Sheridan Lakefront Preserve Action Plan provided a framework for restoring the bluffs and ravines and a plan for recreational activities and interpretive opportunities. It also suggested how development on the remaining property could be done in a sustainable, attractive, and effective way. Specifically, the plan offered the following recommendations:

• One mile of shoreline along Lake Michigan could be protected by Openlands' acquisition, making the Fort Sheridan property one of the largest lakefront preserves in Illinois.
• Trails at the top of the bluffs and along the beach could be created, offering spectacular views of Lake Michigan.
• A trail through Bartlett Ravine to the lake could offer visitors a chance to enjoy a rich plant community rarely found in Illinois.
• Five plant species listed as endangered or threatened with extinction in Illinois could be provided a safe, protected habitat.
• One of the last remaining bluff ecosystems in the Chicago region could be protected and made available for scientific study.
• A sustainable approach to military housing developed in harmony with nature could be demonstrated and serve as a national model.

Conversely, the plan also indicates the repercussions of inactivity:

• Excessive runoff from storms will continue to pour into the ravines;
• Erosion of the fragile ravine and bluff ecosystems will increase;
• Appropriate restoration management actions will not be implemented; and
• The site will degrade from a lack of appropriate restoration management actions.

Gradually, the plan suggested, the ecological integrity and rare species of the natural areas could diminish or disappear, and the unique natural features of this property would be lost forever.

Heeding this warning, Openlands' efforts at the preserve, a green legacy project of this year's Burnham Plan Centennial, include:

• Lakefront bluff assessments and inventories—the northern bluffs and beach continue to support a diverse range of plant material, including six state-threatened or endangered species.
• A study of the site's hydrology, including documentation of groundwater seeps and built stormwater conveyance systems, which confirms that sand and gravel penetrating the underlying glacial till contribute to the tendency of the steep ravine slopes to creep downhill, or slump, from time-to-time but also have supported native plants such as Sugar Maple.
• Removal of invasive and undesirable trees and shrubs to open up the ground to more light, installation of erosion-control blankets, and completion of initial seeding on the northern third of the bluff in preparation for periodic fire regimes, which will provide an environment for the re-establishment of native plants. 
• Development of curriculum, in partnership with local educators and other non-profit organizations, that focuses on the unique ecology of the preserve's ravines and bluffs, as well as the critical role humans play in the stewardship of natural resources. (On-site educational programs for elementary school groups will be piloted this fall—similar programs for high school students will begin in 2010 and be available to the general public after the preserve fully opens in 2011.)

Today, the initial phase of restoration has been completed, and our ongoing stewardship of the property continues.