What You Can Do to Help

For the last 55 years, Openlands has guided our region towards sustainability, and we are committed to guiding our region through a changing climate. Through our variety of programs and initiatives, Openlands is uniquely positioned to embrace and enact climate actions that benefit both people and nature. But we need your ideas, your voice, and your passion to solve this crisis.

You can work with your local elected officials to ensure that they are moving forward with climate action, even if the Federal Government won’t. Mayors and city councils across the state have stepped up to lead on climate change: Chicago, Evanston, Woodstock, Elgin, Highland Park, Waukegan, and Rockford are just some of the cities that have committed to the Paris Agreement. Find out if your municipality is addressing climate change, meet with your local officials, gather your neighbors and attend city meetings, and make sure decision makers know that you want climate action now.

Below we’ve listed opportunities, from neighborhood projects to actions you can take at home, that offer meaningful contributions to protecting nature in a changing climate.

Advocate for Climate Action

Tell your elected officials you want to see them enact policies that address climate change in a meaningful way.

Conservation Easements

You can place a conservation easement on your property to protect important natural features such as native plants, forests, wetlands, or prairies.

Support Openlands

As Chicago’s regional land trust, Openlands is uniquely positioned to leverage land conservation with community climate action and to ensure that our region seizes the opportunity to pioneer innovative solutions to the climate crisis.