The Chicago region, our home, stretches over three states with one of the most complicated geopolitical landscapes in the nation. By contrast, plants and animals—and the ecosystems they rely on—do not follow these political boundaries and need a champion with a region-wide vision. To that end, our work strikes a balance between the needs of a growing region and the needs of the natural world around us.
Looking for information or advice as you incorporate conservation-friendly practices into your landscape? We can help.
The ComEd Green Region Program awards grants to public agencies supporting their efforts to plan for, protect, and improve open space in ComEd’s service area of northern Illinois.
Through innovative programs and partnerships, Openlands connects communities and government agencies to build and maintain innovative green infrastructure to manage stormwater in flood-prone metropolitan areas.
From establishing city parks to stewarding large-scale landscapes in McHenry, Will, and Grundy counties, Openlands values the land and we work with partners across northeastern Illinois to protect open space permanently.
Openlands believes that it is vital to design transportation solutions with nature. Our roads, rail, transit and trails should support livable, walkable vibrant communities that preserve and enhance open space.
Openlands works with landowners to implement conservation-friendly practices on working lands and ensure that the farmland in our region stays as healthy.
The Next Century Conservation Plan lays out bold actions to make Cook County a national leader in urban conservation by improving accessibility, public support, and ecology.
As Illinois’ most biologically diverse county, Lake County is a priority for Openlands. In January 2018, Conserve Lake County merged into Openlands.
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