In the 20th Century, we preserved the land. In the 21st, let’s restore it.

Celebrating 100 Years, Securing the Future

One hundred years ago, civic leaders had the foresight to leave us an extraordinary legacy – the Forest Preserves of Cook County, the first forest preserve district in the United States. The Forest Preserves’ unique habitats make it an ecological treasure. Today, as we face the challenges of urban sprawl and climate change, we need healthy habitats – wetlands, woodlands, and prairies – more than ever, but these precious resources are in dire need of restoration. The Next Century Conservation Plan for the Forest Preserves of Cook County is an ambitious blueprint for the future. The plan lays out a set of bold actions to make Cook County a national leader in urban conservation. The plan calls for massive restoration and expansion of protected lands, as well as a commitment to making the preserves more accessible to the diverse people of Cook County.



 

The Plan

This ambitious plan lays out a set of bold actions to make Cook County a national leader in urban conservation. It highlights the preserves as one of the region’s greatest assets for the environment, the economy, and quality of life, but suggests that its fragile native ecosystems are at risk. The plan calls for the County to make a massive commitment to restoration, expand protected lands by at least 30%, and to make the preserves more accessible to the diverse people of Cook County.

DOWNLOAD THE PLAN
DOWNLOAD THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 


 

 

Implementation

Upon completion of the plan, President Preckwinkle appointed the inaugural members of the Forest Preserves’ Conservation and Policy Council to guide its implementation and ensure the Forest Preserves remain true to our conservation mission. Each year the council will present to the President and the board an updated five year implementation strategy; this report represents the first submittal. The council will also review the Forest Preserves’ annual budget request and ensure it is aligned with the implementation strategy presented in this report.

 
DOWNLOAD THE FIVE YEAR IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

 


Meet the Conservation and Policy Council

Created in 2014, the Conservation and Policy Council advises on specific steps to implement the Next Century Conservation Plan’s vision of a vibrant, ecologically healthy and welcoming forest preserves system.

VIEW MEMBER BIOS

Alan M. Bell

Partner, Charity & Associates, P.C.

Michael DeSantiago

Former President, Primera Engineers

Terry Guen

President, Terry Guen Design Associates

Emily Harris

Executive Director, ADA 25 Advancing Leadership

Sylvia M. Jenkins, Ph.D.

President, Moraine Valley Community College

Stanley Moore (Ex-officio member)

4th District Commissioner, Cook County Board and Forest Preserves of Cook County Board

Wendy Paulson

President, Bobolink Foundation

Maria Pesqueira

President, Health Communities Foundation

Laurel Ross

Former Director of Urban Conservation, Field Museum

Shelley Spencer

Executive Producer, Media Consultant

Mark N. Templeton

Director, Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago


Meet the Plan’s Leaders

Jane Balaban

Co-chair Ecological Management Workgroup, North Branch Restoration Project
Nature Committee Co-Chair

JANE’S BIO

Rebeccah Sanders

Vice President and Executive Director of Audubon Chicago Region
People Committee Co-chair

REBECCAH’S BIO

Richard G. Gamble

Senior Vice President of Operations, Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo
Economics Committee Co-chair

RICHARD’S BIO

Bob Megquier

Executive Vice President of Programs, Openlands
Leadership Committee Co-chair

BOB’S BIO

John McCabe

Director of Resource Management, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Nature Committee Co-chair

JOHN’S BIO

Cynthia Moreno

Director of Conservation and Experiential Programming, Forest Preserves of Cook County
People Committee Co-chair

CYNTHIA’S BIO

Christopher Adas

Real Estate Agent, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Economics Committee Co-chair

CHRISTOPHER’S BIO