Openlands

OPENLANDS PROTECTS THE NATURAL AND OPEN SPACES OF NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS AND THE SURROUNDING REGION TO ENSURE CLEANER AIR AND WATER, PROTECT NATURAL HABITATS AND WILDLIFE, AND HELP BALANCE AND ENRICH OUR LIVES.

WETLAND RESTORATION - OPENLANDS MANAGES PROGRAMS TOGETHER WITH ITS PARTNERS TO ENSURE THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF WETLANDS AIMED TO PROMOTE THE DIVERSITY AND BEAUTY OF THESE NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH ACQUISITION, CREATION, RESTORATION, AND ENHANCEMENT. OPENLANDS IS STEWARDING THE CARE OF SIX SITES IN THE DES PLAINES RIVER WATERSHED THAT SPANS OVER 1,500 ACRES.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT- OPENLANDS CONNECTS PEOPLE TO NATURE WHERE THEY LIVE THROUGH MULTIPLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. IN 2021, 43 SCHOOLS (INCLUDING 26 NEW SCHOOLS), 65 TEACHERS, 75 CLASSES, 1868 STUDENTS, AND 35 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE BIRDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM.SIX EDUCATION WORKSHOPS IN OUR BUILDING SCHOOL GARDENS AND SPACE TO GROW (STG) PROGRAMS WERE PROVIDED TO 156 ATTENDEES. THROUGH OUR STG PROGRAM, 5 NEW SCHOOLYARDS WERE CREATED TO ENRICH SCHOOL LANDSCAPES AND COMMUNITY GREENSPACE.OPENLANDS SCHOOL GARDEN'S DEVELOPED SUPPORT GRANTS WHICH PROVIDES SELECTED SCHOOLS WITH $1,000 FOR GARDEN EXPENSES, 4 GARDEN SUPPORT DAYS, CHECK INS, AND A TREEKEEPER COURSE SCHOLARSHIP. THE SELECTED SCHOOLS ARE ASHE, CATHER, HEARST, KILMER, VAUGHN AND MITCHELL. 2021 PROJECTS INCLUDE: STUDENT-MADE GARDEN VIDEOS, GREENHOUSE BUILDING, SCHOOL-LED WORKSHOPS, REBUILDING POLLINATOR AND RAIN GARDENS. THE COMED GREEN REGION GRANT PROGRAM AWARDED OVER $200,000 IN FUNDING TO 23 MUNICIPAL GROUPS IN OUR REGION. THESE PROJECTS FOCUSED ON POLLINATORS, LAND STEWARDSHIP, AND LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS AND WILL IMPACT UPWARDS OF 250,000 PEOPLE IN REGIONWIDE.OPENLANDS FORESTRY PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE PLANTING OF TREES WITH COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ON PUBLIC LAND AND EDUCATES RESIDENTS IN THE CARE AND ADVOCACY AROUND THE URBAN FOREST. IN FY 21, 1230 TREEKEEPERS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WERE ENGAGED IN TREE PLANTINGS, CONTINUING EDUCATION, AND FIELD WORK TO CARE FOR TREES PLANTED IN PRIOR SEASONS.TREEKEEPERS: ENGAGED AND TRAINED 117 NEW TKS TO CARE FOR TREES ON PUBLIC LANDS IN OUR SERVICE AREAS THROUGH OUR TREEKEEPERS COURSE. SEVEN NEW TREEKEEPER CHAPTERS WERE ESTABLISHED.IN TWO MONTHS, THERE WERE OVER 20 TREEKEEPER WORKDAYS; AND IN THIS NINE-MONTH PERIOD, THERE WERE 119 EVENTS AT WHICH OVER 5,500 TREES WERE PRUNED AND ANOTHER 400 TREES WERE MULCHED.IN TOTAL, 527 TREES WERE PLANTED AT 29 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS DURING FY2021. OF THOSE TREES, 74 WERE PLANTED WITHIN THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OPENLANDS FORESTRY PRIORITY AREA. A NOTABLE ADVOCACY VICTORY WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY BOARD ORDINANCE (UFAB) BY CHICAGO'S CITY COUNCIL. MANY TREEKEEPERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS WROTE TO THE ALDERPERSONS AND SUBMITTED LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO HELP PUSH THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION INTO LAW. IT PASSED BY A VOTE OF 49-0 ON FRIDAY, JUNE 25.

LAND PRESERVATION - OPENLANDS SERVES AS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST BY APPLYING BEST PRACTICES IN LAND PROTECTION TRANSACTIONS. WE ARE INVOLVED IN LAND ACQUISITION AND PLANNING THROUGH BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, ENGAGING ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUYING PARCELS OF LAND, AND SUPPORTING OVERALL PLANNING EFFORTS. WE PROVIDE A RANGE OF SERVICES SUCH AS MANAGING THE DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS, PROVIDING INTERIM FINANCING SOLUTIONS, AND SERVING AS A SHORT-TERM LAND OWNER. OUR WORK ALSO ENCOMPASSES PLACING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PURCHASED PROPERTY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE HACKMATACK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

WETLAND RESTORATION - OPENLANDS MANAGES PROGRAMS TOGETHER WITH ITS PARTNERS TO ENSURE THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF WETLANDS AIMED TO PROMOTE THE DIVERSITY AND BEAUTY OF THESE NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH ACQUISITION, CREATION, RESTORATION, AND ENHANCEMENT. OPENLANDS IS STEWARDING THE CARE OF SIX SITES IN THE DES PLAINES RIVER WATERSHED THAT SPANS OVER 1,500 ACRES.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT- OPENLANDS CONNECTS PEOPLE TO NATURE WHERE THEY LIVE THROUGH MULTIPLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. IN 2021, 43 SCHOOLS (INCLUDING 26 NEW SCHOOLS), 65 TEACHERS, 75 CLASSES, 1868 STUDENTS, AND 35 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE BIRDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM.SIX EDUCATION WORKSHOPS IN OUR BUILDING SCHOOL GARDENS AND SPACE TO GROW (STG) PROGRAMS WERE PROVIDED TO 156 ATTENDEES. THROUGH OUR STG PROGRAM, 5 NEW SCHOOLYARDS WERE CREATED TO ENRICH SCHOOL LANDSCAPES AND COMMUNITY GREENSPACE.OPENLANDS SCHOOL GARDEN'S DEVELOPED SUPPORT GRANTS WHICH PROVIDES SELECTED SCHOOLS WITH $1,000 FOR GARDEN EXPENSES, 4 GARDEN SUPPORT DAYS, CHECK INS, AND A TREEKEEPER COURSE SCHOLARSHIP. THE SELECTED SCHOOLS ARE ASHE, CATHER, HEARST, KILMER, VAUGHN AND MITCHELL. 2021 PROJECTS INCLUDE: STUDENT-MADE GARDEN VIDEOS, GREENHOUSE BUILDING, SCHOOL-LED WORKSHOPS, REBUILDING POLLINATOR AND RAIN GARDENS. THE COMED GREEN REGION GRANT PROGRAM AWARDED OVER $200,000 IN FUNDING TO 23 MUNICIPAL GROUPS IN OUR REGION. THESE PROJECTS FOCUSED ON POLLINATORS, LAND STEWARDSHIP, AND LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS AND WILL IMPACT UPWARDS OF 250,000 PEOPLE IN REGIONWIDE.OPENLANDS FORESTRY PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE PLANTING OF TREES WITH COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ON PUBLIC LAND AND EDUCATES RESIDENTS IN THE CARE AND ADVOCACY AROUND THE URBAN FOREST. IN FY 21, 1230 TREEKEEPERS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WERE ENGAGED IN TREE PLANTINGS, CONTINUING EDUCATION, AND FIELD WORK TO CARE FOR TREES PLANTED IN PRIOR SEASONS.TREEKEEPERS: ENGAGED AND TRAINED 117 NEW TKS TO CARE FOR TREES ON PUBLIC LANDS IN OUR SERVICE AREAS THROUGH OUR TREEKEEPERS COURSE. SEVEN NEW TREEKEEPER CHAPTERS WERE ESTABLISHED.IN TWO MONTHS, THERE WERE OVER 20 TREEKEEPER WORKDAYS; AND IN THIS NINE-MONTH PERIOD, THERE WERE 119 EVENTS AT WHICH OVER 5,500 TREES WERE PRUNED AND ANOTHER 400 TREES WERE MULCHED.IN TOTAL, 527 TREES WERE PLANTED AT 29 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS DURING FY2021. OF THOSE TREES, 74 WERE PLANTED WITHIN THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OPENLANDS FORESTRY PRIORITY AREA. A NOTABLE ADVOCACY VICTORY WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY BOARD ORDINANCE (UFAB) BY CHICAGO'S CITY COUNCIL. MANY TREEKEEPERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS WROTE TO THE ALDERPERSONS AND SUBMITTED LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO HELP PUSH THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION INTO LAW. IT PASSED BY A VOTE OF 49-0 ON FRIDAY, JUNE 25.

LAND PRESERVATION - OPENLANDS SERVES AS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST BY APPLYING BEST PRACTICES IN LAND PROTECTION TRANSACTIONS. WE ARE INVOLVED IN LAND ACQUISITION AND PLANNING THROUGH BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, ENGAGING ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUYING PARCELS OF LAND, AND SUPPORTING OVERALL PLANNING EFFORTS. WE PROVIDE A RANGE OF SERVICES SUCH AS MANAGING THE DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS, PROVIDING INTERIM FINANCING SOLUTIONS, AND SERVING AS A SHORT-TERM LAND OWNER. OUR WORK ALSO ENCOMPASSES PLACING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PURCHASED PROPERTY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE HACKMATACK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.