This story had one big surprise factor for me: Thousands of volunteers help preserve the Lake County Forest Preserves land. I had no idea so many people were committed to protecting the lands in my county.
By Tara May Tesimu
Published in Chicago Tribune's TribLocal
Rare plants and a unique ecological environment will be protected in a major restoration of Grainger Woods—an endeavor that will be jump-started by one of the largest grants in the forest preserves' history.
The Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves District garnered a $500,000 donation from the Grainger Foundation, which will in part fund the comprehensive restoration planned for the 308-acre Grainger Woods Conservation Preserve, Lake County Forest Preserves District officials said.
Planning is already underway for the $1.5 million project, which is set to take place over a span of seven years, said Barb Vicory, the executive director of the preservation foundation.
The preservation foundation will continue fundraising to cover the cost of the project, she added. The foundation is a nonprofit organization that receives charitable gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the public lands owned by the forest preserves.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources designated 169 acres of the land as an Illinois Nature Preserve in January. That status is only given to the most ecologically sensitive public lands, Vicory said.
"That's a distinction that's held for the most rare areas of our state," she said.
The portion of the site designated as a nature preserve contains wet-mesic upland forest and northern flatwoods, which the state considers globally imperiled. The designation will provide protection to seven state endangered or threatened species.
During the restoration project, the forest preserves will have to be cautious in removing the non-native species without damaging the rare native plants, Vicory said. The plan may include the use of spot-applied herbicides.
"We have to be very careful," she said.
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