Lake County Forest Preserves

Lake County Forest Preserves
Formation	1958
Type	Governmental organization
Purpose	Preservation, restoration, education and recreation (of open space in Lake County, IL)
Headquarters	Libertyville, IL
Region served	Lake County, IL
Main organ	Lake County Board
Website	lcfpd.org

Lake County Forest Preserves (also called Lake County Forest Preserve District, or LCFPD) is a governmental organization that purchases land and oversees the use of such public open-space in Lake County, Illinois.^[1] It is a member of Chicago Wilderness.^[2]

The board of directors is also the board of Lake County. The directors are voted into office, and represent their respective districts in Lake County.

Recreational activities provided by the organization's land includes biking on trails, paddling, dog parks, fishing, horseback riding, swimming, winter sports, and many more.

History

Ethel Untermyer is considered the founder of Lake County Forest Preserves. Ethel and her son went exploring in the woods one day, in 1957. She was new to the Lake County area and wanted to explore.

She asked her friend where the nearest forest preserve was, and Ethel was shocked to find that there was none.

She then organized a countywide public vote to create a Lake County Forest preserve district. Many people did not take into account of what she was doing. She kept telling people in her community about forest preserves and slowly gained support from many people.

At this time Lake County just barely had 300,000 people and even then, people noticed the lack of natural land. By election day in November 1958, the vote passed with a surprising 60 percent of votes. As of then, Lake County Forest Preserve District was legally established in circuit court.

A committee of citizens was then formed, with Ethel as its chair. In 1961 the first forest preserve opened in Lake County; Van Patten Woods in Wadsworth.

Properties

Boundaries of Lake County Forest Preserve Properties

Captain Daniel Wright Woods

Adlai E. Stevenson Historic Home, National Historic Landmark 4/23/2014
Almond Marsh
Bonner Heritage Farm
Brae Loch Golf Club
Buffalo Creek
Captain Daniel Wright Woods
Countryside Golf Club
Cuba Marsh
Curt Teich Postcard Archives
Des Plaines River Trail
Dog Sled Area
Duck Farm
Fort Hill Trail
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve
Fourth Lake
Fox River Preserve & Marina
Gander Mountain
Grainger Woods
Grant Woods
Grassy Lake
Greenbelt Forest Preserve
Greenbelt Cultural Center
Half Day
Hastings Lake
Heron Creek
Independence Grove & Visitors Center
Lake Carina
Lake County Discovery Museum
Lake County History Archives
Lakewood
Lyons Woods
McDonald Woods
Middlefork Savanna
Millennium Trail
Nippersink
Oak Spring Road Canoe Launch (Wilmot Woods)
Old School
Prairie Wolf
Raven Glen
Rollins Savanna
Route 60 Canoe Launch
Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area & Welcome Center
Singing Hills
Spring Bluff (This preserve is part of the bi-state Chiwaukee Illinois Beach Lake Plain, a Ramsar Convention wetland)^[3]
Sun Lake
ThunderHawk Golf Club
Van Patten Woods
Wadsworth Road Canoe Launch
Waukegan Savanna
Wetlands Research Project
Wilmot Woods
Wright Woods

References

^ "About Lake County". Lake County. Archived from the original on 23 September 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^ "Chicago Wilderness members". Chicago Wilderness. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^ "Spring Bluff - Your Preserves Lake County Forest Preserves". www.lcfpd.org. Retrieved 2020-02-12.

[1] "About Lake County". Lake County. Archived from the original on 23 September 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2014.

[2] "Chicago Wilderness members". Chicago Wilderness. Retrieved 5 January 2014.

[3] "Spring Bluff - Your Preserves Lake County Forest Preserves". www.lcfpd.org. Retrieved 2020-02-12.

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