Dedication of 500th Protected Site

May 5, 2009 brings the dedication of the 500th site protected by the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission: Deer Grove West Woodland and Wetland Nature Preserve. The Deer Grove Preserve—located in the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division in Cook County and within the boundaries of the Salt Creek Watershed—includes 786.9 acres dedicated as nature preserve and 248.8 acres dedicated as nature preserve buffer.

The first dedicated site in 1916, at Illinois Beach State Park, helped preserve a unique site that is part of what is now a significant regional network of major sites in Northeast Illinois (see Kankakee Sands Burnham Centennial entry, for instance).   The Cook County Forest Preserve District, so key to the implementation of the original Burnham  Plan,  has been an active partner of the Commission since the beginning and today has more dedicated Nature Preserves than any other public body outside of the IL Dept. of Natural Resources – and is very active yet today in dedicating new sites. 

At the May 5 event, a combination of tour, public speaker/program, and media announce and celebrate the dedication of the 500th protected site by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, as well as raise awareness of (and we hope attract new partners in!) the effort to expand and connect the regional system of natural areas.  Critical challenges for the future will be raised and policy options raised for discussion.

Events and media around the 500th site dedication will focus on future issues of expanding to create and maintain a cohesive network of natural areas, and challenges of the future.  2009 will also see substantial completion of a major update of the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory (last done 30 years ago) and kickoff of strategic planning for how to preserve, protect and nurture our remaining natural areas in the future in the face of continuing development, climate change and other challenges.