Dear Friends,
This year, Openlands entered a period of organizational change with the launch of our new strategic plan—an evolution shaped by the urgency of this moment. We are building on decades of resilience and partnership at a time when federal support for conservation is under strain, and the threats facing our landscapes are intensifying. The need for our work has never been clearer.
For every acre of land we protect, more than two are lost to development, and less than eight percent of our region’s landscapes remain permanently protected for future generations.In response, we are focused and deliberate in how we conserve, connect, and create—together. We conserve the landscapes that sustain us, connect people and communities to nature, and create the partnerships and systems that allow conservation to endure. This annual report reflects how we are moving that work forward with a shared purpose.
Our region is one of a kind. Few metropolitan areas in the country contain this range of globally rare ecosystems in such close proximity. Here, tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, freshwater dune systems, and extensive wetlands converge—forming a mosaic found almost nowhere else on Earth. These landscapes are both our shared legacy and our responsibility.
We conserve the landscapes that sustain us, connect people and communities to nature, and create the partnerships and systems that allow conservation to endure.
Our region is also a hub of volunteer energy, conservation leadership, and civic commitment unlike anywhere else in the country—and in this moment, that leadership is essential. As federal support becomes less reliable, the center of gravity is shifting. Local and regional action, innovation, and partnership are where progress is being made—and where Openlands is focused.
At the local level, through Space to Grow, we are transforming Chicago Public Schools into resilient community spaces that manage stormwater and reconnect students to nature. Regionally, we closed the books on the O’Hare Wetlands Mitigation Project—one of the largest restoration efforts in our history—in partnership with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Will County, and the U.S. Forest Service. And even as federal headwinds persist, we continue advancing work at Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie—because these landscapes, and the communities they serve, cannot wait.
None of this work happens alone. Our staff, board, volunteers, partners, and supporters show up every day with purpose and a deep commitment to the landscapes that make this region unlike any other. At a time of growing urgency, your leadership and generosity make this work possible. Together, we will meet this moment—conserving what is rare and irreplaceable, connecting communities to nature, and strengthening the partnerships that will carry this work forward.
With gratitude and determination,
Michael S. Davidson
President & CEO
Openlands