Openlands History

Openlands Project (originally Open Lands Project) is created as a program of the Welfare Council of Metropolitan Chicago, becoming independent in 1968.

Beall Woods, an old-growth forest up for sale in southern Illinois, is purchased by the state and becomes a 329-acre nature preserve thanks to Openlands advocacy.

Peacock Prairie (now James Woodworth Prairie), a rare example of virgin black soil tall-grass prairie, is preserved and eventually deeded to the University of Illinois Chicago.

Volo Bog is dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve, the only remaining open-water quaking bog in Illinois.

Openlands organizes support for a successful referendum to establish the McHenry County Conservation District.

Supported and helped pass the Chicago Lakefront Protection Ordinance, to preserve the lakefront from encroaching development.

Openlands writes the feasibility study on preserving Kennicott Grove and works with residents and the village of Glenview to begin land acquisition.

Garfield Farm is donated to Openlands, which today serves as a living history museum of Illinois farming practices.

Friends of the Chicago River was established as a program of Openlands and has since become an independent organization.

Upper Illinois Valley Association (now Canal Corridor Association) is incorporated to advocate for the creation of the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor.

An Open Land: Photographs of the Midwest, 1852-1982 exhibit opens at the Art Institute of Chicago, organized by Openlands.

Openlands and the Illinois Prairie Trail Authority identify potential trails and greenway corridors in northeastern Illinois.

Openlands coordinates the first Chicago Christmas Tree recycling campaign.

Openlands assembles the first city-wide inventory of vacant lots in Chicago.

TreeKeepers program is launched, training volunteers to plant and care for trees.

Lake Renwick Heron Rookery in Will Country is protected and dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve.

Fort Sheridan is decommissioned and Openlands advocates for protection of the site’s lakefront bluffs, ravines, and beach areas.

Openlands acquires Chicago Ridge Prairie, a rare calcareous prairie, and now an Illinois Nature Preserve.

A partnership between Openlands and the Terra Museum results in an exhibition, Reclamation and Transformation: Three Self-Taught Chicago Artists. The artists David Philpot, Mr. Imagination, and Kevin Orth had transformed a vacant lot adjacent to the Elliott Donnelley Youth Center in Bronzeville.

President Bill Clinton signs legislation approving the transfer of the northern part of Fort Sheridan to Lake County Forest Preserves.

After leadership and advocacy from Openlands, President Bill Clinton signed legislation to create Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie at the former Joliet Arsenal.

Streamleaders program is launched to train volunteers to monitor stream quality and advocate for streams in the region.

Burnham Greenway Master Plan is published by the Forest Preserves of Cook County with assistance from Openlands.

Terry Evans photography exhibit, In Place of Prairie, opens at the Art Institute of Chicago as part of Openlands’ 35th Anniversary celebration.

A second Openlands mapping effort and report, “Under Pressure: Land Consumption in the Chicago Region 1998–2028,” describes the harmful effects of current trends in unchecked development.

Openlands participates significantly in the production of the Calumet Area Land Use Plan, a major milestone in creating and protecting open space in the Lake Calumet region.

Openlands partners with the Field Museum, Center for US-China Arts Exchange, Southwest Forestry College (Kunming), Gaoligongshan Natural Reserve Management Bureau, Yunnan Provincial Association for Cultural Exchanges with Foreign Countries, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill on the publication, Rapid Biological Inventories: 04. China: Yunnan, Southern Gaoligongshan.

Revealing Chicago: An Aerial Portrait exhibit opens at Millennium Park with photographs by Terry Evans commissioned by Openlands and Chicago Metropolis 2020.

Building School Gardens program is launched in partnership with Chicago Public Schools to create gardens as teaching spaces and provide training for teachers and administrators.

Northeastern Illinois Water Trails Map is updated and published.

Before the Well Runs Dry: Ensuring Sustainable Water Supplies for Illinois is published as a joint initiative of the Metropolitan Planning Council and Openlands, calling for long-term planning for sustaining the state’s finite and fragile water supplies.

Openlands Lakeshore Preserve opens to the public.

Openlands and the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission bring together 11 communities in Illinois and Indiana to create the cross-border Calumet Connections regional trail system.

Openlands organizes a coalition of 30 partners to oppose the proposed Illiana Tollway and protect regional open space treasures such as Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

The Land Trust Alliance awards accreditation to Openlands for meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.

Openlands launches the Urban Forestry Initiative to plant 5,000 trees on public land in Chicago with seed funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The Chicago Region Trees Initiative is launched by The Morton Arboretum and Openlands, with partners from other leading organizations, to build a healthier and more diverse urban forest by 2040.

The Next Century Conservation Plan, written in partnership with Openlands and Metropolis Strategies, is formally accepted by the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Openlands launches Paddle Illinois Water Trails, an interactive digital guide for canoeing and kayaking on the waterways of northeastern Illinois.

Openlands launched the Get Outside Map, a comprehensive tool for connecting people to parks, preserves, natural areas, and trails in the region.

After a multi-year advocacy effort by TreeKeepers and others, an Urban Forestry Advisory Board ordinance is passed in Chicago City Council.

Openlands runs the first Treekeepers course in Spanish.

With partners in Cook County, Openlands leads the successful passage of the “Vote Yes for Clean Air, Clean Water, and Wildlife” referendum to invest $45 million in supporting the Forest Preserves of Cook County to implement The Next Century Conservation Plan.

Openlands Lakeshore Preserve is transferred to the Lake County Forest Preserves for long-term preservation.