Category: Openlands in the News

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Chicago Sun-Times – The O’Hare expansion turned into a bonanza for wild spaces in Illinois

Outdoor News – O’Hare Airport expansion led to funding for two decades of wetland and habitat work in Illinois

WJOL – Openlands restored 530 acres of wetland

Chicago Tribune – From gray to green: Across Chicago, dozens of concrete schoolyards transformed into community hubs and flooding solutions

Shaw Local – Hadley Valley Preserve in Joliet ‘an awesome success story’ of wetland restoration

Country Herald – Will County, Illinois – Forest Preserve, Openlands celebrate 20 years of wetland restoration from O’Hare expansion funds

Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge – Fifty acres restored with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funds

PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 17, 2025 Contact:Steve Byers, Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife …

Will County News – Hadley Valley Preserve celebration to mark 20 Years of wetland restoration work tied to O’Hare Airport expansion

WBEZ – Lisa Kurian Philip interviews Molly Roche, TreeKeepers Program Specialist, on the benefits of trees and the launch of the spanish TreeKeepers course

Chicago Parent – Chicago Public Library’s 2025 summer reading program focuses on ‘Growing Minds, Growing Green’

ABC 7 Chicago – Our Chicago: Space To Grow

Facilities Net – Chicago Public Schools playgrounds receive boost with Space to Grow program

Borderless – Southwest side students are making their community greener one tree at a time

NBC Chicago – What to know about the link between lack of shade and heat-related illness

Telemundo Chicago – Calor intenso en La Villita por falta de espacios verdes

Three Seeds Native Podcast – Episode 16- Community forestry: barking up the right tree

Durbin visits Hackmatack Wildlife Refugee to celebrate expansion

Shaw Local – Leaders mark huge expansion of national wildlife refuge straddling Illinois, Wisconsin

Block Club Chicago – Austin Elementary School debuts playground that protects against flooding

CBS News Chicago – Second Space to Grow playground now available at west side elementary school

Crain’s Chicago Business – The Chicago lakefront deserves ‘no little plans’

Outside the Loop Radio with Mike Stephan – Chicago’s Lakefront: Protected, Yet Precarious

CBS News CHICAGO – Chicago program develops school playgrounds that capture stormwater, prevent floods.

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons (WBEZ) – Dreaming up playgrounds that promote learning, recreation and reduce flooding

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Jean Franczyk

See you at the 2026 Openlands Annual Luncheon!

Join us on Oct. 21 for “From the Ground Up,” honoring Jean M. Franczyk and featuring Dr. Tessa Francis as keynote.

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