Tuesday

Bike to Coffee

Bike the Des Plaines River Trail and at the end enjoy a cup of coffee provided by the team.

Wednesday

Summer Solstice

Hosted by a environmental educator at sunrise, guests will learn about summer solstice and perform sun gazing rituals. Guests will also have the option to make DIY flower bouquets or wreaths with native flowers and plants.

Thursday

Sunrise Yoga

Guests will be led by a certified yoga instructor who will focus on clarity, creativity and peace of mind and body. Outside, weather permitting.

ThunderHawk Golf Club

Attendees of the forum will have the opportunity to play at ThunderHawk Golf Club from 2–4 pm on Monday afternoon at discounted rate of $50.00 per person. This rate includes green fees with a golf cart. Rental clubs are available if needed, for $35 per set.

To take advantage of this opportunity, fill out the survey provided after registering for the forum or contact Alex Eichman at aeichman@LCFPD.org after Monday, April 3, 2023.

Learn About Course Directions

Option 1

Facilities & Operations

ThunderHawk Golf Club

Spend the morning at one of the top ranked public golf courses in the Midwest. Here you will learn about this Audubon Signature Sanctuary golf course and the steps that are taken to care for the environment.  We will focus on what it takes to ensure water quality while using a variety of plant protectants, caring for environmentally sensitive areas and other green practices all the while following sound business practices and maintaining financial stability in a changing golf environment.

Option 2

Natural Resources

Mill Creek Restoration Project

Ethel’s Woods

Visit the restored North Mill Creek, impounded for decades and one of Lake County’s most impaired bodies of water, it was restored to its historic alignment. You will be visually guided (walking tour) through the restoration process from start to finish on this historic hydrological restoration.

Go With The Flow

Facilities & Operations / Natural Resources / Education & Recreation

Independence Grove

All Forum Participants will have an opportunity to explore the Forest Preserves’ most popular preserve, Independence Grove. Independence Grove hosts over 500,000 annually, offering many active and passive recreation opportunities, including a visitors center, beer garden, small craft marina, children’s grove playground, native plant gardens, a special event pavilion, and over seven miles of trails.

Option 1

Facilities & Operations

Lakewood

Witness the grandeur of Lakewood and see how we balance public access and safety with habitat restoration and education. With facilities for cross-country skiing, equestrian riding, hiking and a dog exercise area set alongside projects of habitat protection and restoration of natural hydrology, this preserve is a shining example of careful, sustainable long-term planning. Touring a planned net-zero maintenance building will be a highlight.

Option 2

Education & Recreation

Lakewood

Spend the morning at Lakewood and experience some of the recreational opportunities offered by the District to the residents of Lake County. Sign up for a class on fishing and try your hand at catching a trout in one of our stocked lakes. Relax and enjoy the scenery as you and fellow anglers reel in anything from bluegill and largemouth bass to rainbow trout. Go on a two-mile guided hiking tour of one of the District’s designated Winter Sports Areas—highlighting a groomed/solar-lit cross-country skiing trail, an outdoor ice skating rink, a lit sledding hill and designated snowmobile trails.

Option 3

Natural Resources / Education & Recreation

Southern Des Plaines River

Oak Woodland Restoration Project

Captain Daniel Wright Woods

The Southern Des Plaines River preserves (including Captain Daniel Wright Woods) represent some of the highest quality natural areas within the Lake County Forest Preserve system.  Monitoring of wildlife, reintroduction of fire, and removal of invasive species have improved the quality of these preserves. Learn about restoration data and principles, as well as the communication plan that was implemented to educate staff, the public, and elected officials.

Encouraging a New Generation of Oaks

Option 1

Facilities & Operations

Fox River

Exhale with us as we enjoy the fresh air and peaceful scenery of the Fox River. Home to the Fox River Marina, with over 160 boat slips, come see the marina in action as we enjoy pontoon boat rides and hike along some of the prettiest scenery in the county. Learn the history of how a sleepy river inlet became a hub of summertime activity and a favorite of water enthusiasts in Lake County. 

Option 2

Natural Resources / Education & Recreation

Grassy Lake

Join us for a 1.5-mile guided walk stopping at four scenic overlooks of the Fox River. Trails here wind through colorful sedge meadows and mature oak woodlands. District staff will highlight the collaborative efforts that created this preserve along with foundation and endowment practices.

Option 1

Facilities & Operations

Operations & Public Safety Facility

A site of year-round activity, join us at the Operations and Public Safety facility. Located at Fourth Lake Forest Preserve, this facility is the heart of the operations for numerous preserve locations. Come learn what it takes to ensure the care of over 31,000 acres of land and the safety of the guests that enjoy the various preserves. Here you can tour the Lake County Forest Preserves Ranger Police headquarters and view demonstrations of personal safety with our officers.

Option 2

Education & Recreation

Kayak:

Limited to 20 participants.

This paddle down the Des Plaines River, will offer nature exploration and scenic views of the river and the 31-mile Des Plaines River Trail bisecting the adjacent flat woods stretching from Wisconsin to Cook County. We will end our journey conveniently at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort. Please wear appropriate shoes and attire.

Option 3

Education & Recreation

General Offices & Dunn Museum

Join us for a tour of the Lake County Forest Preserves' General Offices. Centrally located in Libertyville, our tour will take you through our headquarters for Administration, Community Engagement & Partnerships, Education, Executive, Finance, Natural Resources, and Planning & Land Preservation departments. Our General Offices is also home to the Dunn Museum. Come along with one of our Museum staff members to learn about the entwined stories of people, events and nature through our exhibitions. The Dunn Museum is among only 5% of museums nationally to have earned accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, an industry mark of distinction.

Option 1

Facilities & Operations

Ryerson Conservation Area

Join us at one of the District’s hubs for environmental education and the future site of our net-zero, PHIUS certified environmental education center. Tour our future net-zero building site, as well as learn the ins and outs of the sustainability features of the Welcome Center. Learn how we are planning to use this future net-zero building for education and how we are featuring sustainability in our programming. Take a walk with one of our environmental educators to see rare species and exceptional natural areas. This preserve’s rich natural and cultural history is recognized as an Illinois Nature Preserve.

Green Approach to Architecture

Option 2

Education & Recreation

Ryerson Conservation Area

The District’s hub for environmental education and our net-zero, PHIUS certified environmental education center currently under construction. Learn how the District approaches education. Experience firsthand how we bring the outside world into the classroom and help connect people with nature.

Option 3

Natural Resources

Natural Resources and Hydrology

Fort Sheridan

The site of a former army base, Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve is one of only a few places in Lake County that offers free public access to the Lake Michigan shoreline. Join Forest Preserve ecologists and landscape architects for a tour of the site’s important natural resources, hydrologic and ravine restoration projects, and an awe-inspiring lake overlook perched on a 70-foot high bluff. A National Historic Landmark, Fort Sheridan is also on one of North America’s busiest flyways for migratory birds—over 140 species of birds follow the shoreline of Lake Michigan as they migrate in the spring and fall.