Revenues for our land preservation program are realized from the sale of bonds. In April 2024, the Board of Commissioners approved $20 million in limited bonds to purchase high priority properties at risk of development. Then, in November 2024, the voters of Lake County approved a $155 million bond referendum, of which $65 million (42%) was designated for land acquisition purposes. In 2010, our Board passed a resolution for the Lake County Vision for Land Preservation, which approved a two-fold land acquisition goal to preserve 40 acres for every 1,000 residents and, in combination with our public and private land preservation partners in Lake County, to preserve at least 20% of the county as natural areas, parks, trails, farmland and scenic viewscapes by 2030.
Real estate and mapping experts in our Land Preservation office are responsible for acquiring and expanding forest preserve lands and trails through land purchases, and for maintaining easements and preserve boundaries. Lands we acquire must meet our continuing goals to preserve more open space, protect and restore wildlife habitat, create new trails, and improve public access to new and existing preserves. All land purchases are contingent on approval by the Board of Commissioners before joining the extensive network of open spaces that create the Lake County Forest Preserves.
Time-lapse map of all lands preserved by the Lake County Forest Preserves
Thanks to the continued support of the community, today we protect more than 31,400 acres of Lake County's most important natural areas, we maintain 200-plus miles of trails, and we restore thousands of acres of habitat each year for Lake County's native plants and animals.