It is through telling the stories behind the work the Foundation does that we connect best with our friends and supporters. Whether it’s in a forest preserve or at one of our public events, the Foundation touches so many people. And they touch us. We use our blog to keep you informed about what we […]
Some gifts are for the birds. Literally. That was the sentiment behind a tribute gift from Ben and Kate Julian when they adopted a bench in the Skokie Lagoons. When Ben called Shelley Davis, president of the Forest Preserve Foundation, to discuss making a donation, “it was even a little awkward,” he recalled. Davis, he […]
Nicholas Brown remembers volunteering at a forest preserve when he was in grade school. Then when he got to high school, he joined the environmental club. Those were the experiences he listed on his Student Conservation Association (SCA) application. SCA wanted to know about his experiences in nature and what he might gain from future […]
The Foundation’s 2019 Annual Report is ready. We invite you to read it and learn about the work the Foundation has done this year. Indeed, the last 12 months have been ones of growth and impact for us. We continued to increase our investments in next-generation environmental leaders and key restoration projects in the Forest […]
This Black Friday, take a tip from our friends at REI and #OptOutside instead of waiting in line at the mall. Spending Black Friday outside is better for your wallet and your health, more respectful to service industry employees, and way more fun. Here’s how you can have an adventure in the Forest Preserves of […]
At its Nov. 8 meeting, the Forest Preserve Board of directors approved six grants totaling $132,110. With this latest round, the Foundation’s total awards for 2019 comes to nearly half a million dollars. The grants will continue Foundation support for the Conservation Corps/Forest Preserve Experience program and ecological restoration in Cranberry Slough and Cap Sauers […]
The Forest Preserve Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its board of directors, Theresa Salus and LeeAnn Tomas-Foster. Their nominations were approved at the Nov. 8 board of directors meeting. “On behalf of the board, I am pleased to welcome LeeAnn and Theresa to the Foundation’s leadership,” Board Chair […]
Forest Preserve Foundation board members, donors and guests pose after their hike through Cap Sauers Holding Preserve. Editor’s note: Earlier this year, the Foundation supported restoration efforts in Cap Sauers Holding Preserves with funds received from a generous anonymous donor. On Oct. 5, two Forest Preserve staff members led a walk through the Preserves to […]
By Sarah Dennis Cycling on the North Branch Trail through the Forest Preserves of Cook County brought incredible joy to Beth Katsaros and me, her eldest daughter, during the summer of 1998. My mom and I were training for the six-day, 500-mile bike ride from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Chicago to raise money for organizations supporting […]
As we recognize Cook County Racial Equity Week, I want to share how the Forest Preserve Foundation works to ensure a more equitable experience for all. Diversity, equity and inclusion are baked into the Foundation’s approach to grantmaking, a major distinction within the larger community of organizations that do conservation-related work. Throughout its history, the […]
