How The Lake Co. Forest Preserves Manages 'Healthy Landscapes'

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — A new exhibit will open next month at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville.

"Managing Healthy Landscapes" will be on display starting on Saturday, February 10, and continuing through April 7 at the Dunn Museum, 1899 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville.

Since 1958, the Lake County Forest Preserves has served as the principal guardian of open spaces and natural areas in Lake County, dedicated to the preservation and restoration of local landscapes.

"This exhibition vividly showcases our many extensive projects and initiatives that have significantly enhanced the forest preserves in the county," said Alyssa Firkus, director of education for the Lake County Forest Preserves.

Projects and initiatives featured in the special exhibition include the transformation of an impaired, human-made lake to a healthy, meandering stream at Ethel’s Woods Forest Preserve in Antioch. The exhibit also explores buckthorn, "the bully of the forest," and effective methods for eliminating this invasive species and why prescribed burns are an efficient and cost-effective land management tool to restore and maintain natural lands.

Other highlights of the exhibit include information on the native seed nursery at Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve in Grayslake, which yields between $180,000 and $230,000 worth of seed each year with the help of thousands of volunteer hours annually, and restoration of nearly 300 acres of former agricultural land to high quality wetland, prairie, and savanna habitat at Pine Dunes Forest Preserve in Antioch.

“We restore your lands to make them more beautiful and welcoming to visitors," said Angelo Kyle, president of the Lake County Forest Preserves, "but our work is about so much more. Whether you step foot in them or not, we are committed to ensuring your forest preserves function at their highest ecological level to support the quality of life we all enjoy in Lake County.”