Openlands Awarded Restoration Grant for Cook County Project
Openlands and partners have
received a $400,000 Walder Foundation grant to restore open spaces in Beaubien
Woods, part of the 70,000-acre Forest Preserves of Cook County.
Comprising prairie, woodland and wetland habitats, it runs along the Little
Calumet River, an environmentally significant waterway that connects Chicago to
the Mississippi River.
The grant is shared with the Forest Preserves of Cook County,
the Field Museum and local community organizations, including People for Community Recovery, We Keep You Rollin’ Bike and Wellness Group, the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project, Chicago’s Finest Marina, and
the Golden Gate Homeowners Association.
Along with prairie restoration and the removal of invasive plant
species, the project will build a community gathering space near the Beaubien
boat launch. The project will span two years, beginning this fall with a
controlled burn to promote native species.
For more information, visit Openlands.org.
