Second year of a two-year grant ($20K in 2018; 20K in 2019). Friends of the Chicago River’s mission is to improve and protect the Chicago River system for people, plants, and animals. The MWRD Land Leasing project aims to protect thousands of acres along the Chicago and Calumet rivers thereby expanding forest preserves, connecting trails and providing important connected green healthy open space along the river. Friends will identify and recruit partners who will lease, protect, and manage priority MWRD parcels in ways that meet the goals of increasing conservation and recreation opportunities. Friends will utilize watershed assessment data to further drive protection, guide future site design, define lease parameters, and inform future development.