Openlands Project
The purpose of this project is to lay the groundwork for a long-needed approach to outreach to, and enlist the participation private property owners to protect and enhance the biodiversity in this valuable river system. The project would expand the natural resource baseline data of the Kishwaukee River watershed, while identifying a minimum of 1000 landowners who would participate in protecting and enhancing riparian habitat on their property contiguous to the River. Openlands will lead this effort to build commitments from the individual members of the Kishwaukee River Ecosystem Partnership made up the Boone County and McHenry County Conservation Districts, the DeKalb and Winnebago County Forest Preserve Districts, the Natural Land Institute, the Land Conservancy of McHenry County, Northern Illinois University, and the Rockford Park District.