Trust for Public Land in Illinois - 2023

Illinois

THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF IN 2023 AND MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE YEAR AHEAD

Celebrating 50 Years of Impact, Thanks to You!

Since the beginning, Trust for Public Land’s vision has been rooted in a singular belief: that access to the outdoors is essential to people’s well-being. What started as a bold idea in a small San Francisco office 50 years ago has blossomed into a nationwide movement to ensure everyone, no matter where they live, can experience nature’s countless gifts. At this special milestone, we celebrate the incredible network of TPL advocates who make our work possible and catalyze our future efforts.

With your support, in our 25 years in Illinois we have preserved iconic landscapes and built vibrant parks that stand as a testament to the enduring impact of TPL’s work across the country, including The Bloomingdale Trail at The 606 and Ping Tom Memorial Park. These are now some of the best-known and most-visited places in Chicago—places that are bringing neighbors together and fostering a love for the outdoors, while uplifting local

economies and delivering critical, nature-based solutions in the face of climate change.

And we are just getting started! It is an exciting time to be a part of the TPL community, as we look to new opportunities to connect to nature, our histories, and each other. In the vibrant North Lawndale neighborhood, we are partnering with local leaders and residents to co-create nature-rich spaces that reflect their values and vision for safe, welcoming outdoor spaces.

With your enduring support, we will continue to build parks and protect land, making Illinois a healthier and more equitable place for everyone. Thank you!

Kyle Barnett and Solomon Barnett Co-Chairs, Illinois Advisory Board

© ERIC ALLIX ROGERS

North Lawndale

For more than four years, TPL has been working to advance the green and open space goals articulated in the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council’s 2018 Quality of Life Plan. The historic, North Lawndale neighborhood—once home to manufacturers like McCormick Reaper Works and Sears, Roebuck, & Co.—played a crucial role in the northern civil rights movement, and today maintains a strong sense of community and an abundance of local leaders.

We are working hand-in-hand with North Lawndale residents and local leaders to support their vision for improving existing parks, increasing tree canopy, and transforming vacant lots into nature-rich gathering spaces. Accessible quality parks are a fundamental investment in the well-being of all communities. TPL is working to ensure equal access to thoughtfully designed spaces that serve as platforms for civic participation and community voice, that reflect community identity and enhance residents’ sense of ownership, and that provide climate and health benefits.

TREEmendous Lawndale

The benefits of trees are innumerable: they cool our neighborhoods, reduce storm water runoff, and act as nature’s air filters—removing pollutants from the air and absorbing gases like carbon monoxide. But in many cities across America, trees have historically been planted along race and class lines, creating disparities between neighborhoods. North Lawndale has only 17 percent tree canopy cover, one of the lowest in Chicago.

TPL is providing leadership for TREEmendous Lawndale, an initiative that aims to double the neighborhood’s tree canopy over the next ten years. We are using our data and expertise to pinpoint the best sites for tree placement and using our community engagement experience to support educational programming like garden design classes, tree ambassador training, and field trips to the Morton Arboretum and Forest Preserves of Cook County. Since launching TREEmendous two years ago, TREEmendous ambassadors have submitted more than 250 requests to the city for tree planting, resulting in nearly 1,000 trees planted in North Lawndale

Each month, TPL hosts “Trees and Taco Tuesdays,” where tree ambassadors and community stakeholders identify the areas in greatest need of trees, and plan activities and events to engage neighbors in the effort. Together, with neighbors and our partners, including the Chicago Region Tree Initiative and the GROWSS Committee, we are ensuring the trees will be cared for and that the community can enjoy their many benefits long into the future.

ABOVE: © KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI, COURTESY OF TIMBERLAND

WACA: Revitalizing a Community Hub

In its heyday, WACA Bell Park was the center of activity for youth, basketball games, and community events. But as resources for upkeep declined over the years, the park became less welcoming to visitors, with minimal shade and cracked asphalt.

In 2020, TPL joined with the Under the Grid Collaborative in reimagining the park as an art-filled, nature-rich community gathering space. TPL helped lead engagement activities and participatory design sessions for neighbors, ensuring that it was built with the community, for the community.

On June 24, 2023, more than 100 people, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Alderwoman Monique Scott, joined the ribbon-cutting celebration at the transformed WACA Bell Park. What was once a park in

disrepair is now a colorful and open green space—all ideas captured directly from residents. New trees, a vibrant basketball court, and modern seating help rejuvenate the park to its glory days—a beautiful and safe outdoor space where art meets function. In the coming year WACA Bell Park will see additional improvements, including solar lighting.

WACA Bell Park is one of the first Under the Grid projects, an initiative using public art to revitalize 15 blocks of underutilized space under the Chicago Transit Authority’s Pink Line tracks.

LARGE: © OFFICE OF THE MAYOR/CITY OF CHICAGO; INSET: © CARLOS AARÓN MAGAÑA

A Powerful Partnership

Public funding can bring community dreams to life. It fuels the protection of treasured natural areas and the creation of new parks and green schoolyards. Given the increased demand for outdoor recreation, more communities rely on public funding to create and maintain these vital spaces.

Along with local partners, TPL’s Conservation Finance team has been working since 2016 to establish dedicated funding for the Forest Preserves of Cook County, where visitors can enjoy a wealth of outdoor activities among 70,000 acres of forest, prairie, wetland, streams, and lakes.

Our dedication paid off on November 8, 2022, when Cook County voters overwhelmingly approved the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Wildlife Habitat Protection Referendum , which will generate more than $1 billion over 20 years for the Forest Preserves. The funds will help expand their habitat restoration work, add more land to the preserve system, and grow programming and public outreach efforts.

We spoke with Arnold Randall , General Superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, about his work and this historic win for people and nature.

How did you get involved with the Cook County Forest Preserves? I joined the Chicago Park District as a park supervisor in the mid-1990s and it opened me up to a new world. I was a lifelong Chicago resident and had always used the parks but didn’t fully realize the scale and importance of the Park District for residents and neighborhoods. After working in various capacities both in parks and city planning, I led a transition team for the Forest Preserves, and upon visiting I was blown away. Like many city residents, I didn’t know this existed, and I didn’t understand the scope of 70,000 acres. I was amazed that all of this was right here in the 3rd largest city in the country.

How did the referendum come to be? The Forest Preserves has operated on about 1% of the property tax to manage 70,000 acres of land—that’s a small amount for the areas we are responsible for. Nine years ago, we recognized we would not be able to sustain

all the improvements we were making to the Forest Preserves— educational programming to connect more people to nature, and all the restoration work we wanted to accomplish. We were having difficulty getting the necessary funding, so we reached out to TPL.

It took some time to get it on the ballot. Then, the pandemic hit. We kept the Forest Preserves’ trails open, which meant a lot to the community, and new visitors were having the same reaction I first had, “This is unbelievable. I can’t believe this is 20 minutes from my home!” When the time came, the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to put the measure on the ballot, and 69% of voters approved it.

TPL helped us get on the path to success. Will Abberger, TPL’s Conservation Finance Director, was a phenomenal leader. A coalition of 170 businesses, organizations, and nonprofits including TPL, jumped in and helped us raise the necessary funds for the campaign.

How will the referendum change the Forest Preserves’ restoration work? When I joined the Forest Preserves, we were working to restore the native ecosystems of about 1,500 acres. Currently we are managing about 15,000 acres, and with the passing of the referendum, our goal is to restore 30,000 acres . It’s important for the animals and plants that live here, but it’s also important for people. A healthier ecosystem means a healthier place for all of us—clean air and water, fertile soil, pollination, and flood control.

How long do you think it will take to get from 15,000 to 30,000 acres of restored land? Faster than you may think! We have all the pieces in place—the staff, experts, contractors—it’s a matter of scaling our current efforts. I think we can get there in the next five years thanks to our partnerships and the measure’s passage.

© TPL STAFF

TPL on the Ground

In 2023, we reflect on and celebrate our first 50 years of national impact, and we look ahead to the work still to be done. From protecting vast stretches of wide-open spaces to revamping schoolyards, trails, and parks, we strive for equity, inclusion, and access for everyone.

In March, the Illinois team kicked off “TPL on the Ground,” a year-long series of events to honor this special milestone and connect supporters and friends of TPL. More than 50 community, government, and nonprofit partners joined us at the first event at Bronzeville Winery to learn about TPL’s Natural Solutions Tool, developed in collaboration with the Greater Chicago Watershed Alliance. The following day, we were thrilled to officially unveil the Natural Solutions Tool at the Chicago River Summit, hosted by Friends of the Chicago River.

The innovative tool can be used by anyone to explore and collect data about sites within Chicago-area watersheds, identify parcels of land to be prioritized for conservation, and advocate for green infrastructure investment where they are needed most in our region. During the summit, TPL staff and other experts in the field presented on how the tool can empower decision makers and community

GROW YOUR LEGACY

Protect the places you love by making a gift to TPL in your legacy plans. Ensure healthy land and livable communities for all by naming TPL as a beneficiary of your will, living trust, or retirement account. Make your legacy one of hope, humanity, and a love of nature—for generations to come. Learn more at tpl.planmygift.org.

leaders to defend against environmental injustice and degradation, and how to identify opportunities for equitable investments in natural systems.

The Natural Solutions Tool is one of the most ambitious tools TPL has ever created. It contains information from over 80 data sets, targets nearly 1.5 million parcels of land, and will be invaluable in driving investments in green infrastructure to areas of the Chicago-Calumet River watershed and beyond.

We are excited to launch this cutting-edge tool in our 50th anniversary year, knowing that—with the support of donors, partners, and advocates like you—we can use the data to inform our on-the-ground work and make an even greater impact moving forward.

© WILL RICE PHOTOGRAPHY

Sears Sunken Garden

TPL is supporting the North Lawndale community in reimagining the Sears Sunken Garden as a vibrant open space that celebrates its historic importance. Piet Oudolf and Roy Diblik—both internationally renowned garden designers—will lead the design team in the landmark effort, updating and restoring the 1.7-acre garden with a combination of native grasses and plants that offer flower and foliage color year-round. Since 2020, over 150 North Lawndale residents have participated in engagement and design sessions to provide input on plant selection, water features, and signage.

In June 2023, we met with neighbors, community partners, and the design team for a planting event at the garden, where participants learned how native plant gardens sustain the habitats of birds and other animals, improve soil quality, and help prevent flooding.

The original Sears Garden—a Chicago Historic Landmark—was completed in 1907 as a respite for the employees of Sears, Roebuck, and Co. Soon, the new garden will serve as a safe and welcoming hub that reflects the beauty and vitality of the North Lawndale community.

ILLINOIS ADVISORY BOARD

Stephen Baird, Baird and Warner

Kyle Barnett , BMO Financial Group †

Solomon Barnett , Optiver †

Jonathan Berger, Ashler Capital

Kenneth Kaufman , Kaufman Hall

James Mann , Retired, Non-Profit Executive & Attorney

Todd Meyer, Principal Planning, Design & Real Estate Advisory Consultant

Leah Yablonka, The Jordan Company

CHICAGO NEXT GEN BOARD

Christian Avila , EXP

Camille Canales , Camille Canales Group

Eleni Christou , Latham & Watkins

Kelly Price , Wintrust Mortgage

RESTORE THE SEARS SUNKEN GARDEN

Help us reach our goal of raising $5 million to transform the Sears Sunken Garden into a world-class public garden. Visit searssunkengarden.org to learn more.

Jennifer Shaffer, Jennifer Shaffer

Photography

Jon Stevanovich , MPPA Candidate, Northwestern University

† Chair

© CARLOS AARÓN MAGAÑA

Budding North Lawndale gardeners plant alongside master gardener Piet Oudolf. © ODILE COMPAGNON

COVER, TOP: © ADAM ALEXANDER; © JASON FLOWERS; © ADAM ALEXANDER; LARGE: © FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY;

FLOWERS