SPRING HAS SPRUNG

New programming gives the community another reason to explore Lake Forest Open Lands Association properties.

“THAT CICADA HAD BLUE EYES!” Lake Forest mom Marilla Perkins recalls in amazement. Discovered by her 6-year-old son Fritz during a Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) “Cicada Sensation” guided hike last June, the rare-bug sighting was just one in a score of memorable moments the Perkins family has experienced through LFOLA programming.

“We love to explore the Open Lands,” says Perkins, “but even more than that, the LFOLA team does such an amazing job with kids and community programing, from both an academic and a hands-on tactile perspective, it has fostered this curiosity in my son that keeps him learning more.”

So, when Perkins learned that LFOLA was launching its first Community Supported Conservation (CSC) shareholders program last winter, her family was among the first to buy in. They’re doing it again this spring.

Designed to function like local farms’ Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs where family shareholders get a box of fruits and veggies each week or month, in LFOLA’s Community Supported Conservation program, shareholders get access to a full slate of community programming each season.

“So instead of a basket produce, you get a suite of nature hikes, birding walks, kids’ events and more” says Julia Lunn, Director of Engagement.

And just as a CSA gives shareholders a wide array of tastes, leading them to find what they like, LFOLA hopes its CSC suites will give Lake Forest more ways to engage with nature in whatever way that works for them.

“Studies have shown that we need nature as much as nature needs us, which means the work we do is a key component of public health,” explains LFOLA President Ryan London. “As we have evolved with that understanding, our approach as a land trust has been not only to protect and preserve our natural lands, but to create as many points of entry as we can to help our community engage with them.”

So, whether it’s an early morning bird hike, a Friday night Conservation  Cocktails event with friends, or kids summer camp, LFOLA offers them all.

“Our programming really is designed to break down barriers,” says Lunn. 

The spring season at LFOLA literally bursts with opportunities. Now including ten preserves and 20 miles of trails (three to be fully universally accessible by June) there is lots to explore.

For those who are into birdwatching, there is no place in North America that rivals the Great Lakes Flyway in the Spring. Forty million birds come through the Flyway during a 6-to-8-week period. And to view the birds’ passage, LFOLA offers weekly guided bird hikes led by staff and experienced volunteers from the Lake County Audubon and Lake Cook Audubon Societies.

There are also abundant opportunities to learn the intricacies of flora and fauna—including how insects and pollinators work within the guild of a prairie or savanna, LFOLA’s weekly stewardship volunteer events on Wednesday mornings and on the first Saturday of every month are a great opportunity.

“Spring really is an awakening at LFOLA,” says Lunn, “with everything from our morning bird hikes, to the annual Woodcock Walk, our Celebrate Earth events during Earth Week, Chicago River Day events, and our native plant & tree sale.”

This year, the association is hosting a native landscaping workshop prior to its native plant sale, with staff and partners on hand to answer questions people may have about native plantings in their own yards.

“Folks who attend will literally be able to workshop any prob- lems they are having with native plants,” says London. 

The plants that are sold in the plant sale are sourced from genetic material that grows in the region. “Some of the trees in the sale have even been grown from acorns collected from our preserves,” adds London, who recommends using the presale feature on the plant sale shopping cart which goes live April 15. All the plants in the sale have been selected to succeed in the local environment.

Becoming a participant in LFOLA’s spring share includes unlimited  attendance  to  all events from April 1 through May 31. Plus, a special exclusive that comes with the CSC for families with children is the “Unplugged Prairie” programming for kids on early-release Mondays—a nice prelude to their popular summer camps.

“This is the first year we are offering all-day summer camps since the pandemic,” says Lunn.

Although sign-ups started in January, there is still some space available.

“We are doing everything we can to make it easier for our community to access nature,” Lunn concludes. “The best way to dig in is to visit our website to explore the options. Whether that’s by buying into the Spring share, by volunteering, or by signing kids up for one of our summer camps, there really is something for everyone.”

For more information about Community Supported Conservation, visit lfola.org.