Votes to go greener benefit the region
The vote totals are finally in across the metropolis, and it is a win for nature, conservation, wildlife habitat — and people.
When the referendum votes were tallied last week in McHenry County for the county's conservation district — which is similar to a forest preserve district — it showed the proposal had passed to improve the district's holdings and perhaps acquire more land.
The voting result followed successful forest preserve referendums on Nov. 5 in Lake, DuPage and Kane counties. The new money in those counties will go to buying land; restoring wetlands, forests, savannas and prairies; protecting watersheds; improving trails; and other needs.
Also, while not a referendum, the Will County Forest Preserve Board in summer approved a $50 million bond issue to help fund land preservation, habitat restoration, and trail and visitor center improvements.
The votes follow the historic approval of a referendum for the Cook County Forest Preserves in 2022. The Cook County preserves are using the money to buy land; restore habitat; increase programming; improve the trail system; and deal with deferred capital needs at the Brookfield Zoo and Chicago Botanic Garden. The zoo and garden are on forest preserve land and partially funded by the forest preserve district.
The success of the Cook County and collar county ballot measures means some $1.6 billion will be available over the next 20 years to improve the region's open space.
The vote totals show "people like open space, nature and forest preserves," Friends of the [Cook County] Forest Preserves executive director Benjamin Cox said.
Moreover, people see the preserved land is being well managed, which makes them supportive, said Emily Reusswig, vice president of conservation and policy at Openlands.
During the pandemic, many people turned to the forest preserves as places where they could get out and about without risking the infection inherent in crowded areas. That gave many people a new appreciation for nearby natural areas and a willingness to support them.
Forest preserves and conservation areas also provide wildlife habitat, filter air, add oxygen to the atmosphere, store carbon, filter pollutants from surface water and reduce the amount of storm water that floods waterways and basements.
Nearly 30 national parks now have less acreage each than the total set aside in the six-county area in northeastern Illinois. With the passage of the referendums, the combined area here is only going to grow.
This year has been good for regional natural conservation. It's something to build on in future years.
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