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On the cover: Blanding’s turtle hatchling emerges from a natural nest more than
30,700 acres are
LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES
protected
by the lake county forest preserves .
BACK COVER
BOARD of COMMISSIONERS
A MESSAGE from
PRESIDENT
ANN B. MAINE PRESIDENT LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES
VICE PRESIDENT
meet our
PRIORITY SPECIES
Ann B. Maine, Lincolnshire Linda Pedersen, Antioch TREASURER
S. Michael Rummel, Lake Forest
Leadership and conservation goals outlined in our Strategic Plan emphasize the importance of cooperative work to further our 100-year Vision for Lake County (LCFPD.org/Vision). In partnership with other agencies, and Lake County residents, business owners, volunteers, and others, we can break through constraints on budget and resources, allowing us to maximize results, attract new investments and build public support.
In this spirit, I am excited to announce that we have joined a historic effort initiated by Chicago Wilderness to champion 12 priority species in the region. Strategic collaboration with lead partners including Audubon Chicago Region, The Field Museum, Illinois Natural History Survey, Lincoln Park Zoo, The Nature Conservancy Illinois Chapter, Openlands, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service aims to improve the health of each priority species and their local habitats over the next five years. The Lake County Forest Preserves will be leading conservation efforts for the Blanding’s turtle, together with Illinois Natural History Survey. As a regional leader, we are researching and monitoring this species at several preserves across the country, one of which contains the largest breeding populations in the state. Our goal is to foster measurable improvements for the Blanding’s turtle, which are in turn expected to further benefit the flora and fauna that share habitat requirements and management needs. Learn more about Blanding’s turtle in this issue of Horizons, or by visiting our booth at the Lake County Fair this July, where Blanding’s turtles will be featured (see lcfair.com for details).
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Audrey H. Nixon, North Chicago Chuck Bartels, Mundelein Carol Calabresa, Libertyville Steve Carlson, Gurnee Bonnie Thomson Carter, Ingleside Mary Ross Cunningham, Waukegan Bill Durkin, Waukegan Sandra Hart, Lake Bluff Diane Hewitt, Waukegan Aaron Lawlor, Vernon Hills Steven W. Mandel, Highland Park Sidney Mathias, Buffalo Grove Brent Paxton, Zion Nick Sauer, Lake Barrington Craig Taylor, Lake Zurich Tom Weber, Lake Villa Jeff Werfel, Grayslake Terry Wilke, Round Lake Beach EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ty Kovach
HORIZONS VOLUME 25, ISSUE 3
Summer 2016
EDITOR
Susan Hawkins, Horizons@LCFPD.org CONTRIBUTORS
Linda Curtis, Allison Frederick PHOTOGRAPHY
Callie Klatt (cover), Andrew C., Tim Elliott, Jeff Goldberg, Peter Schultz, Jess Smith/Photosmith, Chip Williams
Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) Illinois status: Endangered
You can support our work to keep Blanding’s turtles healthy in Lake County. Join our new Adopt-a-Turtle program using the enclosed envelope. Any amount you can give will help a little baby Blanding’s turtle thrive. Or, you can even become a Turtle Champion!
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES HOTLINE: 847–968–3335 Horizons is the quarterly publication of the Lake County Forest Preserves. Subscriptions are free. To subscribe, unsubscribe or update your address, call the hotline or email Horizons@LCFPD.org. Subscribers may also receive mailings from the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves. Photo and videos are periodically taken of people participating in Forest Preserve District programs and activities. All persons registering for Forest Preserve District programs/activities or using Forest Preserve property thereby agree that any photo or video taken by the Forest Preserve District may be used by the District for promotional purposes including its website, promotional videos, brochures, fliers and other publications without additional, prior notice or permission and without compensation to the participant.