Lake County Forest Preserves

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Lake County Forest Preserves (also called Lake County Forest Preserve District, or LCFPD) is a governmental organization that purchases land and oversees the use of such public open-space in Lake County, Illinois.^[1] It is a member of Chicago Wilderness.^[2]

The board of directors is also the board of Lake County. The directors are voted into office, and represent their respective districts in Lake County.

Recreational activities provided by the organization's land includes biking on trails, paddling, dog parks, fishing, horseback riding, swimming, winter sports, and many more.

Ethel Untermyer is considered the founder of Lake County Forest Preserves. Ethel and her son went exploring in the woods one day, in 1957. She was new to the Lake County area and wanted to explore.

She asked her friend where the nearest forest preserve was, and Ethel was shocked to find that there was none.

She then organized a countywide public vote to create a Lake County Forest preserve district. Many people did not take into account of what she was doing. She kept telling people in her community about forest preserves and slowly gained support from many people.

At this time Lake County just barely had 300,000 people and even then, people noticed the lack of natural land. By election day in November 1958, the vote passed with a surprising 60 percent of votes. As of then, Lake County Forest Preserve District was legally established in circuit court.

A committee of citizens was then formed, with Ethel as its chair. In 1961 the first forest preserve opened in Lake County; Van Patten Woods in Wadsworth.