Lake Forest Open Lands holds Celebrate Earth at Mellody Farm Nature Preserve

Chicago Tribune

29-04-2025

At Lake Forest Open Lands, celebrating the Earth and connecting communities to the natural world is a practice that goes far beyond Earth Day Weekend.
Saturday morning, Celebrate Earth at Mellody Farm Nature Preserve in Lake Forest offered families an opportunity to slow down and recharge with guided nature hikes, hands-on activities on restoring native habitats, a birding station, nature journaling and readings by environmentally-themed children's book author, Ruth Spiro and much more.
Ryan London, president and C.E.O. Lake Forest Open Lands says there is great health benefit to a moment of mindfulness and connection to the natural world — when we take care of nature it takes care of us.
'Conservation has its ancestral roots in the Midwest, and now more than ever, small community organizations like ours are working to involve a broader cross-section of communities in community conservation,' London Said.
At Lake Forest Open Lands they are dedicated to expanding programs for youth and adults in Lake County, broadening and deepening access and connection to land and coastal conservation programming, London says.
After receiving a recent Illinois Coastal Management grant in Winter 2024, these funds, according to London, are supporting new programs and collaborations focused on stewardship and education that highlight awareness about hyperlocal coastal resources along the Great Lakes.
New community partners like Drip and Culture, a socially minded coffee company in Waukegan, have joined Cristo Rey, Boys and Girls Club of Lake County, Lovell Federal VA, Waukegan High School, and other LFOLA partners across North Chicago and Waukegan.
London says, these community partners are taking part in guided hikes and other activities that provide access to natural resources, aimed at reaching out to the broader community to make preserving land relevant and essential to all citizens.
'Through our partnership with Lake Forest Open Lands, we are inviting people to the land, to an outside that is inclusive, that belongs to everyone – a place where it is possible to spark intellectual curiosity, caring and stewardship,' Adam Carson, founder and owner of Drip and Culture, said.
Lake Forest Open Lands, director of engagement, Julia Lunn, says their Center for Conservation Leadership, is focused on providing innovative environmental opportunities for high school students, like the Edo-Ambassador program this summer at Illinois Beach State Park.
'Starting in June, our Eco-Ambassadors will be shadowing the Prairie Research Institute scientists, creating educational resources, gathering wisdom from community leaders, and growing deeper connections with the natural world,' Lunn said.
According to London, since 2016, Illinois Coastal Management Program (ICMP) grants have supported a series of impactful area initiatives aimed at enhancing environmental stewardship, education, and public access along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Lake County. These projects have combined hands-on conservation, educational curriculum development, cultural engagement, and community-focused recreational access to deepen public understanding and care for the coastal zone.
London says, conservation is not just about preserving landscapes, but about strengthening communities and the natural resources that they rely on.
'Our beyond-the-trail initiatives help to provide healthy land and clean water, which are fundamental to public health,' London said.
David Forestieri of Lake Bluff attended Saturday's Celebrate Earth event with family.
'It's such a luxury to have these protected open spaces to connect with, and to experience the passion and education that can only come from experiencing it first-hand,' Forestieri said.