The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has announced nearly $1 million in grants to support stewardship activities in natural areas across the state. Organizations in Cook, Lake and McHenry counties were among the recipients.

A kick-off event Sept. 16 is aimed at recruiting more volunteer stewards, whose work helps safeguard the nature preserve’s endangered and threatened species.

This weekend, you’re invited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the creation of Illinois’ state nature preserves by touring some of state’s rarest and most endangered landscapes. 

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, founded in 2020 to rally support for the state’s protected natural areas, is now launching a major recruitment effort to grow its ranks and muster a corps of volunteers to steward the sites in a race against invasive species and climate change.

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves was founded last year to increase support for and restoration of the state’s most precious lands, which boast more biodiversity than the Grand Canyon and are more endangered than the Great Barrier Reef.