The Lake County Forest Preserves will be expanding by just over 50 acres after the approval of two land purchases and a donation during last week’s board meeting.
Commissioners approved the purchase of two parcels of land totaling 48 acres for nearly $1.2 million. The larger of the two, the Sidhu property, is 38.7 acres sitting along Fremont Center Road, north of Gilmer Road. It was purchased for $1.16 million and will expand the Ray Lake Forest Preserve in Wauconda.
It holds “significant ecological value” according to a preserve news release, falling within the nearly 29,000-acre Lake-McHenry Wetland Ecological Complex, which is a “key area for protecting water quality and wildlife habitat” and includes mature oak woodlands to the north, 22 acres of farmland, and over 10 acres of floodplain.
“Preserving this land helps protect the water systems that run through Ray Lake and Lakewood forest preserves,” said Land Preservation Director Ken Jones in the release. “It enhances the ecological link between these areas and supports long-term conservation.
The property includes a single-family residence and two outbuildings according to meeting documents. If they have no practical or historical value, they will be demolished, documents said.
The board also approved the purchase of 9.3 acres, known as the Tunca Management property, for $37,300. Located on Jamestown Lane east of Milwaukee Avenue, the land will expand Half Day Forest Preserve in Vernon Hills.
The acquisition protects important wetlands and strengthens ongoing conservation efforts, the release said. It also secures full ownership of a portion of the Des Plaines River Trail that runs through a trail easement on the site.
Both purchases are being made with the proceeds of a $20 million bond issue in April 2024, specifically to acquire high-priority properties, according to the release. About $2.5 million remains available for future land acquisitions.
After that, the Forest Preserves will use funds voters approved through the November referendum, allowing the borrowing of up to $155 million for land acquisition and projects over the next decade.
“These land purchases reflect our long-term commitment to protecting nature and expanding access to open space,” said Forest Preserves President Jessica Vealitzek. “They’re part of a broader effort to protect wildlife habitat, improve water quality and create more places for residents to connect with the outdoors.”
In addition to the two purchases, the Lake County Forest Preserve accepted a roughly 2.5-acre donation from resident Linda Raymond. The land is located at the south end of her 10-acre property in Newport Township, along State Line Road and west of Crawford Road, bordering the Dutch Gap Forest Preserve.
According to a release, Raymond is selling the remaining land as she downsizes. The donation includes a centuries-old bur oak that holds deep sentimental value to the Raymond family, the release said.
The oak’s branches held a pair of swings that she pushed her children and grandchildren on, and her daughter was married beneath its canopy, a preserves release said. She spent “countless quiet hours there with her late husband Marvin.”
“All those memories made that tree a meaningful part of our lives,” Raymond said. That connection led the family to donate the bur oak — and the surrounding 2.5 acres — to the Lake County Forest Preserves. “We wanted to make sure the tree is protected.”
The family has been a strong supporter of the forest preserves and land conservation, she said. Dave Cassin, landscape ecology manager at the Forest Preserves, estimated the tree’s age to be around 300 years old.
Raymond and her husband bought the land three decades ago to run a hobby farm, raising miniature donkeys, goats, chickens, horses, ducks and ponies. She plans to stay in the area to be near her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren
The Forest Preserves were “honored” to accept the donation, promising to protect the land and tree for “generations to come.” While such donations were “rare,” they were not unheard of, the release said.
“This is more than a land donation — it’s a gift rooted in love, memory, and a deep appreciation for nature,” Vealitzek said. “We’re grateful to the Raymond family for trusting us with such a personal piece of their history.