Wild Things 2019

The Past, Present, and Future of TreeKeepers
Al De Reu , Openlands
Openlands TreeKeepers Program has trained nearly 2,000 volunteers over 27 years. As Openlands looks to expand this program, various challenges exist, from cultural and linguistic barriers to municipal workers’ hesitation to working with volunteers. Efforts must be made to reach new audiences, sustain current volunteers, and engage new municipal partners in order to expand the TreeKeepers model.

Project Quercus: Conserving Oaks on Private Land in McHenry County
Lisa Haderlein , The Land Conservancy of McHenry County
The Oak Recovery Plan for the Chicago Region identifies work with private landowners as a key to successful oak conservation. Lessons learned from twelve years of implementing The Land Conservancy of McHenry County's Project Quercus will be shared to help inspire and inform others in the region working to tackle conservation of the 70% of the region's oaks that are located on private property.