Sturgeon River, Michigan/Photo: Jim Sorbie

Illinois

Together with its partners, the Fund has safeguarded more than 48,000 acres across Illinois. By leveraging public and private support, the Fund pioneered new approaches to conservation and development, led restoration efforts at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, and spearheaded the protection of fragile wetlands and waterways along the Fox River.

Copperhead Hollow State Wildlife Area

Warblers, wood thrushes and whip-poor-wills migrating through Illinois gained more room to stretch their wings, thanks to the efforts of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the National Wild Turkey Federation and a partnership between the natural gas pipeline project Rockies Express Pipeline (REX), The Conservation Fund and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Great Lakes Revolving Loan Fund

A generous lead grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has enabled the Fund and its partners to protect nearly 20,000 acres, valued at nearly $56 million, within the Great Lakes Basin, the nation's most significant freshwater ecosystem.  Read more>

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Located on 19,000 acres about an hour’s drive southwest of Chicago, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is the country’s largest restoration project for tallgrass prairie.  Read more>

Northeastern Illinois Wetlands Conservation Account

NEIWCA funds the restoration of wetlands and natural habitats throughout the Chicago area through an innovative partnership program. Since 1997, the conservation account has contributed over $3.8 million to groups working on over 100 individual projects in Illinois' six northeastern counties--Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage and Will.   Read more>

Palisades Preserve

Thanks to a loan from its Mississippi River Revolving Fund, the Fund helped the Great Rivers Land Trust and its partners protect spectacular bluffs and key habitat for future generations.  Read more>

Upper Midwest Conservation Initiative

To protect this uniquely American landscape, The Conservation Fund has, since 1985, joined with public agencies, private land trusts and landowners to safeguard more than 52,000 acres of recreation areas, wetlands, working forests and wilderness in the Upper Midwest.  Read more>
Scorecard: Midwest
Acres Protected: 302,301
Fair Market Value: $397,950,582
Acquisition Cost: $211,793,015
Help Save Our Wild Havens

baby bear in Alaska

At the Fund we help save wild havens: large, natural spaces for wildlife to be exactly that—wild. Your gift ensures that wildlife, like this bear cub, has the habitat it needs to thrive.

 

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Staff Profile: Peg Kohring

Peg Kohring, Midwest Director

Peg Kohring, director of the Fund's work in the Midwest, is based in Michigan. She works with community leaders across the region. "We’re the tools in the hands of communities, helping to make conservation happen.”

Read Peg's story >>