Cook County Land Acquisition Plan

Southeast Cook County, IL

Overview

In 2019, the Forest Preserves of Cook County engaged a project team led by the Conservation Fund to develop a strategic land acquisition plan for the
southeast Cook County region south of Chicago. The goal of this planning effort was to identify and prioritize potential land acquisition targets that will help the Forest Preserves achieve their goal of expanding the preserves to 90,000 acres of permanently protected land. The project team developed a community and data-driven process for identifying priority acquisition targets, which included a combination of community engagement activities (e.g., stakeholder meetings, site visits, focus groups, etc.), spatial suitability and optimization analysis, health impact assessment, iterative and collaborative mapping exercises, and more.

  • Client

    The Conservation Fund

  • Scope of Services

    • Plan Inventory and Review
    • GIS Analysis and Visualization
    • Health Impact Assessment
    • Community Engagement
    • Urban Design
Outcomes
  • A guide to acquiring land for inclusive public spaces, conservation, and improving community health.
  • Identification of ecosystem services that are incorporated into this plan.
  • An innovative analytical and community-based methodology and protocol for identifying suitable and feasible acquisition parcels and opportunities.

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