This page was created by Jane Darcovich.  The last update was by Dan Harper.

To Protect and Preserve: An Early History of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois, 1900-1930

Forest Preserves in 2023

As of 2023, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County boasts holdings of 70,000 acres of land, or approximately 11 per cent of the county’s area. It is divided into nine administrative “regions” and offers a wide array of outdoor and educational activities. Every year, millions of people in Chicago, its suburbs, and in northeastern Illinois enjoy the preserves' roughly two hundred picnic groves, more than 100 miles of bike lanes and hundreds of miles of trails for hikers and skiers. The Forest Preserves District today has fulfilled the vision of Perkins and his Saturday Afternoon Walking Club – to provide recreational and park space for the masses and to promote the study and enjoyment of nature for the people of Chicago.

The pioneering efforts of the FPD, the first of its kind in the state, have inspired DeKalb, Kendall, Lake, Will, and Winnebago counties in Illinois to form their own preserve districts, including DeKalb, Kendall, Lake, Will, and Winnebago counties.

This page has paths:

This page references: