Will County forest preserves to use $100K donation for native plant garden, wetlands management – Shaw Local

The Nature Foundation of Will County recently donated $101,600 to the Forest Preserve District of Will County to support the district’s preservation, conservation, education and recreation priorities.

“We’re proud to be a partner with the forest preserve district, supporting the programs and activities that protect nature, inspire discovery, and bring people and nature together,” Tara Neff, the foundation’s executive director, said in a news release from the forest preserve district.

Nature Foundation of Will County Executive Director Tara Neff (from left), Forest Preserve District of Will County Executive Director Tracy Chapman, forest preserve board President Destinee Ortiz, and foundation and forest preserve board members Julie Berkowicz and Dawn Bullock pose for a picture. The foundation presented its quarterly donation to the district Sept. 11, 2025. (Photo provided by Forest Preserve District of Will County)

The check was presented to the forest preserve district’s board of commissioners Thursday, Sept. 11.

Highlights of the foundation’s donation include:

$35,000 from Citgo Petroleum through its Caring for Our Coast program. The funds will be used for ecological management on 68.5 acres of wetland and prairie habitat at the Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve in Romeoville.$5,000 from the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation for the forest preserve district’s Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook. The money will be used to expand a native plant garden and install educational signs.$5,000 from Pembina Pipeline for outdoor habitat improvements at the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.a $50,000 grant from Earthrise Energy to construct a shade structure at the Monee Reservoir Visitor Center in Monee Township. “It’s designed specifically not to obstruct the beautiful waterfront view,” Neff said.$2,500 from the foundation itself for a new bicycle repair station at Monee Reservoir, which will be installed this fall.

Foundation sponsorships this year include $3,000 for the forest preserve district’s popular fall Woods Walk hiking challenge and $1,100 for the exhibit “Souvenirs From the Silurian Sea: Fossils of Will County,” which runs through Nov. 30 at Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville.

The foundation also has supported the yearlong Be a Trailblazer scavenger hunt experience.

In addition to corporate donations and grants, The Nature Foundation of Will County, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, also accepts donations from individuals who would like to give back to nature. Donations can be made online or by mail. For more details, visit the donation page on the foundation’s website at willcountynature.org/make-a-donation.