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• Press Release - 04/19/2012 •

New Name for Liberty Prairie Conservancy Reflects Growth in Services and Scope  

(Grayslake, IL) To better reflect its services and scope, Lake County’s fast-growing non-profit conservation organization has changed its name from Liberty Prairie Conservancy to Conserve Lake County. The shift was recently celebrated by over 200 members at its annual meeting in Libertyville. Founded in 1995 to serve conservation needs in the Liberty Prairie Reserve area of central Lake County, the member-supported group expanded in 2005 to provide services throughout the county for open space preservation, land stewardship and conservation outreach.

"The name ‘Conserve Lake County’ reflects the organization’s expanded mission and geographic reach, says executive Director Steve Barg. "For over seven years, people from across the county have been asking us to help them in their communities, and with generous support from many partners and friends, we’ve been able to expand our capacity so we can respond. Our new name reflects the growing community of people who care about land and water health and the quality of life throughout Lake County."

After months of study and discussion that included input from a variety of audiences, the organization’s 16-member board of directors unanimously agreed on a name that serves as a call to action: Conserve Lake County. An updated tagline was also created to define the desired result and reason it matters: healthy land for a better life. Pro-bono support for the project came from a local professional with branding expertise. A grant from the Grand Victoria Foundation covered much of the cost of logo design and implementation.

One of the organization’s key strategies for conserving land and water health is to preserve open space. Thus it owns or holds conservation easements on over 400 acres of undeveloped land. In 2008, it led the effort to pass the Lake County Forest Preserve District referendum that is funding the purchase of over 3,000 acres. In 2010, it brought together 17 conservation groups, including the forest preserve district and Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and developed a shared goal of preserving 20% of Lake County as open space. The organization frequently helps private landowners protect their natural areas and farmland from development.

To support clean water, rich soil and resilient ecosystems, the organization recently brought the Conservation@Home program to Lake County, a sustainable landscaping initiative already popular in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties. The group has also launched the Lake County Sustainable Food Systems Project, a multi-partner effort supported by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, to expand the availability of locally grown food. To learn more or become a member, visit www.ConserveLakeCounty.org.