The Buzz | August 2026

Click here to view the invitation!

Sunday, September 27 | 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Middlefork Farm Nature Preserve
General Admission reservations open!

Join us as a Grand Tartan, Order of the Tartan, or Patron and enjoy a gourmet picnic dinner provided by LFOLA. Or pack a BYO dinner and refreshments and be a part of the community picnic.

Celebrate this fall tradition with games, activities, and entertainment for all ages, and enjoy complimentary donuts. Feel the warmth of the community bonfire and gather to watch Highland games and the procession of the marching pipers on the field! LEARN MORE

Explore LFOLA outdoor programs and events.
Nature is your playground! View the full calendar

ALL AGES:

Sunset Yoga
Thursdays, August 6-27 | 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Thursdays, September 3-24 | 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Nature Fun Fest
Saturday, August 29 | 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

ADULTS:

LF-LB History Center Hike at LFOLA
Tuesday, August 4 | 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Conservation Cocktails
Tipping Back with Turtles: Turtles of Lake County
Friday, August 14 | 6:00-7:30 a.m.

Lake Forest Open Lands Association Awarded
Prairie State Conservation Coalition Stewardship Challenge Grant

Lake Forest Open Lands Association is pleased to announce that it has received a Stewardship Challenge Grant from the Prairie State Conservation Coalition to support ongoing restoration efforts at Baa and Mello’s Preserve at Westfork Savanna, located in southeastern Lake County. Grant funding will support an integrated management approach that combines prescribed fire, invasive species control, native seed collection, and ecological monitoring to improve habitat quality and advance the preserve toward higher-quality natural area designation. Contractors will conduct prescribed burns across approximately 30 acres of old field habitat and implement targeted herbicide treatments to control invasive species such as reed canary grass, purple loosestrife, teasel, and Canada thistle.

The grant will also support LFOLA’s volunteer stewardship program, Eco-Crew, which engages community members in weekly restoration workdays from November through March.

Using grant-funded tools and equipment, staff and volunteers will remove invasive woody species, collect and sow native seed, and conduct follow-up invasive species management to promote the recovery of native plant communities. Funding will further enhance LFOLA’s ecological monitoring capacity through the purchase of equipment for Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) transects and bat monitoring, complementing ongoing bird, frog, and wildlife surveys. Together, these efforts will improve wildlife habitat, strengthen long-term stewardship, and provide meaningful opportunities for community members to participate in hands-on conservation.

Help Turn $1 into $4 for Local Conservation
This project is part of the Prairie State Conservation Coalition’s Stewardship Challenge Grant Program, which includes a powerful matching opportunity to multiply community impact. LFOLA invites supporters to help bring this important work to life.

During the grant period, every $1 donated will be matched with $3 from PSCC, quadrupling the impact of each gift, up to $21,000.

This is a rare chance to make a transformational difference at Baa and Mello’s Preserve. Your support will directly fund habitat restoration, expand biodiversity, and accelerate the recovery of this important natural landscape.

Help us maximize this $21,000 opportunity by clicking here.