Forest preserve and longtime ecologist earn top conservation honors

Grassy Lake Forest Preserve in Lake Barrington and retired Restoration Ecologist Ken Klick were recognized with top awards from the Chicago Wilderness Alliance.

The Grassy Lake restoration project earned Platinum accreditation through the Excellence in Ecological Restoration Program — the program’s highest honor. Klick received the George B. Rabb Force of Nature Award for his decades of leadership and dedication to ecological restoration.

“The individuals and sites recognized this year remind us that optimism and collaboration remain powerful forces,” Alliance Chair Elizabeth Kessler said. “Their work is not only inspiring, it’s a blueprint for how we can continue to come together to protect what matters most and build a more resilient future.”

Restoring a Landscape

Grassy Lake protects 691 acres of oak woodlands, prairies, wetlands and areas in natural transition between grassland and forest. The award focuses on a biologically rich 150-acre section, where volunteers, staff and contractors have restored and expanded habitat for rare plants and wildlife.

The site supports 25 Species of Greatest Conservation Need identified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, four state-threatened plant species and numerous regionally rare and conservative species. About 550 plant species have been observed at Grassy Lake, an extraordinary number for a single site in Lake County.

Community at the Core

“The award is for the site, but two volunteers are the secret sauce in this restoration: Wes Wolf and Carol Hogan,” Stewardship Ecologist Kelly Schultz said. “We wouldn’t have earned this recognition without their years of dedication and leadership.”

Wolf and Hogan live across from Grassy Lake, and the preserve has become a second home. Together they’ve logged more than 20,000 volunteer hours caring for the land.

“I just love being outdoors,” Wolf said. “I’m out here almost every day. Volunteering is good for nature — and it’s good for me. It keeps me moving and grounded.”

“This is our health club,” Hogan added with a smile. “Restoration isn’t just about pulling weeds or planting seeds; it’s about giving back to the land that gives so much to us.”

From clearing buckthorn and planting native species to leading seed-collection days, the pair have built a community around restoration. On a recent morning, about 20 volunteers joined them to collect native seeds that will help restore other preserves. True to tradition, Hogan brought homemade treats; fuel for the day’s work.

“It’s all about being out here and feeling part of something bigger,” Hogan said, looking up as a pair of sandhill cranes glided overhead.

A new overlook and stone benches give visitors a front-row seat to the preserve’s restored prairie and wetlands.

Honoring a Career of Leadership

The Force of Nature Awards celebrate people, programs, projects and partnerships whose conservation and education efforts inspire others to protect the natural world.

Recently retired, Klick spent three decades with the Forest Preserves as a tireless advocate for protecting and sustaining remnant plant communities. His work centered on rare plant recovery, habitat management and the stewardship of fire-dependent ecosystems. He also led efforts to control invasive species and championed the addition of high-quality sites to the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory and Illinois Nature Preserves Commission system.

A respected mentor and collaborator, Klick built strong relationships among staff, partner agencies, contractors and volunteers. He regularly led educational programs and guided hikes, sharing his deep knowledge of plants, lichens, birds, local geology, glaciation and Native American history. Colleagues often note his generosity — always willing to lend a book, lead a walk or share his time and expertise, even after hours and on weekends.

Klick’s influence can be seen across the landscape and in the generations of land stewards he inspired to continue his work protecting Lake County’s natural legacy.

“Ken’s career and the restoration at Grassy Lake show how teamwork and persistence can transform the land,” Forest Preserves President Jessica Vealitzek said. “These efforts remind us of what can be achieved when people come together for conservation.”

• Kim Mikus is a communications specialist for the Lake County Forest Preserves. She writes a bimonthly column about various aspects of the preserves. Contact her with ideas or questions at kmikuscroke@LCFPD.org. Connect with the Lake County Forest Preserves on social media @LCFPD.