Find out MCCD's development plans

The McHenry County Conservation District board invites the public to hear a presentation on the draft comprehensive site development and public access plan at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The presentation will be held at McHenry County College Conference Center, Building B, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

"We encourage the public to get involved and provide input on what they would like to see in the conservation district," said Elizabeth Kessler, executive director.

"The Comprehensive Site Development and Public Access Plan will help guide future planning decisions as we move forward and look at prioritizing site openings and adding amenities."

Over the past several months, the board of trustees and district staff has been laying the groundwork to provide additional recreational amenities in conservation areas throughout the county.

As the population in the county continues to grow, the district is looking at where it can offer new or improved recreational amenities for the public to relax or recreate.

In October, the public was invited to share their thoughts and ideas on what types of recreational amenities they would like to see planned for present and future conservation sites by participation through several community workshops, an online survey and a phone survey.

The data collected from these tools as well as recommendations on how to move forward will be presented during this meeting.

Currently, the conservation district maintains more than 20,000 acres of open space. Twenty-six sites are open to the public including four educational facilities, 50 miles of biking, hiking trails and cross country ski trails, seven camping sites, and 16 fishing locations.