Former DuPage forest director dead at 87

The man who professionalized the DuPage County Forest Preserve District and guided its growth for more than three decades has died.

Chuck Johnson, 87, passed away May 6 after an extended illness, family members said.

Before retiring in 1994 and moving to Colorado, Johnson served for 32 years as forest preserve director. During his tenure, the district grew from roughly 1,600 acres in 1962 to more than 20,000 acres.

"Whenever someone walks into a DuPage forest preserve, they can thank Chuck Johnson," said Brook McDonald, president and CEO of The Conservation Foundation. "It was his vision to create this network of open spaces throughout DuPage County."

Johnson also helped establish the Naperville-based Conservation Foundation. Originally called the Forest Foundation, the privately run group is the area's leading conservancy and preservation agency.

"He always had a tremendous amount of pride in what was accomplished," Johnson's wife, Beverly, said Tuesday.

Bill Weidner, a retired forest preserve employee who worked for Johnson, said he will remember Johnson as an avid outdoorsman.

"He really enjoyed the outdoors," Weidner said. "He knew a lot about the areas he worked to protect from being out there hiking with his family and fly fishing in the ponds and lakes and streams."

Johnson became director of the forest preserve district after serving as Downers Grove's forester and public works superintendent.

The job quickly became Johnson's "vocation and avocation," according to his wife. She said he became focused on getting more land for the district.

"He knew that the county was going to be changing," Beverly Johnson said. "He just felt that the buying of land had to be done immediately to preserve open space areas."

Robert Schillerstrom, a former DuPage County Board chairman, said Johnson had the vision to know that open space had to be protected as the county was developed.

"It was a very pivotal time," Schillerstrom said. "And he was a driving force to make sure that we preserved land throughout this county."

Johnson would often take his wife and four children on driving trips around DuPage searching for sites that could serve the interests of the county and its residents.

"He didn't feel you should buy land just to buy it," said Beverly Johnson, adding that each purchase had to have a purpose, such as saving an ecosystem or helping wildlife.

To make his vision a reality, Johnson had the political skill to convince the county board to buy and restore land.

"He just was really, really good at having those political and communication skills to get these projects through the system," said McDonald, who used to work for Johnson at the forest preserve district.

And when his vision exceeded the limit of what could be done within the constraints of his position, Johnson approached local land baron Brooks McCormick with the idea of creating The Conservation Foundation.

"We always refer to Brooks McCormick as our founder, which is true," McDonald said. "But it was Chuck's idea."

McDonald said Johnson knew in the early 1970s that a not-for-profit group was needed to partner with public entities to further environmental, conservation and preservation causes.

Weidner said Johnson was "a very strong-willed conservationist" at a time when the county was being rapidly developed. He also developed educational programs and recreational opportunities for residents.

"He took the forest preserve district from a little entity and turned it into a world-class organization," Schillerstrom said.

Arrangements for a memorial service are pending.