"Saving Living Space for Living Things" through protection, restoration and stewardship of land, conservation of natural resources, and education.

CFC is a 501(c) non-profit organization that serves the greater Barrington area. This area is essentially school district 220 or the Flint Creek watershed. We are one of the few full-service local non-profits that owns land, restores it to native conditions, actively promotes parks and forest preserves, and educates the public on conservation issues that affect them.

     

The website redesign has been scaled back. We are making incremental changes while we look for volunteers with experience in website layout & design. If you can help, please contact CFC or e-mail the webmaster.

Photo of the Month: Julie clears brush at Baker's Lake on a recent winter's workday. We keep working all winter regardless of the weather (if the roads are passable and the temperatures are above zero). Once we start moving, the work keeps us warm. We are now clearing brush on our winter schedule (Saturday mornings, 9-11 only).

A local forest preserve has been extended! The Lake County Forest Preserve District purchased more land in November, including a parcel that CFC brought to their attention two decades ago. The 16.5-acre Lageshulte property, between Freier Farms and Grassy Lake Forest Preserve in the Village of Lake Barrington, has a large stand of mature oaks, many between 100 and 200 years old. At nearly $1.2 million, this was not a purchase CFC could make, so we are glad that the LCFPD was able to close this deal after years of on-again, off-again negotiations. Congratulations!

We meet at the CFC office at 459 West IL Rt 22 (the farmhouse across from Good Shepherd Hospital) and carpool or walk to the work site which varies from week to week. You do not need to be a member to volunteer or to receive community service hours. View the mapquest link. CAUTION - Google maps does not currently recognize this address correctly. We're on the south side of Highway 22, west of 59, east of Kelsey Road. If you get there late, look at the blackboard on the shed for the location of that day's worksite. Maps are available in the foyer of the farmhouse, or print out our map.

An important activity for restoration of native habitats on our properties is brush removal. European buckthorn and other brush species have, in the absence of natural fire and grazing, crowded much of the land, overshadowing and driving out hundreds of species of native vegetation. Most of the workdays in winter are dedicated to brush removal. This work can be more strenous than our activities in the other seasons, depending on the site and snow depth. Workdays are Saturdays 9-11 am; dress for the weather and bring gloves. Meet at CFC headquarters across from the Good Shepherd Hospital.