Protecting Illinois Wetlands

Our longstanding client, Citizens for Conservation (Citizens), a leading Northern Illinois land conservation group, has moved to acquire and preserve ecologically important land in Lake County, Illinois. Facilitated by our office, the acquisition concluded a seven-year initiative to provide an ecological buffer of wetlands surrounding local Flint Creek, a tributary of the Fox River.

Developers had long targeted the land for residential construction, and in 2005 announced plans to build a subdivision on the property. This subdivision would have radically altered the nature of the surrounding area, severely impacted Citizen’s existing preserve, and destroyed ecologically sensitive land.  Our firm originally assisted with the purchase of a portion of the proposed subdivision and the donation of the adjacent five-acre wetland.  The financial crisis halted development and the property was foreclosed.  When Citizens recently discovered that the bank had agreed to sell the remaining lots for residential development, our firm intervened, securing the rights to the land.

“We see this as a win-win situation for all parties involved, but more importantly one in which Citizen’s persistence and long-term vision prevailed,” said Citizens’ Alberto Moriondo.

Since 2005, Citizens and Lynam & Associates have been successful in securing over fifty acres of open space in Northern Illinois, both directly and through cooperation with private and local government entities.  With this new addition, Citizens now has 376 acres under management, and over the past forty years has helped protect more than 3,000 acres in Northern Illinois.