Lake County Volunteers Donate 21,000 Hours to Nature

When Mat Sullivan first saw Slough Lake six years ago, invasive carp had turned the water murky and lifeless. Today, the lake is thriving with pollinators, native plants, and clean water, thanks to volunteers who refused to give up on it.

Last year, 1,241 volunteers donated over 21,000 hours to Lake County Forest Preserves in Illinois. Their time was valued at more than $734,000, supporting habitat restoration, education, and community programs across the county.

Sullivan started as an intern assigned to Duck Farm Forest Preserve in Lake Villa. Working with the Lake County Health Department, he helped monitor conditions as invasive fish were removed from the struggling lake.

The transformation happened fast. Clearer water returned first, followed by healthier habitat and visible wildlife. "Pollinators are now showing up," Sullivan said. "The difference is night and day."

That experience pulled him back. Sullivan now works full time with the Health Department but returns to Duck Farm as a site steward, leading restoration workdays and removing invasive plants.

Jim Williams found his way to volunteering after decades behind a desk. "I spent my professional career in a cubicle," he said. "It's good to get out and exercise."

Williams grew up on a cattle farm in Missouri, where his aunt's passion for native grasses sparked a lifelong interest. Three years ago, he traded the gym for forest preserve workdays. He's now a site steward at Lyons Woods Forest Preserve in Waukegan.

The work offers unexpected learning. Ecologists lead small group tours, teaching tree identification and inviting volunteers to monitor bluebirds and study pollinators. "It really expands your curiosity about nature," Williams said.

The Ripple Effect

Kay Ross and Leroy Houze lead a different kind of restoration. They tend a community garden in Waukegan, growing fresh produce on a Forest Preserves site and sharing it with nearby residents.

The Forest Preserves provides the 0.08 acre plot, plus seeds, plants, and equipment. Volunteers do the rest, planting in May and harvesting through October at 20 raised beds.

Community Engagement Specialist Norma Zamudio supports the growing volunteer program. She became a licensed herbicide applicator and brush pile burn boss to better assist in the field. "Their enthusiasm and commitment are truly contagious," she said.

Training is provided for every role, and opportunities are open to anyone. What starts as a single project often grows into something deeper, connecting people to the land and each other.

The spring beauty flower is one of the first blooms each season, signaling a healthy landscape and rewarding volunteers for their work bringing these spaces back to life.

#