Our Mission

The Friends of Des Plaines is dedicated to the conservation and improvement of the 5000 acres of varied Midwestern habitat that is the Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area. Through public education and fundraising, our organization will benefit and promote the diversity of uses of this valuable area while preserving the natural prairie, woodland, wetlands, open water and shoreline habitat for wildlife.

As other grass roots organizations have done in recent years, a small group of dedicated individuals have gotten together to see what we can do to help address state budget cuts affecting the Des Plaines SFWA.

 

Working directly with the site superintendent on projects designed to improve the habitat and grounds along with conservation and youth related activities, Friends of Des Plaines SFWA needs your support to continue to fund these projects. To see some of our projects to date see the projects and gallery section of the website. View the calendar for upcoming activities.
We thank you for your continued support.

 

Our History

The seeds for our group were planted in the fall of 2011 when IDNR Program Director, Terry Musser, met with a group of representatives from Northern Illinois dog clubs who regularly use the grounds. Terry shared the sobering fact that state funding for the maintenance and preservation of the site was continuing to fall to budget and manpower cuts.

In early 2012, sixteen concerned individuals from area clubs and the IDNR met and agreed to form the Friends of Des Plaines SFWA. Working directly with Site Superintendent, Jeff Wepprecht, our goal is to raise funds to supplement state funding for projects designed to maintain and preserve the site for the benefit of all visitors.

A key ongoing project in recent years is providing funds to control the woody shrubs and noxious weeds in the large grassy areas. These non-native plants are inhibiting native plant growth and hampering activities.

It is important to note that all funds collected by the Friends of Des Plaines SFWA are used solely for the support of this site. They are separate from any state funding and dispersed directly by the group for specific projects at Des Plaines SFWA.