Forest Preserve District of Will County

What Forest Preserve District of Will County does

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is a special-purpose local government unit established in 1926 under Illinois law to acquire, conserve, and manage open space across Will County, Illinois. The District stewards more than 75 forest preserves totaling over 24,000 acres, supported by more than 130 miles of regional trails connecting into DuPage, Grundy, Cook, and Kankakee counties, and anchored by six free-admission visitor centers (Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Isle a la Cache Museum, Monee Reservoir Visitor Center, Plum Creek Nature Center, and Sugar Creek Administration Center). Core operational offerings include conservation and land management (including prescribed burns), education programs for the public, K–12 schools, and youth groups, plus a broad recreation portfolio spanning hiking, biking, boating, fishing, camping, canoeing/kayaking, horseback riding, dog parks, and winter sports. Underlying technology is modest: a third-party ActiveCommunities reservation platform (apm.activecommunities.com/fpdwc), an interactive web map at map.reconnectwithnature.org, four segmented email newsletters, and accessibility features such as the National Inclusion Project-accredited All-Persons Trail and LEED-recognized sustainable facility design at Sugar Creek. The District's business model is primarily tax-supported — preserve access, parking, and visitor-center admission are free — with ancillary transactional revenue from boat and equipment rentals at Monee Reservoir, Illinois fishing license sales, picnic/camping/dog-park permits, business event permits ($25/hour), wedding and facility rentals, bait-shop concessions, and merchandise through a partnership with Outsider Threads; donations and corporate sponsorships flow through the affiliated Nature Foundation of Will County.

Name

Forest Preserve District of Will County

Legal name

Forest Preserve District of Will County

Website

https://reconnectwithnature.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is a tax-supported Illinois local government unit, founded 1926, that conserves and manages 24,000+ acres of forest preserves, 130+ miles of regional trails, and six free visitor centers for Will County residents and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Joliet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tax-supported public funding: The District is primarily tax-supported; visitor center admission, preserve access, and parking are free of charge. Tax revenue funds the District's core operations including conservation, education, and recreation programs.
2. Boat, canoe, and equipment rentals: Rental fees for pedal boats ($15/hour), rowboats ($15/hour, $35/half-day, $45/day), canoes and kayaks ($15/hour, $35/half-day), anchors ($1/day), trolling motors ($15/hour, $35/half-day, $45/day), and trolling motor batteries ($10/hour) at Monee Reservoir. Kayak rentals also operated by The Forge at Whalon Lake under a concessions license.
3. Permit and license sales: Illinois fishing licenses sold at Monee Reservoir (residents $5.50/day or $15/year; non-residents $10.50/day or $31.50/year; seniors 65+ $5.50/day or $7.75/year; seniors 75+ $1.50/year), plus picnic permits, camping permits, dog park permits, business event permits ($25/hour), photo/film/business permits, and special use/large group permits.
4. Facility and venue rentals: Rental income from indoor venues (meeting/event spaces at Four Rivers), outdoor picnic shelters (e.g., Lakeside Shelter capacity 150 at Whalon Lake, Kerry Sheridan Shelter at McKinley Woods, Burr Oaks Shelter at Hidden Oaks, Meadow Lark and Plum Creek shelters at Goodenow Grove), wedding venues, and youth group camping (50% discount offered).
5. Concessions and merchandise sales: Concessions including bait, tackle, snacks, and merchandise sold at The Tackle Box bait shop at Hidden Lakes (Hidden Oaks Preserve) and Monee Reservoir Visitor Center. Merchandise is also sold through an Outsider Threads partnership for nature-themed apparel.
6. Donations and sponsorships: Donations and sponsorships through the Nature Foundation of Will County (willcountynature.org) fund the Forest Preserve's education, conservation, and recreation programs. The Foundation supports campaigns like the Trailblazer / Get Your Kicks initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is a tax-supported public agency that acquires, conserves, and manages more than 24,000 acres of forest preserves and 130+ miles of regional trails across Will County, Illinois. It operates six free-admission visitor centers offering environmental education programs, hands-on exhibits, and event rentals, while delivering year-round outdoor recreation activities (boating, camping, hiking, fishing, paddling, dog parks, winter sports). Supplemental revenue comes from boat/equipment rentals at Monee Reservoir, Illinois fishing license sales, picnic/camping/dog-park permits, venue rentals for weddings and corporate events, and donations/sponsorships through the affiliated Nature Foundation of Will County.

Product overview

The Forest Preserve District of Will County operates a portfolio of public-conservation assets rather than a single software product, anchored by its Forest Preserves system, the Regional Trails system, and six Visitor Centers. Within that framework, Recreation Activities (biking, boating, camping, canoeing/kayaking, dog parks, fishing, geocaching, hiking/running, horseback riding, ice skating, in-line skating, picnicking, cross-country skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing) are delivered across named preserves (e.g., Hickory Creek Preserve, Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, Lake Renwick Preserve, Monee Reservoir, Whalon Lake, Hidden Oaks Preserve), while supporting offerings — Education Programs (public, school, and youth-group), Permits and Rental Spaces (geocaching, picnics, events, photo/film/business, wedding venues), Conservation and Land Management, and Wildlife Resources — tie the individual assets together. Specialized sub-services like Monee Reservoir Boat and Equipment Rentals, Hidden Oaks Nature Center facility rentals, and Four Rivers Environmental Education Center rentals/accessible services extend the core portfolio. Online reservations flow through a third-party ActiveCommunities integration rather than a District-built platform, and the organization's technology footprint is otherwise limited to standard cookie-consent tooling (OneTrust) and concessionaire integrations (The Forge kayak rentals at Whalon Lake).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nature Foundation of Will County: Affiliated nonprofit foundation that supports the Forest Preserve District's education, conservation and recreation programs through donations, sponsorships, and the tree and bench program.

Products and services

• Forest Preserves (system of preserves) Network of more than 75 forest preserves across Will County, Illinois, covering more than 24,000 acres. Improved preserves offer amenities such as parking, trails, picnic shelters, and recreational improvements, and also provide wildlife habitat, cleaner air and water, and flood mitigation for the public.
• Regional Trails system More than 130 miles of regional and connecting trails linking municipal trails within Will County and extending into DuPage, Grundy, and Cook counties. Named trails include Centennial Trail, DuPage River Trail, Hickory Creek Bikeway, I&M Canal Trail, Old Plank Road Trail, Plum Creek Greenway Trail, Rock Run Greenway Trail, Route 30 Bikeway, and Wauponsee Glacial Trail.
• Visitor Centers Six free-admission visitor centers offering hands-on exhibits, live animal displays, programming, and event rentals: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center (Channahon), Hidden Oaks Nature Center (Bolingbrook), Isle a la Cache Museum (Romeoville), Monee Reservoir Visitor Center (Monee Township), Plum Creek Nature Center (Crete Township), and Sugar Creek Administration Center (Joliet).
• Recreation Activities Year-round outdoor recreation programs including biking (134+ miles), boating, camping (five campground locations), canoeing/kayaking (10 launch locations), dog parks (six off-leash areas), fishing (ponds, lakes, rivers), geocaching, hiking/running, horseback riding, ice skating, in-line skating, picnicking, cross-country skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing.
• Education Programs Public, school (field trips, in-school, virtual), and youth-group nature education programs hosted at all visitor centers and select preserves, with both fee-based and free options. Field trips remain free for Will County schools.
• Permits and Rental Spaces Recreational permits (geocaching, picnics), business permits (events, photo/film/business, special use/large groups), and rental spaces (indoor, outdoor, wedding venues) issued through visitor centers and the Sugar Creek Administration Center via the ActiveCommunities reservation platform.
• Monee Reservoir Boat and Equipment Rentals Seasonal rental operation at Monee Reservoir offering rowboats (April 1–Oct. 31, $15/hr, $35/half-day, $45/day), pedal boats (May 1–Sept. 30, $15/hr), canoes and kayaks (May 1–Sept. 30, $15/hr, $35/half-day), trolling motors, anchors, and life vests. Also sells Illinois fishing licenses, bait, tackle, and snacks.
• Hidden Oaks Nature Center facility rentals Quercus Room rental for events such as birthday parties, baby showers, and company meetings; fits 35 seated at tables or 40 theater-style, with optional add-ons like the green roof patio and naturalist-led programs for an additional fee.
• Four Rivers Environmental Education Center rentals and accessibility services Wedding ceremonies/receptions, meeting and event spaces, and inclusive accessibility services such as an All-Persons Trail with tactile strips and sensory elements, quiet spaces with therapeutic tools and buddy bags, handheld reading devices, and a GRIT Freedom Chair all-terrain wheelchair for preserve trails.
• Conservation and Land Management Conservation programs including conservation easements, an agriculture program, land management, and prescribed burning to protect and restore open space so wildlife can thrive and people can recreate.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, minor and core.

• The Nature Foundation of Will Countyflagship / coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nature Foundation of Will County (willcountynature.org) is the principal fundraising and sponsorship partner supporting the Forest Preserve District's education, conservation, and recreation programs. Sponsorship from the Foundation powers the Trailblazer / Get Your Kicks campaigns awarding $15,000+ in prizes throughout the year, with additional support from dozens of local businesses. The Foundation also runs the Tree and Bench Program and accepts donations to support District initiatives.
• The ForgeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Forge obtained a concessions license with the District to operate kayak rentals on-site at Whalon Lake in Naperville. Maximum of 30 rented kayaks are allowed at one time on the 80-acre lake, which carries an 80-watercraft limit overall.
• Bolingbrook Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreviously owned and managed Hidden Oaks Preserve before the Forest Preserve District acquired it in 2022. Continued coordination on DuPage River Trail segments; the trail connects to segments owned by the Bolingbrook Park District and the Village of Bolingbrook.
• Forest Preserve District of Cook CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrail-management partner connecting the Centennial Trail (at the Cook County line in Romeoville) to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Centennial Trail, and connecting the eastern end of the Old Plank Road Trail at Campbell Avenue in Chicago Heights directly to Cook County's 16-mile Thorn Creek Trail.
• Old Plank Road Trail Management CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency commission that co-manages the 22-mile Old Plank Road Trail, including the Forest Preserve District, Village of Frankfort, Rich Township, Village of Park Forest, and Village of Matteson. The Forest Preserve District owns and manages 11.5 of the 14.2 miles of trail in Will County.
• Illinois Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-manages segments of the I&M Canal Trail and I&M Canal State Trail. A 1.05-mile section of the I&M Canal Trail is owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Lockport Township Park District, providing access to Dellwood Park. The 61.5-mile I&M Canal State Trail is owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and connects to multiple Forest Preserve sites.
• U.S. Forest Service (Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth of Manhattan, the Wauponsee Glacial Trail connects to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie trail system managed by the U.S. Forest Service. A trailhead (Midewin-Wauponsee Trailhead) supports horseback riding access.
• Three Rivers Public Library DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFour Rivers Environmental Education Center collaborates with Three Rivers Public Library District on a mobile book club series called "These Books Are Made for Walkin'", pairing nature hikes with monthly book discussions (e.g., Jeff VanderMeer's "Hummingbird Salamander" in June 2026).
• Village of Bolingbrook, City of Naperville, Naperville Park DistrictcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-agency partnership developing the DuPage River Trail, a work in progress planned to travel 40 miles from Lake Chaminwood Preserve in Channahon north into DuPage County. The DuPage River Trail segment at Whalon Lake connects to segments owned by the Bolingbrook Park District, Village of Bolingbrook, City of Naperville, and the Naperville Park District.
• Outsider ThreadsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutsider Threads (outsiderthreads.com) sells nature-themed T-shirts and apparel, with all proceeds funding Forest Preserve District initiatives. Free shipping is included on all orders.
• Pokagon Band of Potawatomi IndiansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural collaboration with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians for the "Our Storytellers: Pokagon Potawatomi Black Ash Baskets" exhibit at Isle a la Cache Museum, exploring the connections between craft, federal recognition, tribal resilience, and ongoing ecological threats to traditional ways of life. Exhibit runs July 1, 2026 and onward.
• Lisbet "Beth" Temple (Tempest Farm)flagship / coreOthersTempest Farm represents the District's largest land donation, contributed by Lisbet "Beth" Temple to honor her late husband, Dr. Arvid Temple. Featured in the District's storytelling under the headline "Tempest Farm: District's largest land donation."
• Lockport Township Park DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owns a 1.05-mile section of the I&M Canal Trail with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, providing trail access to Dellwood Park and Dellwood West.
• Marcia Whitney-Schenck (artist)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerChicago artist and writer Marcia Whitney-Schenck created "Winged Ambassadors," a summer art exhibit at Plum Creek Nature Center featuring creative interpretations of America's state birds.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• McHenry County Conservation District: Illinois conservation district operating preserves and trails in McHenry County. Closely comparable tax-supported model and recreational/educational programming.
• Forest Preserve District of DuPage County: Neighboring Illinois forest preserve district operating 26,000+ acres. Closely comparable mandate, structure, and programming; connected to Will County via the DuPage River Trail partnership and shared multi-agency trail commissions.
• Lake County Forest Preserves: Special-purpose district in Lake County, Illinois managing 31,000+ acres of preserves and 215+ miles of trails. Direct peer in statutory structure, scale, programming, and visitor center operations.
• Forest Preserve District of Kane County: Illinois forest preserve district managing preserves and trails under the same state statutory framework. Comparable tax-supported conservation model, recreation programming, and educational offerings.
• Forest Preserve District of Cook County: Largest forest preserve district in Illinois, managing 70,000+ acres across Cook County. Most directly comparable peer — same statutory structure, tax-supported model, regional trail network (including direct connections via Centennial Trail and Old Plank Road Trail/Thorn Creek Trail), and visitor center operations.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that works with public agencies on land acquisition, park creation, and conservation finance. Comparable in mission and the role of facilitating and funding major conservation transactions such as the District's 2025 Goodenow Grove expansion.
• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on land and water conservation, including transactions and stewardship. Comparable in mission and the practice of acquiring and permanently protecting natural lands.
• Openlands: Regional land conservation nonprofit operating across northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana. Comparable conservation mandate and adjacent trail/greenway development work; not a direct operator but a peer in the regional conservation ecosystem.
• Indiana Dunes National Park (NPS): Adjacent federal conservation area along Lake Michigan. Larger federally-managed counterpart with similar mission of habitat protection and public recreation access; relevant for benchmarking visitor center programming and conservation practice.

Regional players

• Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (U.S. Forest Service): Federally-managed prairie reserve directly connected to Will County via the Wauponsee Glacial Trail. Comparable conservation mission and trail-partnership role within the regional ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WillCoForests
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WillCoForests
• Facebookfacebook.com/WillCoForests
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forest-preserve-district-of-will-county/posts/?feedView=all&viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/WillCoForests
• TikToktiktok.com/@willcoforests

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forest Preserve District of Will County