Champaign County Forest Preserve District

What Champaign County Forest Preserve District does

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) is a local government entity established in 1935 that manages more than 3,800 acres of natural space across seven forest preserves in Champaign County, Illinois. Its portfolio comprises Lake of the Woods (housing the Museum of the Grand Prairie and botanical gardens), River Bend, Sangamon River, Heron View, Homer Lake (with the Homer Lake Interpretive Center), Middle Fork River, and the Kickapoo Rail Trail, encompassing prairie, forest, and wetland ecosystems. The district is notably home to Illinois' only International Dark Sky Park, located at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve. It operates as a public-sector provider with no proprietary technology platform; its "core technology" is land, trail infrastructure, interpretive facilities, and operational staff.

CCFPD serves Champaign County residents and regional visitors by providing free public access to natural areas for outdoor recreation, including hiking, biking, birding, fishing, paddling, camping, and cross-country skiing. Beyond free public access, the district generates commercial revenue through facility rentals (wedding venues, event pavilions, meeting spaces), watercraft rentals (kayaks, canoes, paddle boats), overnight camping at the Harry L. Swartz Campground at Middle Fork River, and charitable donations to the Forest Preserve Friends Foundation. Educational programming includes school programs, summer youth camps, the FrogWatch USA citizen science initiative, and exhibits at the Museum of the Grand Prairie and Homer Lake Interpretive Center.

The district's go-to-market motion is community-led, leveraging its website, social media presence (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram), an email newsletter, events calendars, and an extensive volunteer pipeline to drive engagement and stewardship. Preserves are open daily from 7:00 AM to 30 minutes after sunset. CCFPD has no private ownership, no venture or private equity backing, and no disclosed revenue figures, and it is currently investing in a new Nature Center and the expansion of the Kickapoo Rail Trail as its visible capital initiatives.

Name

Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Legal name

Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Website

https://ccfpd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Champaign County Forest Preserve District is a 1935-established Illinois special district managing 3,800+ acres across seven forest preserves, providing free public recreation, environmental education, and conservation services to Champaign County residents and visitors, supplemented by facility and watercraft rentals and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Recreation and Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Forestry (800), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

National/State Park Campgrounds & Public Campgrounds (THAMAJAI), Campgrounds & RV Parks (Developed Sites) (THAGAOAA), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Eco/Nature-Based Campgrounds (Sustainable/Off-Grid) (THAMAJAK)

Keywords

• Natural resource management
• Public recreation services
• Environmental education programs
• Conservation land management
• Forest preserve operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Mahomet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Facility Rentals: Revenue from renting facilities including wedding venues, event pavilions, and meeting spaces across the preserves.
2. Watercraft Rentals: Revenue from renting watercraft such as paddle boats and related recreational equipment at Lake of the Woods.
3. Camping Fees: Revenue from overnight camping at Middle Fork River's Harry L. Swartz Campground.
4. Foundation Donations: Charitable donations and contributions to the Forest Preserve Friends Foundation supporting facilities, programs, and services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District manages more than 3,800 acres of natural space across seven forest preserves in Champaign County, Illinois, providing free public access for outdoor recreation such as hiking, biking, birding, fishing, paddling, camping, cross-country skiing, and stargazing. It also delivers environmental and historical education through the Museum of the Grand Prairie and Homer Lake Interpretive Center, school and summer youth programs, citizen science initiatives (FrogWatch USA), and fee-based services including facility rentals, watercraft rentals, and the Harry L. Swartz Campground.

Product overview

Champaign County Forest Preserve District operates a network of seven forest preserves across Champaign County, Illinois, offering public access for recreation, conservation, and environmental education. The District's core offering is its network of natural areas including Lake of the Woods (featuring the Museum of the Grand Prairie), River Bend, Sangamon River, Heron View, Homer Lake (with Interpretive Center), Middle Fork River (home to Illinois' only International Dark Sky Park), and the Kickapoo Rail Trail. The District provides facilities and services including venue rentals for events such as weddings, watercraft rentals for paddling, and overnight camping at the Harry L. Swartz Campground. Educational programming includes school programs, summer youth camps, and citizen science initiatives like FrogWatch. The District is also developing a new Nature Center and expanding the Rail Trail system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• The Nature Conservancy (Illinois Chapter): National conservation nonprofit operating preserves and conservation programs across Illinois. Adjacent peer — shares the conservation mission and donor-supported model but does not compete directly for visitor rentals and recreation.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Botanic Garden: Regional nature-based institution with public grounds, education programs, and visitor amenities. Comparable in environmental-education mission and visitor-engagement programming, though focused on curated horticulture rather than natural-area conservation.
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources: State-level public agency overseeing Illinois state parks, recreation areas, and conservation. Indirect competitor/adjacent — provides similar free-access outdoor experiences at state scale, setting the broader competitive baseline for visitation and pricing.
• Morton Arboretum: Regional outdoor institution combining conservation, education, and public recreation. Comparable in operating educational programs on natural land and in member/donor-supported revenue model, though structured as a nonprofit rather than a government district.

Direct peers

• Forest Preserve District of DuPage County: Another Illinois county forest preserve district managing thousands of acres with free public access, facility rentals, and nature education. Closest structural peer — same Illinois special-district legal form, similar mix of preserves, programming, and donor-supported foundation.
• Kane County Forest Preserve District: Illinois county forest preserve district offering free public access, camping, facility rentals, education, and trail-based recreation across multiple preserves. Same legal structure and operating model as CCFPD.
• McHenry County Conservation District: Conservation district in neighboring Illinois county managing preserves with public access, education centers, and outdoor recreation. Comparable scope, programming mix, and governance model.
• Will County Forest Preserve District: Illinois county forest preserve district managing preserves, trails, and education programs with free public access. Operates the same Illinois special-district model with comparable programming and rental revenue mix.
• Forest Preserves of Cook County: The largest forest preserve district in Illinois, managing ~70,000 acres across Cook County. Directly comparable as a county-level special district providing free public access, facility rentals, camping, and educational programming on conserved natural land.
• Lake County Forest Preserves: Illinois county forest preserve district operating ~8,400 acres with public access, education centers, facility rentals, and volunteer programs. Highly comparable in mission, asset base, and revenue model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CCFPD
• Facebookfacebook.com/CCFPD
• Instagraminstagram.com/champaignforests
• Xx.com/champcoforest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ccfpd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Champaign County Forest Preserve District