2040 Comprehensive Plan

Read the full 2040 Comprehensive Plan
or see chapter summaries below

Project Overview Complete

What is the Comprehensive Plan?

Recommends broad directions to guide the Forest Preserves for the next 10-20 years
Informed by input from 602 members of the public and the organization
Analyzes the history, services, facilities, finances, and trends affecting the Forest Preserves

Completed in 2024, this is the first organization-wide plan since the 2010 Master Plan. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan informs the Forest Preserves' shorter-term strategic plans, which inform annual budgets.

Above: Planning process from research to action

Chapter 1: A Bird's-eye View
This chapter provides context for the Forest Preserves' work, including history, existing amenities, discussion of the Forest Preserves' mission, vision, and values, and relevant local plans. The chapter also reviews the 2010 Master Plan and shows the Forest Preserves among the 18 other forest preserve and conservation districts in Illinois.
Chapter 2: Community Profile
The Forest Preserves must remain aware of population trends in order to equitably provide services to the entire county. Champaign County is a disproportionately young, but aging and diversifying county with a higher than average poverty rate.
Chapter 3: Community Input
To inform the recommendations of this plan (see Chapter 6 below), the Forest Preserves gathered input through in-person discussions, internal surveys, and a statistically representative, county-wide survey. Participants included community members, Board Commissioners, staff, and members of the Citizens Engagement Committee and Forest Preserve Friends Foundation.

Feedback shows the Forest Preserves are highly regarded in the community but have opportunities for improvement.
Chapter 4: Inventory of Facilities
The Forest Preserves inventoried each of their seven preserves to summarize their assets and grade their dozens of facilities. This big-picture view of the state of the preserves' assets complements the shorter-term 5-year capital planning process. This chapter also lists proposed studies and improvements to complete at each preserve given these evaluations.
Chapter 5: Finances
This chapter compares the Forest Preserves' finances to a small sample of similar-sized forest preserve and conservation districts. Financial indicators are typical. The organization has been able to continue providing high-quality services, investing in staff, and improving facilities due to carefully managed finances and increased revenues from the 2020 referendum.
Chapter 6: Recommendations
The following recommendations reflect areas where public feedback, internal surveys, and background research aligned to clearly indicate a direction that would benefit the Forest Preserves:

- Create a programming plan & improve the nature education space
- Expand trails & outdoor recreation opportunities
- Evaluate & maintain facilities & infrastructure
- Increase engagement
- Lead on climate & conservation
- Provide more land for conservation & recreation
References
Appendix
Includes supporting data for recommendations, community input methods, DEI evaluations, data from statewide forest preserve and conservation districts, the complete 2023 Needs Assessment Survey, and more.

Read the 2025 - 2027 Strategic Plan
to see the first steps the Forest Preserves are taking toward implementing the recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan.