Trail Improvements

GIVE NOW

Explore More

We are very active on social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube), and post a lot of information about our campaigns on those platforms. Not a social media person? No worries, we've got you covered here. Check out the content on this page so you don't miss out on anything Trail Improvements related. You can also email us at [email protected]

Read the Case Statement!

Whiskey Hike Recap

On October 20, 2024, over 160 people came out for the Buffalo Trace Whiskey Hike. The Hike was an amazing and unique fundraiser that raised over $10,000 for the forest preserves and trail improvements. Take a look at some of the images to get a peek at what the event was like! Thanks so much to Watson's Shack & Rail for partnering with us on this event and thanks to our other partners who made it out to the event: The Main Scoop and Project 47. This event would not have been possible without our wonderful staff and Foundation members who went the extra mile for the preserves. Thank you again! We hope to have the Whiskey Hike annually each year and hope to see you out there.

Walk and Roll

Walk and Roll

The Forest Preserve Friends Foundation needs your help in funding maintenance of trails at the Champaign County Forest Preserves. It's important to keep them smooth and safe for all patrons to use. Hear from Carter Billingsley, a member of the Forest Preserve Friends Foundation Board about his experience with mobility limitations and why it's so important for trails like the paved path at Buffalo Trace, in Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve in Mahomet, IL to be well-maintained.

Sandy Schleef on Trail Improvements

Sandy Schleef is a wildlife photographer and an avid user of the trails at the Champaign County Forest Preserves. She is very appreciative of the paved paths like the one at Stidham Woods that was recently resurfaced in 2020. Thanks to donors like you who make contributions to projects like these, the Champaign County Forest Preserves is able to maintain trails for all users.

Sandy Schleef on Trail Improvements

Your Support In Action

 
Thanks to generous contributions from donors like you, we've been hard at work improving trails across the Champaign County Forest Preserves. From restoring pathways at Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden, enhancing trails in Stidham Woods, smoothing things out at Buffalo Trace, creating the Dark Sky Trail up at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, expanding the Kickapoo Rail Trail, to maintaining our mowed paths, your donations have made these transformations possible.
 
Keep the momentum going! You can contribute to future improvements or make an unrestricted donation to support other essential projects.

The Why and What

This short video gives you a look at some info from the latest needs assessment survey that assessed what kinds of things our stake holders find important. Trail improvements are at the top of the list. Learn through seeing some quantitative data and getting the low-down on the trails we will be working on this year. Thanks to Ellen Corcoran for narrating this video.

The Why and What

Unrestricted Support, Steered Toward Trails

Giving to trail improvements is important but we want to let you know that giving unrestricted also makes a huge impact in helping us maintain trails and in daily operations.
In July, the Forest Preserve Friends Foundation funded the emergency repair of a 2018 Bobcat T770 skid steer, providing $5,442.99 to fix the machine. Both powerful and nimble, the skid steer can easily be deployed with different implements that allow it to:
 
✅ Mulch standing shrubs and small trees for invasive understory clearing
✅ Mow herbaceous weeds on uneven terrain in hard-to-reach locations
✅ Consolidate or remove brush, tree limbs, and tree trunks
✅ Plant large trees
✅ Move clay, soil, mulch, or other materials for earthwork activities
 
Thanks to generous donors like you, necessary repairs to essential equipment, like the skid steer, can be funded to keep all gears in motion.
Thank you for helping the Champaign County Forest Preserves continue to do what they do best!

Trails will ALWAYS be Important

Trails are important. On trails people connect, learn, play, restore nature, get close to nature, and so much more. Please make a contribution to trail improvements to keep the trails of Champaign County Forest Preserves smooth, safe, and accessible for all, today and tomorrow.

Trails will ALWAYS be Important