Lake County Forest Preserves to acquire rookery, important wetlands

LIBERTYVILLE – The Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners recently approved the purchase of about 41 acres in Antioch Township known as the Fogel property.

The property, situated east of Grass Lake Road, was acquired for $361,000. The new site is adjacent to Vern Thelen Park on its eastern border and lies just north of Grass Lake Elementary School.

Usually the Forest Preserves only acquire properties with a minimum of 100 acres to align with its mission. However, this property is an exception because of its significant ecological features, including important wetlands, wooded areas and the largest heron and egret rookery in Lake County, according to a news release.

“We acquired this property because of its sensitive ecological features,” Executive Director Alex Ty Kovach said in the release.

The property will be a “conservation preserve” rather than a “forest preserve” to indicate that the Forest Preserves will own and manage the site for the protection of its rare ecological attributes.

Developing public access on this property would severely damage the delicate ecosystem and disrupt the vital rookery. Preserving the land ensures that these essential natural resources remain untouched and protected.

The planning committee reviewed a list of staff suggestions last week and made its decision. The full board of commissioners agreed and chose the name Lotus Country Conservation Preserve.

The term “lotus country” has been associated with the Grass Lake area since the early 1900s, when Lake County was a popular resort destination. Back then, one of the main draws was the extensive lotus beds, showcasing large, pale-yellow flowers that bloom in late July and early August. It is believed that the lotus plant originated in the east-central U.S.

Prehistoric communities used its seeds and tubers as a food source, taking them along as they traveled. For thousands of years, tribal nations made their homes in the lakes region, where they thrived on wild rice, fish, waterfowl, beaver and aquatic plants.