Sponsor a Tree for the Next Century of Conservation

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Johnson’s Mound was the first property ever acquired by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. As the Forest Preserve District celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, they’re kicking off the next century of conservation — and the Kane Forest Preserve Foundation is asking you to be a part of it.

The mature forest at Johnson’s Mound includes the very first trees planted in the Forest Preserve District. For a century, these trees here have stood tall, and offered shade, beauty and a sense of history. We invite you to be a part of this living legacy. By sponsoring one of 800 trees in the new Centennial Grove Project, you’re supporting the District’s next century of conservation, beginning at Johnson’s Mound. The Centennial Grove Project features:

• 800 trees, mostly oaks, but also hickories and maples. These new trees will be planted adjacent to the very oldest trees in the Forest Preserve District. You also have the opportunity to plant your own!
• A new 23-acre prairie
• A public-art piece called Guardians, by renowned local artist Mike Baur
• Benches to rest and reflect
• An ADA-accessible limestone path to the new amenities, as well as a mowed trail
• Bronze plaques displayed on monuments, gratefully acknowledging our sponsors

These new amenities will be unveiled at our Centennial Celebration — June 8 at noon at Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve. With your sponsorship, you’ll be planting more than just a tree — you’re planting a future. Your name can be forever tied to a forest that will grow and thrive for the next 100 years, and provide beauty and shelter for future generations to enjoy. Sponsor a tree in the Centennial Grove Project, today.

Follow a path through mature forest at Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve to the Centennial site. First, you’ll see the one-of-a-kind sculpture, Guardians, created specifically for the Centennial Grove by local artist Mike Baur.

Guardians is intended to capture the essence of the Midwest’s natural cycles, inspired by the seasonal winds that sweep through the region’s forests. As branches and trunks fall, they form intricate patterns that nourish the land and provide homes for wildlife. This two-part sculpture, a combination of concrete and steel, evokes the horizontal shapes and movements of downed wood, shaped by prairie winds. Standing as two monolithic figures, each is uniquely cast using molds fabricated from salvaged fallen trees. The sculpture embodies both the monumental and the intimate. Its design connects viewers with the forest, evoking the delicate balance between nature’s power and our role within it. Commissioned as part of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s 100-year celebration, Guardians is the District’s first public art piece. It will serve as a focal point for visitors, and encourage a deeper appreciation for the environment.

Outside Guardians are limestone monuments containing bronze plaques, gratefully acknowledging supporters of the Centennial Grove Project.

Beyond the circle, you’ll see the newly planted 23-acre prairie to the south, and the new centennial grove tree-planting, made up of 800 oaks, hickories and maples, to the north. Centennial Champion and Corporate Sponsors will have their trees planted prior to the Centennial Celebration, June 8. Heritage Partner Sponsors will have the opportunity to plant their 3-5-gallon tree during the Centennial Celebration.

On the outside of the Guardians sculptures, you’ll find limestone monuments featuring bronze-etched plaques. These plaques will feature sponsors of the Centennial Grove Project:

COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS

Names of Centennial Champions ($800 sponsorship) will be displayed on a plaque in a prominent size. Larger, 1.5-inch caliper trees will be planted in their honor, with a year of tree care. Each Centennial Champion-level sponsor will receive the GPS location of their larger, pre-planted, 1.5-inch caliper tree, so they can come back and watch it grow and change over time. See the Sponsorship Brochure for additional benefits. 

Names of Heritage Partners ($400 sponsorship) will be displayed on a plaque in a smaller size. Heritage Partners have the opportunity to plant their 3-5-gallon tree at the event, otherwise, it will be planted for them. See the Sponsorship Brochure for additional benefits.

Names of Friends of the Forest ($100 sponsorship) will be displayed on this website.

CORPORATE PARTNERS

Various corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. All include prominently featured names on the bronze plaque and large, 1.5-inch caliper trees with GPS location. See the Sponsorship Brochure for detailed benefits. These elegant monuments and plaques will serve as a lasting tribute to the generosity and support of those helping to preserve and enhance the Kane County forest preserves.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Join us for the Centennial Celebration, when we’ll unveil these new amenities and celebrate!

Sunday, June 8, 2025 at Noon — Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve, 41W600 Hughes Rd., Elburn.