In December 2012, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County launched the Improving the Calumet Area Water Trails planning process with support from Openlands, and a Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program grant through the National Park Service. Improving the Calumet Area Water Trails is an action planning process with the goal of identifying strategies for revitalizing the water trails on Chicago's southeast side and southland suburbs. A key component of this project will be a concerted effort to engage the public and diverse local and regional stakeholders in the formation of specific actions that will help realize a water trail that is safe, accessible, well-used, connected, diverse, educational, beautiful, and stewarded.

Crowdsourcing the Calumet leverages the power of the user-generated content, social media and mobile technology to promote wider engagement among area residents, paddlers, experts, activists, and other stakeholders in the planning process. All reports, photos, video, and other data submitted through Crowdsourcing the Calumet will be analyzed as public input. Crowdsourcing the Calumet will serve as a platform for gathering public input and reporting back on important planning updates and events.

Project Timeline: December 2012 - December 2013 

Public Input End Time: November 1, 2013  

About the Forest Preserve District of Cook County

The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is the oldest forest preserve system in the nation, maintaining nearly 69,000 acres of open land for the education, pleasure, and recreation of the public. The District strives to protect and restore the county’s diverse ecosystems, so all our unique native plants and animals can live and thrive. Each year, millions of people use these lands and facilities to enjoy or study nature, bicycle, hike, fish, cross-country ski, picnic, golf, canoe or simply relax in a large preserve that leaves urban life behind. For more information visit, www.fpdcc.org. 

About Openlands:

Founded in 1963, Openlands is one of the nation’s oldest and most successful metropolitan conservation organizations, having helped secure, protect, and provide public access to more than 55,000 acres of land for parks, forest preserves, land and water greenway corridors, and urban gardens. For more information, visit www.openlands.org.              

About the National Park Service, Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program:

The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program supports community-led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the nation. Our national network of conservation and recreation planning professionals partner with community groups, nonprofits, tribes, and state and local governments to design trails and parks, conserve and improve access to rivers, and create recreation opportunities. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/orgs/rtca.