Leaders mark huge expansion of national wildlife refuge straddling Illinois, Wisconsin

Creating the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge took a modest financial investment for future generations to enjoy it, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Friday as he stood on the refuge’s latest acquisition.

Durbin also was there 13 years ago when the federal preserve was established following almost a decade of planning.

“I still remember the visit,” Durbin said, thanking then-Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for his support in getting the project approved.

The Lost Valley Visitor Center at Glacial Park, part of the McHenry County Conservation District, was the starting point Friday, June 6, 2025, for a tour of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge. Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, right, was thanked for his early support of the project. (Janelle Walker)

“Hackmatack is a testament to grassroots passion and powerful partnerships,” said Michael Davidson, director of Openlands, who noted that the Friends of Hackmatack also were vital in getting the urban national wildlife refuge off the ground.

“With 80% of Americans living in metro areas, the need for nature close to home has never been stronger. Hackmatack reminds us that we don’t need to go far to experience vast ecologically rich landscapes. We have them right here,” Davidson said.

Durbin reflected on his recent announcement that he will not run for reelection in 2026 and said the next generation of lawmakers will take on the protection of open spaces.

“Here I am at this point in my life, going to be handing off to someone else the opportunities and responsibilities of this office,” Durbin said.

He said he hopes whoever wins the seat in 2026 “feels the same way I do about this project and other conservation projects.”

“Investing in this means future generations might just be able to enjoy the experiences and views that they would never have seen otherwise,” Durbin said.

The refuge started with a single, 12-acre conservation easement and now includes portions of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin but is not contiguous. Instead, it is a patchwork of land that often connects to other state and local conservation areas and parkland.

One of Hackmatack’s largest additions came in 2024, when The Conservation Fund, the Illinois Audubon Society and Openlands partnered to acquire Tamarack Farms, a 985-acre property west of Route 12 and south of Route 173, which was touted as the largest open-lands acquisition in the Chicago area in decades. Friday’s program was held on a portion of that land overlooking wetlands and slated for future restoration.

The Tamarack property also links the McHenry County Conservation District’s Glacial Park and North Branch Conservation Areas, creating a total of 5,600 acres in contiguous conservation land. Those acres also wrap around Richmond’s west side.

There were some officials who, in past days, may not have appreciated the additional refuge land abutting their village borders, Richmond Village President Toni Wardanian said.

“Some towns may look at being surrounded by conservation as being boxed in and not being to expand. We are looking at it as a great big hug, and we are ready to embrace that hug fully,” Wardanian said. “Richmond is ready to be a nature-based community.”

The village is leaning into the tourism that leaders hope will come with the additional lands, including working to create a pedestrian and bike path plan that could tie into existing paths.

The most recent industry report shows McHenry County visitors spent $344.2 million in tourism and hospitality, and $15.4 million in local tax revenue, with year-over-year growth, said Elizabeth Kessler, McHenry County Conservation District executive director.

“As Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge grows into a must-visit destination, visitor spending will continue to rise, further boosting the local economy and helping communities thrive,” Kessler said.