The Biggest Adventure Yet: Conservation Efforts at The Forge: Lemont Quarries
In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the environment–the pressing issues of climate change and what we all can do as citizens to keep our natural areas healthy. For The Forge: Lemont Quarries, they’ve made it their mission to take on the challenge of restoring the land, water, and environment surrounding their parks.
Lemont Downtown is grateful to have The Forge: Lemont Quarries as our neighbor. Voted one of the best outdoor and recreation parks by USA Today, The Forge is constantly working towards sustainable change and providing recreational opportunities for the community at large, as well as the decades of work they are building on by the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area (HQRA) and the Lemont Township.
In an interview with Founder and CEO, Jeremie Bacon, we sought to learn more about the work they do and the actions they’re taking towards conservation.
Getting Started: Making a Vision a Reality
The Forge: Lemont Quarries believes that adventure is for all. If you’ve visited or followed along on social, you’ve probably seen their impressive campus that features climbing and ziplining activities, laser tag, kayaking, and a kid’s adventure park.
In addition to their Adventure and Explorer Day Passes, you’ll find popular events like the Summer Concert Series, Disney Sing-a-Longs, all-season bike races, and running challenges – from 5ks to triathlons, Oktoberfest, summer camps, environment, and art walks and a number of modified activities opening up outdoor recreation to folks of all ages seeking accessible options. Each activity, program, and event helps to fulfill its brand mission to exhilarate, educate, and entertain.
Within the brand pillar to educate, The Forge: Charitable Adventures (TFCA) opens up a world of environmental action and advocacy that is changing the literal landscape across the country.
Changing the Landscape of the HQRA
“We built this park to do good. We believe that you do well by doing good,” says Bacon. Since their opening, Jeremie and his co-founders have been focused on creating an HQRA Environmental Council to build a partnership that fortifies land that is overgrown with invasive species and the remnants of limestone quarrying.
A quick refresher on Lemont History: Founded in 1836 and incorporated in 1873, the Village of Lemont was settled by early Americans moving west and European immigrants. The Village of Lemont owes much of its development to the Illinois & Michigan Canal, the Sanitary and Ship Canal, and the dolomite limestone quarry operations that prospered until the turn of the 20th century. People who squatted on the land put improper sewage systems in place. When trash was wasted along the canal, plant species like Honeysuckle, Buckthorn, and Tree of Heaven were planted as a way to keep out animals and invaders. The invasive species served their purpose, at first; keeping out deer, bison, and other animals that threatened the livestock and lifestyle of those settlers.
Over 150 years later, the same trash, invasive species, and waste still exist in the environment, and the Forge, along with their partners, are working to restore it.
Agencies like the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Village of Lemont, and Lemont Township have acquired parcels of the land and water to build what is now known as the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area (HQRA). Thanks to the foresight of local leaders, the public has access to biking, walking, and running trails along with plenty of space to fish, hike, picnic, and enjoy nature. It’s an active choice to invest in this place as an asset for the community. In 2021, Chicago Wilderness recognized the Village of Lemont with the prestigious Dr. George B. Rabb Force of Nature Award for its own efforts in establishing the HQRA.
Established in 2019, Jeremie Bacon, Chris Gladwin, Bart Loethen, and Jeanette Virgilio founded The Forge Charitable Adventures (TFCA) as a non-profit serving to protect the preserve and reinvigorate natural eco-systems and to work with local leaders, governments, and stakeholders to develop outdoor recreation areas that can be enjoyed and maintained in cooperation by its residents.
The Forge is interested in the long game, steadily working to restore and conserve the local ecosystems and educate the public, “We endeavor to partner with the township, Village, and Cook and DuPage Counties to ensure our vision is aligned. We'd like to build 30 parks across the country and bring TFCA to each of them to help improve the health of communities through the restoration and stewardship of public and private land.”
Their efforts ripple out to the local community with The Forge Adventure Parks being some of the only in the area offering accessible adventure options and boosting local small businesses. During large events at The Forge, local businesses in Lemont see an increase in restaurant and shop sales.
Creating Sustainable Action and Change in Lemont
In their Environmental Restoration Vision, The Forge walks through exactly how they plan to tackle the current problems that the landscape faces. “We often think that a natural environment is best. However, because of what has happened to this land, the purpose that it serves, and our vision for the future, each environment needs some form of human intervention to help it thrive,” says Bacon. The area is home to remnants of marshes, dolomite prairies, oak savannahs, and rare fens. When restored, areas like these come alive with native plant and animal species.
Throughout the year, you’ll find clean-up events, trail building, and litter clean-up that trims back invasive species. "The Forge seeks work with agencies like the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the MWRD to monitor and restore lake ecosystems to reduce algae blooms and aquatic invasives, which leads to better fishing for residents and visitors.”
“The environmental restoration plan we funded this year identified 196 plant species in the HQRA, of which 127 are native! The native plants are under considerable pressure from the continuously encroaching invaders, but most can be revived and reinvigorated through this work. Bringing back the right plants will bring back the right insects, birds, and other animals, restoring vibrant, healthy, thriving ecosystems."
Looking Forward
We have a shared future and responsibility to take care of our local environment and planet and are all stakeholders in the push for conservation. The reality is that though allowing nature to run its course and because of the area’s industrial history, human intervention is needed to restore the ecosystem to a perfect balance. This work extends into local communities reducing poverty, crime, and increasing wellness and education.
“This work would not be possible without our partners. I’d like to acknowledge Janelle Kittridge, Village of Lemont Trustee; Kathleen Bruch, Atrium Landscape; Jan Pietrzak, Palos Restoration Project; and co-founders of The Forge Charitable Adventures, Jeanette Virgilio, and Chris Gladwin.”
The entire Environmental Restoration Vision from The Forge is available now. The document details the opportunities and solutions that we can work towards to revitalize the land. You can start with something as simple as cleaning the street and sidewalk in front of your house, limiting or omitting the use of fertilizers (which add nitrogen and contaminate local waterways), donating, and mobilizing your friends and family to volunteer at upcoming events and clean-ups. When you choose to spend a day at The Forge, you're still helping the environment as Chris and Jeremie donate 50% of their profits to The Forge Charitable Adventures to support its mission.
oin The Forge Charitable Adventures in their continued efforts to restore native ecosystems and build a public pavilion and picnic space. We hope your trips to The Forge are filled with adventure and pride in this place we call home.
