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Independence Grove Forest Preserve

Posted by
Steven (Chicagoland, United States) on 17 September 2019 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.

Centered around a 115-acre lake, this preserve offers a variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation and nature education. Surrounding prairie and woodlands provide a picturesque backdrop for hiking, biking, picnicking and other fun activities.

In the early 1990s, a community advisory committee helped brainstorm ideas and created a master plan that became the blueprint of what Independence Grove is today. The preserve opened to the public in 2001 and has become one of Lake County's most popular recreation destinations.

To create the lake, the quarry was mined of any remaining resources. Large pieces of equipment crushed the gravel, rock and concrete. Miles of conveyor belts throughout the bottom of the pit moved materials from one area to another. Mining royalties were put in a special fund to help pay for reclaiming the site for public use. Later, millions of cubic yards of clean fill were brought in to create about 60 acres of land. Since the walls of the old quarry were straight and steep, shelves were made along the edge to create a safer shoreline for wildlife habitat, and deter erosion. Thousands of trees and shrubs were planted.

One of the biggest challenges was creating a habitat for fish out of a sterile lake with no vegetation. Trees, fish cribs and concrete pipes were placed along the lake bottom before the water was allowed to rise.

Photo captured July 27, 2019.

NIKON D7000 1/250 second F/8.0 ISO 160 157 mm (35mm equiv.)

New photos posted on most Mondays through Thursdays.
All photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or distributed without my expressed, written consent.

Spotlight Images

By Marie from Entre montagnes et Bretagne, France

Lovely and serene landscape. Thank you so much to the note.

17 Sep 2019 5:06am

Martine Girard from Brest, France

Très joli avec les rayons de soleil qui traversent les nuages.

17 Sep 2019 5:14am

Jypyä Pop from Turku, Finland

It has been a tremendous job. The end result looks great

17 Sep 2019 5:32am

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

Excellent photo.

17 Sep 2019 6:23am

grouser from Ludlow, United Kingdom

The Goddess sends her beneficial rays on all. Nicely captured

17 Sep 2019 9:30am

omid from mashhad, Iran

such beautiful composition & lighting!
Lovely view.

17 Sep 2019 9:33am

Marcel P. from Wallonie Picarde, Belgium

I like this picture.

17 Sep 2019 9:39am

Nicou from Sion, Switzerland

Superbe ciel en rayonnement ce pont ce plan d'eau fantastique
amitié

17 Sep 2019 10:12am

Libouton Martine from Bousval, Belgium

Une belle prise! j'aime

17 Sep 2019 11:12am

Hiro from Kyoto, Japan

very beautiful !!

17 Sep 2019 11:22am

Shaun from Massachusetts, United States

A great sky over this scene Steven. Great capture.

17 Sep 2019 11:34am

jpla from St Barthélémy, France

belle prise
JP

17 Sep 2019 2:02pm

Ruthiebear from Titusville, NJ, United States

Love that majestic light

17 Sep 2019 2:26pm

Devi from Chennai, India

Love the wonderful image.... and thank you for that lovely image !!!

17 Sep 2019 2:28pm

Adela Fonts from Barcelona, Spain

A magnificent landscape. And the atmosphere seems so clean!

17 Sep 2019 2:48pm

Rose from CLINTON, United States

Beautiful view!

17 Sep 2019 3:01pm

sherri from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

that sky is magnificent

17 Sep 2019 3:28pm

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

Looks like a fine outcome of this huge undertaking. It's beautiful.

17 Sep 2019 3:35pm

Mhelene from Villiers-sur-Marne, France

Very beautiful composition .

17 Sep 2019 4:17pm

B. Thomas from Arlington, Texas, United States

It looks like heavenly light.

17 Sep 2019 4:26pm

willy from Belgium

superbe photo avec ces rayons de soleil

merci pour les informations intéressantes Steven

greetings

17 Sep 2019 4:46pm

omar from Hamburg, Afghanistan

wow, the sun beams makes this shot, superb!

17 Sep 2019 5:14pm

tataray from Charentes-Poitou, France

Enorme travail. Espace plutôt attrayant, sauf au fond nuages ou fumée ?... je doute ?...

17 Sep 2019 6:48pm

Existence Artistique from Angers, France

agréable

17 Sep 2019 6:49pm

Dreams come true from Utrecht, Netherlands

A beautiful place and a fabulous photo composition.
A interesting story, thank you for the explanation.

17 Sep 2019 7:00pm

RolandTheys from Gerpinnes, Belgium

Hello, superbe photo!

17 Sep 2019 7:06pm

London Caller from United Kingdom

The rays through the clouds are simply breath-taking.

17 Sep 2019 8:48pm

Jeanmadis from Chonburi, Thailand

Un bel espace de nature parfait pour se détendre.

18 Sep 2019 1:17am

Elaine Hancock from Olney, United States

It is always so nice when something is put to a different use. This old quarry site makes a beautiful lake and wonderful recreation area.

18 Sep 2019 1:51am

Elizabeth Buckalew from Flagstaff, United States

What a fantastic place - and this image is just wonderful - you captured those Crepuscular Rays so beautifully!

19 Sep 2019 1:50am

The Yum List from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I love how you've captured the light streaming down over the scene.

22 Sep 2019 12:08am

Remus from Portugal

Although man knows how to destroy with great ease, sometimes also has the ability to build wisely and in appreciation of nature.
Lovely place.

30 Sep 2019 1:56pm