Land Preservation and Real Estate Transactions

OES identifies properties that have conservation value or potential for conservation-minded development and enhances the conservation values of the property, no matter the end use.  For land preservation, OES can help to identify which land preservation tool is best for an individual landowner and provide guidance through the process. OES is proficient in use of conservation easement and fee simple transactions. In partnership with Hoffman Realty, OES assists the buying and selling of these properties in Illinois and Wisconsin. OES has worked with the Natural Land Institute, landowners, and other environmental organizations who wish to voluntarily preserve private, natural lands using various land preservation tools such as conservation easements and land acquisition through purchases and donations.

Select Projects:
Amboy Marsh, Amboy, IL.
OES, in partnership with Hoffman Realty, sold a large, unique complex of sand dunes and wetlands to the Audubon Society for permanently protected bird habitat. The land was home to two known threatened & endangered reptiles.

Ferguson Forest Preserve, Shirland, IL.
OES, in partnership with Hoffman Realty, sold a 500-acre wetland near the confluence of the Sugar & Pecatonica Rivers to the Winnebago County Forest Preserve for permanent protection and public access.

Apple River Canyon Land Preservation, Stockton, IL.
OES worked with Natural Land Institute to dedicate a portion of the Boy Scout Camp and adjacent property as a Land and Water Reserve with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission & protect a third property with a fee simple purchase by the non-profit.

Ecological Restoration

The ongoing process of ecological restoration involves the removal and/or treatment of invasive plant species, prescribed burning, and other restorative practices in order to foster the growth and flourishing of native plant species. One of the main invasive species removal techniques includes selective herbicide applications, which are employed during the growing season. Another technique is clearing, which is conducted during the dormant season and involves using brush-cutters or chainsaws to remove invasive woody species. For herbicide application and prescribed burning, our Restoration Technicians all hold, at a minimum, the Illinois Herbicide Operator License and the Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training Class Certificate.

​Select Projects:
Forest Preserve District of Cook County, IL.
As a subcontractor to Tallgrass Restoration LLC, OES has helped to restore some of the wetlands, woodlands, and prairies within Cook County Forest Preserves. These areas of preserves we restore vary in size from greater than 200 acres to less than 50 acres.

Fitzgerald Rain Garden, Rockford, IL
OES designed and stewarded a rain garden on a section of a landowner's property that frequently held standing water. The rain garden features a variety of native species that allow for excellent infiltration of stormwater into the soil, attract pollinators, and provide a beautiful of colorful plants.