A Collaborative Community Initiative · Waukegan, IL

Waukegan will connect thrive play grow heal connect outdoors.

We envision a Waukegan where everyone — regardless of age, background, or neighborhood — enjoys safe, welcoming access to thriving green and blue spaces.

ABOUT

A grassroots effort to connect Waukegan to the outdoors

Nature Everywhere Waukegan is a collaborative initiative of local partners — from schools and nonprofits to city government and community organizations — working together to make equitable outdoor access a reality for every resident.

Nature is good for Waukegan.
Here’s why, and how we’re making it happen.

EXPLORE OUR WORK

Access to green spaces builds healthier bodies, happier families, and more successful students. The research is clear.

Girl climbing a rock outdoors
Benefits

Why nature matters for kids and communities

Access to green spaces builds healthier bodies, happier families, and more successful students. The research is clear.

Read the research →
Boy smiling with a fishing rod by a pond
Strategies

How we're turning Waukegan's assets into access

From trails and transit to green jobs and climate solutions — three strategies driving equitable change.

See our strategies →
Children playing at a splash pad
Map

See where we're prioritizing our work

Our interactive map layers show where outdoor access is needed most across Waukegan's neighborhoods.

Explore the map →

GET INVOLVED

There’s a place for you
in this work.

Whether you’re an organization, an advocate, or a neighbor, join us in building a Waukegan where every child grows up with access to nature.

Our Partners
Brushwood Center Boys & Girls Club of Lake County Youth Conservation Corps Lake County Audubon Society Lake Forest Open Lands Association Lake County Forest Preserve District Waukegan Park District City of Waukegan The Josselyn Center Children & Nature Network