Lori Mitchell

Lincoln Park is Chicago’s largest and most visited park and the third most visited city park in the U.S. with over 20 million visitors annually. The Park is Chicago’s front door and is often called Chicago’s ‘Central Park.’ The Lincoln Park Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and enhance Lincoln Park’s inspiring beauty for current and future generations. Established in 1984, the Lincoln Park Conservancy works to enhance Chicago’s largest park through volunteer power, fundraising and park improvements. Through its master agreement with the Chicago Park District, the Conservancy manages treasured Park sites including the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, Abraham Lincoln Monument and Gardens, Lincoln Park Conservatory and North Pond Nature Sanctuary, in addition to general stewardship activities across Lincoln Park’s 1,200 acres. Our volunteer docents offer free tours of the park's natural, historic and cultural elements in order to build visitor connections to these unique places. Monthly wildflower walks are hosted at the Lily Pool and North Pond, educating guests about Chicago's historic connection to them and their importance to local ecology. Conservancy volunteers give back nearly 3,000 hours of service each year, engaging with park visitors and maintaining this portion of Lincoln Park. One unique aspect of the Conservancy’s approach is that when the Conservancy commits to a site, it embarks on the site’s long-term care and if needed, restoration. As the Conservancy’s managed sites are free of admission, the private funding we raise to support these park assets is of central importance.