Beekeeping Workshop

BFPD Announces New Executive Director

The Byron Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners have hired a new Executive Director. The board and staff would like to congratulate and welcome Andrew Hawkins to the Byron Forest Preserve District! Andrew brings over twenty-seven years of experience in parks, recreation, and environmental management to the district and has served most recently as the Director of Conservation with the Forest Preserve District of Will County for the past seventeen years. Andrew is originally from Fairfield, Illinois and was drawn to this position as Fairfield and Byron are similar in size with a strong sense of community. Andrew was officially announced as Executive Director at the regular board meeting on Monday March 17th, 2025. Andrew will officially begin with the district on April 7th, 2025.

Board Positions Available for Election

The Byron Forest Preserve Board of Commissioners have two upcoming board commissioner openings; the openings are 4-year terms.  Persons interested in seeking a position as a member of the Byron Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners should go online to www.oglecounty.org, click on Departments, County Clerk, Elections (on left side of page), Consolidated Election – April 1, 2025, Petition Packets and Forest Preserve to get the necessary forms or pick them up at the Jarrett Prairie Center, 7993 North River Road, Byron.  The board consists of five members.

BFPD receives $837,600 Grant to Expand Bald Hill Preserve

The Byron Forest Preserve District announced that they have more than doubled the size of their popular Bald Hill Prairie Preserve thanks to an $837,600 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.  The original 160 acre Bald Hill Prairie Preserve located at 5502 North Silver Creek Road in Mt. Morris was acquired in November 2017 with the support of another $434,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to protect the rare gravel hill prairie ecosystem.

Bald Hill Addition Aerial Map

Open New Kayak Launches and Boat Docks on Rock River

Two new kayak launches and boat docks have opened on the Rock River in northern Ogle County. The Byron Forest Preserve District and the Byron Park District have installed new state-of-the-art kayak launches and floating boat docks at their facilities located on the Rock River in Byron and Oregon for kayakers and canoeists to enjoy. The Byron Park District’s recently renovated Kathryn A. Hamas Memorial Park located at 108 E. Diamond Street in Byron contains new walking trails, playground, shelter and fishing piers along with new kayak launch and floating boat docks.