Job Posting

Location: DuPage County, Illinois
Term: 4 years
Reports to: Residents of DuPage County
Oversees: Hundreds of millions in public land assets, operating budget, executive leadership

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Position Overview

The Forest Preserve Commissioner serves as a governing board member responsible for the long-term protection, financial stewardship, and public use of approximately 26,000 acres of protected land.

This role requires balancing conservation, fiscal responsibility, public access, legal protections, infrastructure planning, and intergovernmental coordination.

These decisions affect land that, once compromised, cannot be reclaimed.

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Core Responsibilities

• Adopt and oversee annual operating and capital budgets

• Set land acquisition and preservation priorities

• Approve major contracts, capital projects, and land agreements

• Establish guardrails on leasing, commercialization, and land use

• Weigh in on development proposals that affect preserves or watersheds

• Provide oversight of executive leadership and district operations

• Protect natural resources while ensuring public access

• Plan for long-term climate and environmental risk

Required Competencies

​Land Stewardship Literacy

• Understanding of conservation easements, deed restrictions, and state protections

• Knowledge of habitat restoration and watershed management

• Awareness of climate-related threats (flooding, heat, invasive species)

Financial Oversight

• Ability to review budgets and long-term capital plans

• Understand bond obligations and revenue constraints

• Protect public land from monetization pressures

Long-Term Thinking

• Resist short-term political or financial trade-offs that compromise future protection

• Evaluate development impacts beyond property lines

Governance & Ethics

• Maintain independence from political stepping-stone ambitions

• Transparency in decision-making

• Strong conflict-of-interest boundaries

Community Judgment

• Balance recreation with preservation

• Protect access for all residents regardless of income

• Navigate public pressure with steadiness

Preferred Experience

• Experience overseeing complex budgets or public funds

• Background in environmental policy, land use, finance, or systems thinking

• Experience working across municipalities or agencies

• Record of principled, independent decision-making

Performance Metrics

• Preservation of land integrity over time

• Financial stability without over-commercialization

• Protection against incompatible adjacent development

• Transparent governance

• Measurable ecological health indicators

Work Environment

• Political pressure

• Budget constraints

• Long-range consequences for short-term votes

• Public meetings with strong opinions

• Decisions that outlive the person making them

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Vote like you were hiring for your own company.

Reminder, this is not an actual job description and you can not apply for it through the Forest Preserve.:-)