Pembroke
Just an hour south of Chicago lies the Kankakee Sands ecoregion and Pembroke Township, an area which has the largest concentration of high-quality black oak sand savannas remaining in the Midwest. Pembroke is home to a vibrant African American farming community that dates back 150 years, as well as a growing Latinx population. The people of Pembroke have a long history of stewarding this special landscape.
Using interdisciplinary methods, the Keller Science Action Center collaborates with residents and conservation stakeholders to identify and strengthen social and environmental assets. Through our Pembroke Living Lands Stewards program, we elevate the role that private lands play in the region’s mosaic of biodiverse habitats. We also support local educational institutions such as the Pembroke Public Library and Lorenzo R. Smith Elementary School by providing environmental education programs that foster lifelong connections with nature.
We have further catalyzed and strengthened partnerships through the Pembroke Preservation Alliance, a network of local conservation actors and private residents driving community-centered conservation. The holistic integration of social, ecological, and educational approaches is fundamental to our work in Pembroke.
Pembroke Living Land Stewards
The Pembroke Living Lands Stewards program celebrates participating landowners for their stewardship of nature and works to build ecological and social connectivity in Pembroke. Resulting from interviews and site surveys, these plans share the history of a family’s ties to their property and vision for its future, include observations on the property’s ecology, and offer recommendations for habitat management.
