• Alden Road Alliance Citizens working "to preserve Alden Road within the overall plan of McHenry County, which we understand is to keep the area rural, scenic and as a destination to view." Monitoring and speaking out against the proposed widening of Alden Road.
• Boone Creek Watershed Alliance  Contact: 815-337-3734. 1201 S. Valley Hill Road, Woodstock, IL 60098 oakandfen@aol.com
• Cary Citizens for Conservation
  Contact: Linda Stelle. Box 827, Cary IL 60013. Mission: To Preserve environmentally sensitive properties as open space for parks and conservation.
• Center for a New American Dream helps Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.
• Center for Watershed Protection: An integrated watershed approach is the key to ensuring a future of fresh, clean water, healthy natural resources, and ultimately, life on earth.
• Chicago Center for Green Technology offers several programs, lectures, and classes throughout the year.
• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
• *Chicago Wilderness is an alliance of organizations that champions biodiversity and its contribution to the quality of life in the urban, suburban, and rural areas of the Chicago Metropolitan region.
• The Chicago Wilderness Habitat Project The Habitat Project is a network of thousands of volunteers and staff - scientists, monitors, land managers and advocates - who work side by side to assure the holistic and effective conservation of Chicago Wilderness, a regional nature reserve. Includes the Calling Frog Survey.
• Clean Air Counts A public/private initiate to voluntarily improve air quality in the Chicago metropolitan region
• Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois Mission: Educational arm of the University of Illinois and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The CES mission is to bring research-based information and education to help people solve everyday problems.
• E / The Environmental Magazine A non-profit clearinghouse of news and resources on environmental issues and resources.
• Earth 911 Environmental and Recycling tips
• Earth Share of Illinois is part of a nationwide network of the country's most respected environmental and conservation organizations and offers a simple way to care for our health, water, air, land and wildlife through payroll deductions.
• Family Farmed is a website, food label, and EXPO that supports Midwestern organic farmers by connecting them with consumers and commercial buyers. FamilyFarmed.org creates sustainable economic development, builds community, and contributes to a healthy environment by encouraging people to buy food from local producers.
• *Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP): working to balance all the uses and demands on our natural resources while preserving and enhancing a healthy environment along the Fox River watershed in Illinois.
• Friends of the Fox River Mission: To educate and act in the interest of protecting and improving water quality, biological diversity, habitat and scenic resources of the Fox River system.
• Friends of the Kishwaukee River c/o the Defenders 815-338-0393. 124 Cass St, Suite 3, Woodstock, IL 60098. Mission: Boone, McHenry, and Will County neighbors working together to maintain the clear waters quality river otter habitat of one of Illinois' finest basins.
• Friends of Nippersink Creek c/o McHenry County Defenders, 815-338-0393. 124 Cass St, Suite 3, Woodstock, IL 60098
• Friends of Wingate Prairie and Sterne's Woods The Crystal Lake Park District coordinates volunteer workdays at Sterne’s Fen and Wingate Prairie Nature Preserve in McHenry County. For more information please contact John Fiorina at 815-455-1763 or jfiorina@crystallakeparks.org.
• GoGreenTube Like YouTube, only greener :-)
• Grand Prairie Friends A non-profit working to preserve prairie in east central Illinois.
• Green Business Task Force The Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce offers free environmental sustainability assessments for local businesses.
• Green Drinks McHenry County hosts a monthly casual gathering of green-minded people.
• Greening EPA Energy Conservation EPA's Energy and Water Efficiency Program ensures that the Agency uses natural resources efficiently when designing, constructing, and maintaining its facilities.
• GreenScreenMC Environmental television for McHenry County. Online videos of many local presentations and seminars.
• Grist Environmental News and Commentary Do you like your "gloom and doom" with a sense of humor? This website is for you! I recommend their daily emails.
• Hack-ma-tack National Wildlife Refuge A rare opportunity to create the first National Wildlife Refuge in the Chicago Region!
• Idealist.org Information about non-profit organizations, their services, volunteer opportunities, internships, job openings, upcoming events, and any material or publications they have produced.
• IDOT Bike Maps
• Illinois Environmental Council A coalition of individuals and organizations who are committed to resource conservation and a healthful environment for Illinois.
• IEPA Biennial report of IEPA activities
• Illinois Natural History Survey  The mission of the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) is to investigate and document the biological resources of Illinois and other areas, and to acquire and provide natural history information that can be used to promote the common understanding, conservation, and management of these resources.
• Illinois Renewable Energy Association The IREA provides hands-on opportunities for the Illinois public to learn about the benefits, potentials, and uses of renewable energy and energy-efficiency for our homes and businesses.
• Illinois Solar Energy Association: Presents seminars on solar and wind power.
• *Kishwaukee Ecosystem Partnership Mission: to raise awareness of the ecological, recreational, cultural and economic importance of the Kishwaukee River and to coordinate and encourage efforts to foster stewardship, protect and enhance its natural resources.
• Lake in the Hills Natural Areas Volunteers Contact: Barb Wilson, 847-658-0024. Mission: Restore and preserve natural areas for the education of and enjoyment by this and future generations. Tours in summer months at the Lake in the Hills Fen, adjacent to Barbara Key Park in Lake in the Hills.
• Land Conservancy of McHenry County  (formerly the Land Foundation of McHenry County) Formed to accept dedicated conservation easements on private property so as to preserve open space and natural heritage values. Since 1991, TLC has accepted several easements which have preserved oak hickory woods, wetlands, prairie restorations, and stream corridors into perpetuity while still maintaining private ownership of these lands. 
• League of Conservation Voters A bipartisan political voice for over nine million members of environmental and conservation groups.
• The Lou Marchi Total Recycling Institute  Publishes the Green Guide Recycling Directory, and provides programming that promotes reducing, reusing and recycling in an effort to reach the goal of zero waste.
• McHenry County Audubon Society  Following the precepts of Audubon Societies, the McHenry County Chapter encourages the preservation and appreciation of the wildlife of the state, particularly the birdlife, and promote the conservation and protection of all natural resources. Educational programs, field trips, annual bird counts and surveys.
• McHenry County Bicycle Advocates  Formed to advocate on behalf of all McHenry County bicycle riders, to help motivate the county, cities and townships to provide adequate accommodations on the roads and bicycle paths.
• McHenry County Conservation District   Mission: To preserve and restore the natural areas and open spaces for the educational, recreational, and environmental benefits of present and future generations. Operates a Wildlife Resource Center (815-728-8307; 6419 Giant Oak Road, Wonder Lake, IL 60097. Mission: Provides rehabilitation services for endangered, threatened, and watch-listed wildlife species; presents environmental education programs; operates a wildlife information service providing natural history and other wildlife related information to the public.
• McHenry County Conservation Voters  Contact: Gene Brown. 847-658-3502. Email mccv@mc.net Mission: an independent non-partisan grass roots political action committee whose purpose is to consolidate the growing strength of environmentally aware citizens through the electoral process and to endorse a high quality of life, to provide and maintain a healthy environment for the benefit of this and future generations, work to inform and register voters and to identify and elect candidates for public office who will implement and enforce the foregoing purposes.
• McHenry County Farmland Preservation Alliance  To preserve the agricultural heritage, landscape and economy of McHenry County through a viable farmland protection program.
• McHenry County Natural Area Volunteers Division of The Nature Conservancy. Contact: Regional steward Dan Wilson, 815-648-2389. Newsletter. Mission: Volunteers working to maintain and restore the natural diversity of McHenry County. Provide intensive management required to maintain the ecological health of the land.
• McHenry County Soil & Water Conservation District 815-338-0099, x3. 1648 S. Eastwood Drive, Woodstock, IL 60098. Newsletter. Mission: Provides technical information relating to the natural resources of the county; provides leadership and administers programs to help people conserve, improve, and sustain our natural resources and environment. Spring sale: trees, shrubs, fish.
• McHenry County Illinois Transition The Transition Movement is a network of imaginative and locally focused initiatives that address current challenges of resource depletion, climate change and economic crises through community inspiration and engagement.
• Natural Resources Conservation Services Works with McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation District toward the same goals.
• Plants of Concern, coordinated by the Chicago Botanic Garden, is a rare plant monitoring program designed to gather standardized, regional monitoring data over time to learn population trends in relation to management practices.
• Northwest Herald Go Green McHenry County section.
• Prairie Rivers Network ...work focuses on how policies such as the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act are used in Illinois laws intended to protect our rivers, our environment, and, ultimately, our health.
• Prairie Woods Audubon Society The mission of the Prairie Woods Audubon Society, as a chapter of the National Audubon Society, is to conserve the environment, to preserve wildlife and natural habitats, and to provide opportunities for education, nature appreciation, and fellowship.
• The Rain Garden Network Rain gardens are an inexpensive, simple-to-implement and environmentally sound solution to stormwater runoff.
• RE-AMP is a seven-state network of nonprofits and foundations, striving for Midwest leadership in 21st century clean energy by reducing electricity sector global warming pollutants 80 percent by 2030. This ambitious project unites organizations interested in renewable energy development—including environmental groups, ratepayer groups, labor, rural economic development groups, and others—to work for sound policy solutions to stop global warming.
• The Safer Pest Control Project The mission of the Safer Pest Control Project is to reduce pesticide use throughout rural, urban and suburban Illinois and to stimulate and help implement widespread adoption of safer alternatives to routine pesticide use in Illinois.
• Scarce: School and Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education.
• Sierra Club Illinois Group
• Small Waters - Experiential education in ecological restoration, permaculture & deep ecology.
• Sprawl Resource Guide ...designed to familiarize you with several of the key issues associated with sprawl, and direct you to some of the wealth of information already available on the Web.
• Sustain: The Environmental Information Group  Through public and private partnerships, Sustain encourages sustainable economic development that creates jobs and revitalizes communities in an environmentally sound manner.
• U.S. Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. This is the place to learn about green building
• Volo Bog Natural Area The only "quaking" bog in Illinois to have an open water center. Also see Friends of Volo Bog website. Contact: 815-344-1294. 29478 W. Brandenburg Road, Ingleside, IL 60041. Newsletter. Foster and support public access to Volo Bog and Volo Bog State Natural Area. Promote awareness of the environment and protection thereof. Free hikes.
• Wildflower Preservation and Propagation Committee Promoting the use of native plants in the landscape through preservation, propagation, and education.
• The Wild Ones ...people promoting biodiversity and using native species in developing plant communities.
• Woodstock Farmer's Market  Buy fresh - Buy local! (yum!)

*The Defenders are members of these partnerships.