Years: 

1949– 

Year Hutchinson Medal awarded:

2012

President and CEO of Openlands (1988–2023); advisory roles for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Illinois State Museum, and Illinois Nature Preserves Commission

Gerald W. Adelman is widely recognized as one of the Midwest’s most influential conservation leaders. He helped launch the national heritage area movement and expanded Chicago‑region green spaces and ecological planning. He is known for merging historic preservation, land conservation, and community planning into unified regional strategies.

Key Contributions:

As part of the Openlands Project in 1980, Adelman helped establish the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, the first federal National Heritage Area. He was also the founding leader of the Chicago Wilderness Alliance, a coalition of more than 250 organizations.

Other Major Honors:

Honorary Doctorate from Lewis University Honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Multiple regional and national conservation and preservation awards