The Lake District Preserve is a beautiful, 207-acre, public conservancy located adjacent to the Oakland Conservation Club on County Highway A. These lands at the inlet to Lake Ripley were acquired by the District in 1997, 2008 and 2017. A combination of state and federal grants and private donations were used to purchase the property.

It has since been restored back to its original wetlands, woodlands and native prairie, and functions to protect the quality of water flowing into Lake Ripley. An interpretive trail offers hikers and nature enthusiasts the opportunity to explore the diverse flora and fauna that inhabit the Preserve. Cranes, herons, whitetail deer, wild turkeys, wood ducks, frogs and eastern bluebirds are now among the variety of wildlife visitors may encounter when exploring the Preserve.