The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Land Acquisition Grant Program has awarded approximately $400,000.00 to the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District since 2011 to help purchase Prairie Oaks, Swanson Grove and the future Nelson Prairie, which was acquired by the Forest Preserve District on June 30 (all part of the Haines Creek Conservation Corridor ).
This “Conservation Corridor” features a unique diversity of plant communities and animal habitats. Savanna, upland forest, wet woods, streams, marshes, seeps, upland prairie, mesic prairie, wet prairie, dry prairie, sedge meadow, about every native plant community is represented here. The seeps have been restored with the re-introduction of a complex set of native grasses, sedges, rushes, bulrushes and forbs that thrive in each other’s company.
The rare Red-headed Woodpecker, River Otters, Bald Eagles and many other birds and mammals are seen here more frequently. There are 2 miles of mowed hiking trails, 1.5 acres of mowed picnic areas with picnic tables, trailside benches and an asphalt handicapped access trail to a beautiful overlook. Land restoration work continues at Prairie Oaks, Swanson Grove and Nelson Prairie. These 3 connected forest preserves and one more future forest preserve site along Haines Creek will make up the 2 mile long, 160 acre Haines Creek Conservation Corridor.
The Forest Preserve District also had assistance with these acquisitions from The Conservation Foundation, a private, nonprofit that specializes in helping public agencies acquire open space. The Conservation Foundation is a member-supported 501(c)(3) that works throughout DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, Will and DuPage Counties.
The vision for this conservation corridor was one of the reasons that compelled the 
Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to invest in the first of three acquisitions six years ago, according to Dennis O’Brien, Executive Director. “In 2011 the District approached the Foundation with the idea that preserving those first 43 acres would lead to something larger and it has. The Foundation is impressed with the stewardship work completed by the District and its dedicated volunteers and feels that all three sites are in good hands.”
The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation has awarded 172 land acquisition grants to date, protecting a total of over 26,000 acres of wildlife habitat at locations throughout Illinois.
Learn more at www.illinoiscleanenergy.org.
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