Nearly 1,000 acres protected

Partnership-based Acquisition Accounts for Approximately 10% of Refuge Footprint

Creates Third Largest Conservation Landscape in the Chicago Region

Photo Courtesy of The Conservation Fund

The Conservation Fund, Illinois Audubon Society, and Openlands announced today the partnership’s acquisition of Tamarack Farms in Richmond, Illinois for Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge (Hackmatack). Straddling the Illinois-Wisconsin border, the federally designated Refuge protects vital habitat for the region’s biodiversity while offering extensive recreational opportunities for the 12 million residents of the greater Chicago, Rockford, and Milwaukee metropolitan areas.   

At 985 acres, Tamarack Farms is the largest single property located within Hackmatack’s approved boundary, where the average property size is only 63 acres. According to the Prairie State Conservation Coalition, which maintains a database of all conservation properties in Illinois, Tamarack Farms is the largest conservation acquisition in the Chicago region since the creation of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in 1996. Additionally, Tamarack Farms will connect several existing conservation areas, creating a continuous 5,600-acre macrosite — the third largest in the six-county metro region behind Midewin and the Palos Preserves of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. 

“Since the Tamarack Farms property was under threat of development, protecting it has been a top conservation priority for decades. Through patient negotiations over the course of years, this once-in-a-generation opportunity has been realized,” said Emy Brawley, Illinois State Director for The Conservation Fund. “Thanks to our collaborative partnership, and steadfast leadership from advocates, local government, and our congressional delegations, Tamarack Farms will enable the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to dramatically expand public land access for residents and visitors of the region.”

Established in 2012 by then-Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat within the Nippersink Creek watershed in McHenry County, Illinois and Walworth County, Wisconsin. As envisioned, Hackmatack aims to create an 11,200-acre natural landscape by connecting four conservation core areas with wildlife-friendly migration corridors through a combination of acquisitions and private land conservation agreements. A map of the Refuge’s existing land holdings is available here from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), the managing agency of the refuge.

National Wildlife Refuges serve joint purposes of biodiversity conservation, public recreation, and education. Hackmatack is also an urban wildlife refuge, a special designation within the National Wildlife Refuge system, which enhances its recreational and educational mission. When open to the public, recreational opportunities will include hiking and walking, canoeing and kayaking, birding and wildlife viewing, biking, and wintertime recreation, as well as volunteer stewardship events. The property will also provide unique public access opportunities via an adjacent rails-to-trails path that connects with Wisconsin to the north and the Grand Illinois Trail network to the south.

“High-quality public land is a boon to McHenry County, as it would be for other parts of the region with natural assets like Tamarack Farms. From the emergence of Hackmatack in 2005 as an idea, Openlands has championed, with partners, the value proposition of a National Wildlife Refuge right here in our own metro,” said Michael Davidson, President and CEO of Openlands. “McHenry County is already seeing results of accessible open space. Between 2021-2022, visitors to the county spent over $336 million, a 26% increase in spending from the previous year. Clearly, the economy benefits from our need to get outside and care for our physical and mental health. We hope this acquisition can lead to further investment in connecting our region’s natural lands.”

The acquisition of Tamarack Farms will further protect high-quality wildlife habitat on the property, including remnant oak woodland, habitat for nesting grassland birds and waterfowl, cold-water springs, a 70-acre open water wetland, and multiple feeder streams to the nearby Nippersink Creek, one of the highest aquatic quality streams in the region. Over 200 species of birds, 70 species of fish, 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, 35 species of mammals, and hundreds of plant species have been recorded within the refuge boundary. 

“Large-scale conservation such as this project is critical to ensure species’ resiliency in the face of climate change, and Tamarack Farms will provide a natural sanctuary for both people and wildlife,” said Jo Fessett, Executive Director of Illinois Audubon Society. “This exceptional addition to the Refuge will not only create habitat for numerous threatened and endangered species of plants and wildlife, but also present the perfect opportunity to enhance public interaction and appreciation of nature.”  

Tamarack Farms remains under an active farm lease and public access will be limited until the property is opened for recreation by USFWS. 

The property was purchased from a willing private seller with the stated intention of adding it to Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, resulting in the protection of nearly 10% of the land within the Refuge’s approved boundary.

The acquisition was financially supported by The Conservation Fund, Illinois Audubon Society, and Openlands, with additional support from the Bobolink Foundation, James and Elizabeth Bramsen, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hamill, Nancy Hamill Winter, the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, and the McHenry County Conservation Foundation. The Conservation Fund and Openlands will hold the property in trust until it can be conveyed to the USFWS as funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund becomes available.

“In many ways, acquisition of Tamarack Farms represents a ‘dream realized’ for a small group who first came together over two decades ago to advocate for its protection as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system,” said Steve Byers, Chair of Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge. “Protection of Tamarack Farms, with its majestic oak woodlands, dynamic wetlands, and opportunities for prairie restoration, is a historic leap forward for the Refuge and brings it closer to its goal of 11,200 acres of protected land. It also demonstrates the power of dreams and of a shared vision with committed partners in building a landscape that benefits our natural world and the residents of the region alike.”

Those interested in experiencing the Refuge are encouraged to visit the Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge website, hackmatacknwr.org, to learn about educational and volunteer opportunities, or to visit several of the USFWS or McHenry County Conservation District conservation areas within the Refuge boundary. 

Trees help create healthy neighborhoods and communities, providing economic, health, and environmental benefits that can last for generations. That’s why Friends for Tree Equity, Illinois wants to bring tree equity to Central and Southern Illinois.

Funding from the Inflation Reduction Act has enabled the U.S. Forest Service to make historic invetments in boosting the nation’s tree cover in urban, suburban and rural communities nationwide. The agency has selected 385 grant proposals from entities working to increase equitable access to trees and green spaces and the many benefits they provide.

Learn how you and your community can benefit from this funding and support provided by grant recipients and Friends for Tree Equity partners Faith In Place, Trees Forever, and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative.

Natural Areas Stewardship Grants Program application period is now open!

Prairie State Conservation Coalition wrote the bill and with the Illinois Environmental Council and many supporting partners it passed in 2017.

The goal of this grant program is to increase the delivery of much needed stewardship activities to natural areas protected within the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) system. Stewardship needs throughout the statehave continued to outpace the ability to deliver these services by individuals, volunteers, organizations, and government agencies. The program is designed to fund projects that immediately address this deficiency and begin to expand on the stewardship capacity of Conservation Land Trusts through grants that will expand their staff and equipment for these activities.

Stewardship activities funded by this grant program must be included in the management schedules approved by the INPC and are limited to a maximum of $100,000 per proposal. Eligible costs may include contractual services, staff time related to the project, equipment, and materials necessary to complete stewardship projects such as tools, safety items, herbicide, construction materials, and indirect costs. Benefit costs are not eligible. Matching funds are required on all projects. The minimum match requirements allowed by administrative rule are 5% or $1,000, whichever is less, to ensure that all land trusts will have access to the program.

Eligible applicants are Conservation Land Trusts exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code and whose originating documents include in its purposes the restoration and stewardship of land for conservation purposes.

Potential applicants for thi program can find more information online HERE. Questions can be directed to Susan.Duke@Illinois.gov.

Funding for this grant program is derived from a portion of the Illinois Natural Areas Acquisition Fund and must be used by the IDNR for the stewardship of natural areas, including habitats for endangered and threatened species (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act, 525 ILCS 35/14). You can view the Notice of Funding Opportunity for IDNR programs or to browse all state of Illinois grant opportunities right HERE.

Prairie State Conservation Coalition is grateful to the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation for awarding a $36,000 grant for our project “Growing Leadership, Diversifying Membership, and Completing the Strategic Plan.”

The project will focus on enhancing the membership experience for our members, creating a commercial donor database, and expanding our membership beyond the land trust community. The project will put particular emphasis on a new strategic plan to incorporate our intentions regarding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our conservation community led by our newly-hired executive director to take us into the future.

Our new executive director will be responsible for leading us in five key areas:

• Expand the PSCC membership that includes all land conservation organizations
• Create opportunities for the next generation of conservation professionals
• Diversify future PSCC funding sources to include more individual donors, local family foundations, corporate and private businesses, and new member organizations
• Educate the public, private landowners, and elected officials of the benefits to people and nature by permanent land preservation and conservation practices
• Be the leader and leading voice for land conservation in Illinois

We are excited with the opportunity to move forward in all these areas as we venture into a promising and fruitful future.

Citing new funding sources for wildfire hazard mitigation, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition has partnered with Colorado State University, University of Michigan, the Fire Learning Network, and the Watershed Research and Training Center to launch a survey on prescribed fire implementation capacity, insurance access and barriers. Those experienced in planning and implementing prescribed fire operations are urged to share their expertise.

This survey was designed in response to several timely factors and concerns:

• An influx of new federal and state funding for wildfire hazard mitigation, without clear strategies for how partners’ capacity will be tapped;

• A lack of comprehensive information about the community and capacity of partners with whom federal and state partners may work on prescribed fire; and

• A dramatic loss of prescribed fire insurance policy options without a comprehensive understanding of how this impacts partners, at what scales, and in which capacities.

Survey responses must be submitted by Wednesday, November 30, 2022. CLICK HERE to visit the survey website. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Greiner, CSU researcher and survey partner.

Despite a loss of 3 billion — yes, billion — the State of the Birds report does contain some encouraging news that the steep decline can be reversed through conservation actions that will positively affect all wildlife, and also people.

The report states that trends for the nation’s birds shows them declining in every habitat except wetlands, which has benefited from decades of targeted conservation efforts.

Give birds and nature a chance is the overall message in reversing this downward trend that will benefit the environment as a whole.

You can read the complete report here:

Lake Forest Open Lands Association (LFOLA) is offering a test drive of specially-designed outdoor wheelchairs at an Open House on Saturday, October 29 from 10 a.m. to noon. LFOLA is partnering with Access Ability Wisconsin (AAW) as a host location for a motorized, all-terrain wheelchair in its efforts to increase access for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.

“We’re thrilled to be the first Illinois partner with AAW,” LFOLA president Ryan London, said. “This partnership helps us deliver on our promise of making nature available for all, while raising awareness that there is a no-cost solution to the challenge of getting outdoors for those living with mobility difficulties.”

These special chairs become “hiking boots” for anyone living with a physical disability to experience the dignity and freedom to get outside in nature. The chairs are able to go where regular wheelchairs with skinny tires can’t go. An enclosed trailer also is available to take the special chair to a desired trail head.

As an AAW Network Host, LFLOLA can rely on AAW’s expertise in programming and adaptive equipment that provides increased outdoor access for those living with mobility challenges. Those interested can reserve the chair (available at NO COST with a small deposit andd required returned survey) to explore miles of trails at a favorite Lake Forest Open Lands preserve and other local private or public lands using the provided AAW trailer.

Lake Forest Open Lands Association was established in 1967 and is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, the first accredited land trust in Illinois. LFOLA has acquired, preserved, and maintained some of the finest natural habitats in the region including prairies, savannas, ravines, and wetlands, including more than 16 miles of walking trails and six (soon to be nine) nature preserves open to the public year-round.

Access Ability Wisconsin is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organizaiton dedicated to facilitating and providing the means for individuals with mobility challenges to acces and enjoy the outdoors, promoting equity and healthy living.