Two local organizations receive Natural Areas Stewardship Grants from IDNR

SPRINGFIELD – Eleven grants totaling almost $750,000 have been awarded to Illinois land trusts to support stewardship on land protected by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced.

Two organizations overseeing local projects are among the recipients. The Nature Conservancy, Nachusa, will receive $54,327 for work in Lee and Ogle counties. It will buy a knife-style brush mower attachment for a skid steer to thin invasive woody plants at the Nachusa Grasslands Nature Preserve and the Nachusa Grasslands Land and Water Reserve.

The Illinois Audubon Society is getting $52,000 for work in Lee County to enlist contractual services to perform ecological restoration through invasive species removal at the Gremel Nature Preserve.

The goal of the Natural Areas Stewardship Grant program is to increase the delivery of stewardship activities to natural areas that are permanently protected within the nature preserves system. Stewardship needs on natural areas throughout Illinois have continued to outpace the ability to deliver these services by individuals, volunteers, organizations and government agencies, state officials said.

This grant program is designed to fund projects that address this deficiency by increasing the stewardship capacity of conservation land trusts through grants that will expand their staff and equipment for these activities.

The Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation also is receiving $76,000 for work in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties. The foundation will buy a truck to support efficient and effective performance of ecological restoration at Rutherford Refuge at the Twin Bridges Nature Preserve, Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve, Apple River Canyon Land and Water Reserve, Sentinel Nature Preserve, Hanover Bluff Nature Preserve, Apple River Canyon Nature Preserve, and Rall Woods Land and Water Reserve.

Funding for the IDNR’s Natural Area Stewardship Grant program is derived from a portion of the Illinois Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. The fund must be used by the IDNR for the acquisition and stewardship of natural areas, including habitats for endangered and threatened species.

Eligible applicants under the grant program are conservation land trusts exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code that have originating documents including in the purpose of restoration, stewardship or conservation of land for the preservation of native plants or animals, biotic communities, geologic formations or archaeological sites of significance.