|
 Oblate Property Protected
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate have protected their property through a series of scenic, conservation and timber easements held by the State of Illinois and Great Rivers Land Trust. "It is a history-making event by the Missionary Oblates to help Great Rivers preserve the natural beauty of the bluff land along the Great River Road for future generations to enjoy," said Annie Hoagland, Board Member of Great Rivers Land Trust.
The Oblate property is central to Great Rivers' Youngblood Hollow project. Great Rivers is attempting to protect the remaining forested watershed in Youngblood Hollow and the Oblate property is a significant portion of the watershed.
The Oblates and Great Rivers Land Trust worked for many years putting together this package of conservation easements which resulted in the protection of the bluff land. Great Rivers was able to combine easement acquisition money from the State of Illinois Conservation 2000 Program and the Federal Forest Legacy program to acquire the conservation easements. The Oblate easements were the first time Forest Legacy money had ever been used in Illinois. The Oblates donated a portion of their land as a local match.
Although the Oblates will continue to own and use their property as they currently do, the land is protected for future generations.
Great Rivers Acquires New Park Site for Godfrey
In June, Great Rivers completed acquisition of the 96-acre Illinois-American Water Company (IAWC) property in Godfrey. When IAWC decided to construct its new water plant in Alton, Great Rivers entered into a purchase contract with IAWC and arranged to buy the property over a one-year period.
During the past year, Great Rivers raised the necessary funds to secure the land. We were successful in raising funds from the State of Illinois Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program and through local contributions.
Great Rivers at a Glance - Shook Easement Expanded
Ralph Shook became our first return easement donor this year. Mr. Shook previously donated a conservation easement on a 12-acre wooded tract in Youngblood Hollow near his home. The property contains magnificent two hundred-year-old oak trees.
Mr. Shook also wanted to protect his homestead and peach orchard from future development. Great Rivers accepted another conservation easement in June. The residential conservation easement now ensures the entire Shook property will never be subdivided or used for anything other than a single-family farm.
Grafton Overlook Property Acquired
Great Rivers recently acquired an 80-acre tract of land near Pere Marquette State Park. The property is rolling acreage with mature hardwoods.
Located within the Conservation Core identified in the Land Management Plan for the Alton Lake Heritage Parkway, the property is an important link in Great Rivers' effort to maintain a wildlife corridor along the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway between Alton and Pere Marquette State Park.
The acquisition protects existing green space around Illinois' largest state park and provides additional habitat for native fauna.
Madson Property Acquisition
A 7.5 -acre tract of land on the east side of the Olin Nature Preserve has been acquired by Great Rivers further buffering the largest nature preserve in our area. The property owned by Dycie Madson was acquired through a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation 2000 program.
Recognized conservation author John Madson and his wife Dycie purchased the property in the late 1980's prior to John's death. The property is part of the headwaters of the watershed which flows through Beaver Falls on the Olin Nature Preserve.
Great Rivers Accepts Conservation Easement on Alton Wetland
Working with the City of Alton and Clark Properties, Great Rivers Land Trust accepted a conservation easement on a 13 -acre wetland at the old Owens-Illinois Glass site. The conservation easement will preserve the wetland, which that the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway in perpetuity.
"We began discussing this project more than three years ago," said Don Miller, Great Rivers' Board Member. "This is the kind of project that is positive for everyone," Miller continued. In his capacity as President of the Riverbend Growth Association, Miller supported the project because it is a shining example of what can happen when business, government and non-profit organizations work together.
Great Rivers' goal was to ensure that the high quality 13-acre wetland was preserved. The City of Alton and Clark Properties needed to extend Indiana Avenue over an existing wetland near the new Alton Center Business Park. To make this possible Great Rivers agreed to accept a conservation easement on the 13-acre wetland. The new Indiana Avenue extension is subject to a Federal 404 Wetland Permit.
Welcome Our New Staff
Great Rivers welcomed two new employees this summer. Alley Ringhausen joined the organization as a Project Manager in August. Alley lives with his wife Sarah and daughter Elizabeth on his family's orchard in Jerseyville. Alley can also be heard mornings on the 1480AM WJBM radio station
Pam Cunningham also joined Great Rivers this summer as Office Manager. Pam, her husband Paul, and daughters Rachel and Lauren live in Carrollton. Pam is an experienced non-profit Office Manager having served 8 years with Pride, Inc.
McKnight Foundation Provides New Expansion Grant
Look West! It is almost a cliche. Great Rivers Land Trust began as an Illinois non-profit organization. Our singular mission when we organized was to preserve the scenic beauty of the Alton Lake Heritage Parkway through acquisition of scenic easements. Eight years later we are a much larger organization then was perhaps ever envisioned by most of our original founders.
Today we have more than 30 conservation easements, we have acquired hundreds of acres of land through donations or purchase, and we are at the forefront of the National Land Trust movement. Some of our preservation efforts are inventive and many are groundbreaking in the industry. Still, we have remained narrowly focused geographically.
The Mississippi River forms the natural boundary between Illinois and Missouri. To date we have been preserving land as a result of man-made political lines. Recently, however, it has become apparent that we need to look at both sides of the Mississippi River.
The Mississippi River is one of the largest ecosystems in the world. What we do in our own backyard affects a much larger area. GRLT has thus far focused its efforts on the Illinois side of the river from Alton to Pere Marquette, Recent efforts by the US Army Corps of Engineers to build the L- 1 5 levee and Ameren UE's decision to fleet barges on the most scenic section of the Mississippi River
At the GRLT June board meeting the Board of Directors voted unanimously to initiate an expansion plan to begin preservation efforts in the St. Charles County Floodplain and along the Missouri River bluffs. In September we were awarded a three-year grant from the McKnight Foundation to expand our organization to these areas.
The floodplain of St. Charles County is the largest undeveloped area within 25 miles of downtown St. Louis. If this area is walled-off by levees, developed or otherwise left unchecked, we in Illinois will be among those paying the price in many ways. How soon we forget that St. Charles County was a lake in August of 1993.
Our name, Great Rivers Land Trust, perhaps best defines what we are, and what we do. We preserve land and water near the confluence of three of the country's greatest rivers; the Mississippi, the Illinois and the Missouri Rivers. If there is one area within the region which should remain undeveloped, certainly it is the St. Charles County Floodplain. Its condition affects all of us in the region and beyond.
Please support us in our efforts to keep this giant floodplain off-limits to Federal levees and inappropriate development.
Trust Acquires Buffer Property to Oblate Forest
Great Rivers Land Trust acquired a 26-acre tract bordering the Oblate Forest in September. "With the purchase of the 26-acre forest buffer on the northeastern comer of the Oblate property, our Youngblood Hollow preservation project is nearly complete' said David Pfeifer, GRLT President. "This finalizes a three-way land deal, that took over two years to complete."
The project included acquisition of the Bachman Farm and a land swap of a third property in 1998. The 26-acre buffer to Oblate Forest is wooded except for a 3-acre pasture which is in transition to woodlands. The site also contains several hundred feet of Youngblood Hollow Creek. funding from the McKnight Foundation provided 5% of the purchase price for the property. The Victoria Foundation contributed more than 150,000 to boost us over our fundraising goal for project.
The property will become a community park for the Village of Godfrey in the future. Godfrey will eventually develop a recreational park on 26 acres which is currently being farmed. The wooded portion of the park will be left in its natural state with possible hiking trails. The new park site is located in Youngblood Hollow and is part of a much larger land preservation project underway by Great Rivers Land Trust. The property also borders the Oblate Forest which is protected by conservation easement.
|
