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 Recognizing Nine Years of Commitment
We would like to extend a most gracious thank you to our retiring board members Laurie Milnor, Sarah Perkins and Joan Sheppard who are stepping down from their nine-year positions on our board of directors. The unique contributions these founding members gave to the organization are invaluable. During their remarkable tenure, GRLT developed substantial community standing through its many successful conservation projects. Each retiring board member was given a framed picture of the area in appreciation of their dedicated, pioneering, leadership.
Piasa Creek Watershed Project Update - By Alley Ringhausen, Project Manager
Great Rivers Land Trust recently received a $200,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for a land acquisition project in the Piasa Creek Watershed. The funding is part of IDNR’s Conservation 2000 Ecosystem Partnership Program.
Great Rivers Land Trust and Illinois-American Water Company entered into an agreement to begin implementation of the Piasa Creek Watershed Project. The 10-year project will attempt to reduce sedimentation in the Piasa Creek Watershed by approximately 6,600 ton per year by the end of the contractual agreement. An integral component of the project is the purchase of environmentally sensitive property along the riparian corridor of the Piasa Creek. Illinois-American Water Company proposed funding a portion the Piasa Creek Watershed Project to reduce sediment entering the Mississippi River 2:1 compared to what the water plant would discharge into the river (3,300 tons per year). In return for funding assistance, Illinois-American would be granted a discharge permit by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
In an effort to achieve the project objectives the Piasa Creek Watershed Project (under the administration of Great Rivers Land Trust) will purchase property from willing sellers in a targeted area along the riparian corridor of the Piasa Creek. Watershed experts have identified an area between Route 3 and Route 67 in Jersey and Madison Counties as a priority for land acquisition. The purchase and protection of land in this critical segment of the Piasa Creek will ultimately lead to streambank protection, sedimentation reduction, and wetland enhancement. IDNR is contributing $200,000 in grant funds and the Piasa Creek Project will apply an additional $200,000 for a total of $400,000 in acquisition funds along the riparian corridor of the Piasa Creek.
Welcome New Board Members
We would like to welcome Jane O’Neill, Richard Snyder, Diane White and Thomas Russell to our board of directors. The following are brief bios of our new board members.
Jane O’Neill
Mrs. P. J. O’Neill received her BS degree in Business Management from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and an MA in Human Resources Development from Webster University. She currently provides professional Human Resource services to two local commercial janitorial companies. Prior to this, she served as both Human Resources Director and Public Relations / Development Director of the Catholic Children’s Home in Alton.
Oasis Women’s Center, Marian Heights, Catholic Children’s Home, League of Women Voters, Head Start Policy Council, Summers-Port, Inc. as treasurer and as a PSR instructor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Richard Snyder
Mr. Snyder grew up in northwest Missouri and received his undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry from Northwest Missouri State University. He received his master’s degree from Syracuse University and did further graduate work in the sciences at the University of California at Berkeley, Washington University in Saint Louis, and Saint Louis University.
Mr. Snyder has been an educator for over 35 years. In 1973 he became associated with Lewis and Clark Community College serving variously as a professor in the Science Division and as an academic administrator. Since 1992 he has served the College as the Dean for Administration. In this capacity he has supervised nearly $40 million of renovation and new construction for the college. He has served the community as past board chairperson for the United Way Partnership where he currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee. Other current volunteer commitments include serving as a member of the board of the United Methodist Village- Godfrey, Chairperson of the Great Rivers Retirement Services, Inc., member of the Planning and Development Committee for the Village of Godfrey, and the Sports and Entertainment Commission for the City of Alton, Illinois. Mr. Snyder’s hobbies include fishing and photography.
Diane White
Diane is a lifelong resident of Alton. She is an owner of White’s Greenhouses that she runs with her husband. She is vitally interested in maintaining the natural beauty of the area, specifically along the National Scenic Byway.
Diane has served on the boards of Pride, Inc. and Alton Band and Orchestra Builders. She is a member of Alton Community Service League and current board member of United Way.
Great Rivers Habitat Alliance - By Wayne Freeman, Executive Director
Great Rivers Land Trust (GRLT) and Great Rivers Habitat Alliance (GRHA) are joining forces to bring protection to floodable land on the Missouri side of the Confluence. GRHA was formed in 2000 to ensure proper water and land usage for future generations. The staff of GRLT will be shared between the two partnering organizations; for the foreseeable future staff will remain in the Alton office.
GRHA is geared towards providing information to the citizens of floodplain communities to enlist their help in persuading city officials and business leaders to withdraw or amend current plans to develop commercial property on floodable land. Most of the work that our staff will be doing for GRHA is similar to the work done for GRLT. This includes fund-raising, networking, preparing brochures and newsletters, educating local land owners, and acquiring land and conservation easements. Our joint goal is to protect 60,000 to 100,000 acres of land at the Confluence floodplain in the next several years. We welcome this opportunity to team up with such a like-minded organization to protect lands on both sides of the river.
Great Rivers at a Glance
Great Rivers awarded incentive grant from Grand Victoria Foundation. Great Rivers was awarded a two-year $50,000 incentive grant by the Grand Victoria Foundation in Elgin, Illinois. Great Rivers must raise an additional $50,000 to receive this operational grant. If you would like to help us realize this grant please consider an unrestricted contribution.
Forest Property Protected - Rattlesnake Ridge Property received a $158,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant will assist Great Rivers in protecting this 80-acre forested property near Pere Marquette State Park.
Final Oblate Tract Secured - Documents were signed to secure protection on the final tract of land on the Missionary Oblates property last spring. In total, the Oblates protected their entire river frontage and all of the forested land on this beautiful property.
Chautauqua Property Protected - New Piasa Chautauqua gifted a 15-acre conservation easement to Great Rivers Land Trust in September. The wooded property adjoins the 26-acre Chautauqua Hill Prairie acquired by GRLT in 1999.
Special Thanks - Special thanks to Mr. Robert Higgins who volunteered his company’s time and services to remove an unattractive old building at our corporate offices. Over the next year, Great Rivers will be implementing additional improvements to upgrade the building and grounds of our offices.
Recent Fundraiser hosted by Dr. George and Martha Moffett - New Tax Incentives for Conservation Easements
Section 2031(c) of the Internal Revenue Code has been revised. The new provision roughly states that a conservation easement donor is now eligible for up to $500,000 more of an exclusion from estate tax, regardless of the location of the land. In the past, eligible property had to be within 25 miles of a metropolitan region, national park or wilderness. This will be a benefit to heirs for the next nine years until 2010 when there will be no estate tax, unless Congress enacts a change to the tax law. In addition, the 1998 IRS Reform Act allows heirs to donate conservation easements on inherited lands and realize estate tax benefits post-mortem. While donors are now finding more tax relief when giving conservation easements, be ready for further changes in the tax incentive programs in the next couple of years. If you want to learn more, contact us at (618)-467-2265.
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