2022 ANNUAL REPORT Introduction If I had to give a theme to 2022, it would be “clean water.“ That‘s because in 2022, the majority of our projects focused on clean water and flood impact reduction. Clean water is so important to our region and all of humanity and wildlife. Many people think about the drinking water that comes out of the tap, often cleaned by local municipalities or water utilities. Before that water gets to the facility, it comes from the land... and often picks up pollutants that are costly to remove before they come out of your faucet. HeartLands Conservancy‘s work to restore natural conditions in floodplains and streams, and to reduce stormwater runoff from cities, helps remove millions of tons of pollutants from our water. Here are some highlights of water-related projects that happened in 2022 thanks to supporters of HeartLands Conservancy: •
310 acres of land is now permanently preserved and being restored to wetlands near Edwardsville, Valmeyer, Germantown, and Bartelso. These wetlands will provide wildlife habitat and help manage flooding and filter pollution in our region‘s water.
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The wetlands restoration above brought HeartLands‘ land conservation efforts to over 10,000 total acres preserved!
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Phase 1 of the Exploration Garden in Swansea was unveiled and Phase 2 the Raindrop‘s Journey - began. The Raindrop‘s Journey filters water from the roof of the park pavilion as it makes its way to the pond, where many people fish.
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Work continued to improve watershed health and reduce flash flooding in Madison and St. Clair counties, including the area around Scott Air Force Base, the watersheds in western St. Clair County, and
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in the central parts of Madison County. •
Volunteers contributed more than 400 hours at Arlington Wetlands to help improve the habitat and protect the wetland system.
And not water related, but exciting... •
A neighborhood action plan was completed for the City of Lebanon‘s southeast quadrant and won the award for Outstanding Plan Making from the St. Louis Section of the American Planning Association.
It‘s because of people in our region who care about this place that our water can be cleaner and healthier. Thank you for all you do!
Mary Vandevord
President & CEO
HLC’s Impact on Conservation in southwestern Illinois Because of generous support from our members and sponsors, HeartLands Conservancy has been able to conserve, connect, and restore the diverse natural and cultural resources that sustain the people and communities of southwestern Illinois.
