Commonfields Fall 2018
The Importance of Public Engagement Board of Directors Robert J. Hilgenbrink, Chair E. William Reichert Vice-Chair Ronda Latina, 2nd Vice-Chair Stephen Parrish, Treasurer Robert C. Nelson, Secretary Bill Boardman, Conservation Chair Dawnesha Johnson, External Chair William Armstrong Brenda Chandler Robert Knobeloch Nancy Larson Charles Meier Cliff Schuette Anne Werner
Managing Team Michael Andreas, Special Projects Shelli Bement, Director of Finance and Administration Janet Buchanan, Project Manager Emily Kinard, Project Specialist Laura L. Lyon, Special Projects Coordinator Kim O’Bryan, Director of Development and Events Mary Vandevord, President and CEO Sarah Vogt, Project Manager Ed Weilbacher, Vice President Steve Widowski, Wildlife Biologist 3 N High Street Belleville, IL 62220 www.heartlandsconservancy.org info@heartlandsconservancy.org HLC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible. Cover: Red Oak leaf, photo by HeartLands Conservancy
Our projects wouldn’t be as successful without input from the communities, residents, and businesses they affect. Hearing related stories and collecting relevant information from the community helps to shape and refine our work, whether it is through identifying locations that flood frequently or learning what features are most important to residents at a community park.
Over the last few months, we have been busy gathering public opinion on some of our recent and ongoing projects: Alton Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Open House Altonians came to City Hall in April eager to see the bicycle and pedestrian recommendations for the city. These recommendations included trails, bike lanes, sidewalks, and increased programming and education to make biking and walking a safer and more popular transportation choice in Alton. Landowner/Farmer Survey for the Cahokia Creek Watersheds In the spring of 2018, we collaborated with Madison County to send a survey to over 600 landowners and farmers in the Canteen-Cahokia Creek and IndianCahokia Creek watersheds. The goal of the survey is to increase awareness among rural landowners about the types of funding available for projects that protect soil and water and prevent flooding. Sixty-six people have responded to the survey to date. The survey results help determine common issues throughout the watershed, identify potential project locations, and will create a more seamless transition between the planning and implementation process once the plan is complete. Lower Silver Creek Watershed Plan Open House In June, an Open House took place in Shiloh to showcase the Lower Silver Creek Watershed Plan in St. Clair County (see page 7). During the event, participants had the opportunity to provide input on stormwater-related issues in the watershed.
Canteen-Cahokia Creek Watershed Plan Open House An Open House event was held in Maryville in September to share how the draft Canteen-Cahokia Creek Watershed Plan (see page 7) would address flooding and water quality problems. Scheve Park Master Plan Open House In September, Mascoutah residents had the chance to review the new Scheve Park Master Plan, which illustrates how the park should be improved and developed over the next 20 years. HeartLands Conservancy used suggestions from residents, the Park Board, and City Staff to update the Master Plan. Indian-Cahokia Creek Watershed Plan Open House In early October, residents, businesses, and landowners stopped by the Madison County Farm Bureau in Edwardsville to review the draft watershed plan (see page 7) and share personal stories of flooding events in the Indian-Cahokia Creek watershed. The information we received has been incorporated as appropriate into each project. Thank you to everyone who attended and provided input on this important work.
Commonfields Fall 2018
Mary Vandevord President & CEO
Scheve Park Master Plan Open House Silver Creek Preserve, Lower Silver Creek Watershed
Scheve Park, Mascoutah
Indian-Cahokia Creek Watershed Plan Open House
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Canteen-Cahokia Creek Watershed Plan Open House
HeartLands Conservancy
One of these partners, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC), has long worked to preserve lands in the Bohm Woods Complex. “The INPC greatly values the collaborative efforts of our conservation partners in southwestern Illinois, and our strong partnership with Heartlands Conservancy, in particular, has been critical to for many projects,” said Debbie Newman of INPC. “For more than 20 years, INPC and HeartLands have worked to preserve high-quality natural areas in our region. Without this teamwork, sites such as Mill Creek and White Rock might not have been saved.”
Photo credit: Mike Matney
On the Edge of Success The edge. Many of us who are active in overcoming environmental challenges often feel as if we are teetering on the edge. We fear that we are at the brink of climate disaster, on the cliff of regulation rollback, on the precipice of escalating pollution. But just when we think all that matters is going to free fall into oblivion, success happens. Well, it doesn’t just happen, exactly. True success results from the hard work, perseverance, faith, and a supportive community of friends. At HeartLands Conservancy, we’ve got all these in spades. And because of what we have, we are happy to report a major success that is tangible and enduring. We recently helped raise the funds for the City of Edwardsville to purchase a 71-acre buffer zone around Madison County’s last old-growth forest, Bohm Woods Nature Preserve.
You might have been with us this past April when we took a wildflower walk though Bohm Woods, a fragile and unique natural treasure, awakening many to the wonders of this pristine area. If you missed this trek, you will now have a second chance, and a third, and...well, let us explain how our latest success will ensure ongoing community enjoyment, sustain valuable research, and protect habitat for years to come. How It “Happened” It all began with the hard work of negotiation and a huge team effort. HeartLands Conservancy spent a year and a half meeting with the owner of the land next to Bohm Woods, the State of Illinois, and City of Edwardsville to determine the best possible scenario for permanently protecting the forest.
When it was decided that the City of Edwardsville would pursue the purchase, INPC provided a letter of support for the application for funding. City of Edwardsville staff worked to complete a survey, appraisal, and purchase contract. The city also received a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF); in May, ICECF pledged a $986,290 Land Acquisition grant (representing 80 percent of the cost) toward the purchase of the Bohm Woods buffer area from the landowner. The city generously agreed to cover the remaining 20 percent. City of Edwardsville Mayor Hal Patton was a key player in achieving our goals; “winners abound,” according to Mayor Patton. “The City of Edwardsville is thrilled to partner with HeartLands Conservancy and The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation,” said Patton. This 71-acre addition to Bohm Woods, named the William C. Drda Woods, means that nature wins, the residents of Edwardsville win, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) students win, and future generations win, by protecting the historic Bohm Woods and returning this property to its natural state. I envision abundant wildlife and
built too closely to a nature preserve can stress the flora and fauna that live there; light and noise pollution disrupt migratory bird patterns; developments inadvertently introduce species, such as domestic cats that threaten native species; and construction and landscaping can cause erosion and chemical contamination.
horticulture, educational walks, and a beautiful overlook of the Mississippi Bottoms from this picturesque land,” he said. Why It Matters So why is a buffer area around an already protected land area so important? Dr. Richard Essner, Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at SIUE, spends a lot of time in Bohm Woods. He conducts classes there, performs research and—like anyone who’s been there—allows himself to breathe in the calming quality of nature. “Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve... provides critical habitat for a diverse array of native plants and animals,” explained Essner. “Along with the adjacent SIUE Nature Preserve, Bohm Woods provides an oasis of forest in an increasingly urbanized corridor. This area attracts large numbers of migrating songbirds, many of which use the forest as a ... stopover or for breeding habitat. During the Illinois Audubon Society spring bird count last May,” he said, “we counted a remarkable 82 bird species, including 22 different warbler species in a single morning!” But many factors can negatively influence pristine habitat without actually entering the protected area. For instance, housing developments
“Unfortunately, the ecological integrity of important natural areas ... is being threatened by development throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan Area,” Essner said. He calls the acquisition of 71 acres of buffer habitat adjacent to Bohm Woods “a watershed moment for conservation in the Metro East.” “The large-scale reforestation effort underway for the buffer will protect sensitive forest interior species, which often require large expanses of forest to thrive. Moreover, it will ensure that highly erodible soil adjacent to Bohm Woods is protected from further erosion, and will provide important recreational and educational opportunities for visitors, including SIUE students, who will use it as an outdoor classroom and have the unique opportunity to experience conservation at work, first hand,” said Essner. The land within the buffer is now owned by the City of Edwardsville, with the City’s pledge to maintain and restore it. HeartLands Conservancy will hold a conservation easement to ensure it stays in a natural state forever—no one will construct housing developments or install ballparks or create entertainment venues on this land...ever. In true collaboration, HeartLands, IDNR, and SIUE will work with the City to guide reforestation and wetland restoration efforts, as well as trail building, making sure Bohm Woods never finds itself on the edge of extinction. For Rick Essner, like Hal Patton, it’s all win-win. “I am absolutely thrilled
that the [partners] came together to make this happen,” Essner said. “It demonstrates an extraordinary and unprecedented commitment to local conservation.” How You Can Help Your donations in December of 2016 through 2017 have given us this “edge of success.” It is important for you to know and take pride in the fact that none of this would have happened without your generosity and support. We also encourage you to see the results of your generosity by visiting Bohm Woods. As we look toward the future, the management and sustainability of Bohm Woods will be the next critical piece. We are starting a Friends of Bohm & Drda Woods group to help remove invasive species, pick up trash, and plant native species. If you would like to be involved, please let us know. Perhaps we will see you at the edge of the woods sometime soon! A special thanks to Toni Oplt for helping us with this article.
2018 The Jingle Hike Challenge is back for its third year! The challenge begins on Thursday, November 22 and runs through Tuesday, January 1, 2019. Jingle bells are tied to 12 trees in parks throughout the Metro East. Find them and you could win awesome prizes!
Where are the bells? YY Piasa Park, Alton YY Chouteau Island, Madison YY Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park, East St. Louis YY Watershed Nature Center, Edwardsville YY Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom, Belleville How do I participate? YY Rock Springs Park, O’Fallon YYVisit each of the parks and find the YY Trenton Community Park, Trenton tree with the jingle bell. YY Silver Creek Nature Preserve, YYTake a selfie with the tree tag Mascoutah YYShare your photo with us one of YY Washington County State these three ways: Conservation Area, Nashville 1. On Instagram or Twitter simply use YY Konarcik Park, Waterloo #jinglehike. Make sure your post is YY Fort de Chartres, Prairie du Rocher public so we can see it. YY Miner Park, Glen Carbon 2. On Facebook, like the HeartLands Conservancy page, tag us @ Bonus location heartlandsconservancy, AND use Check out HeartLands Conservancy’s #jinglehike. Also make sure your new office. Stop by to take a photo with post is public. or our tree (in our office window) for an 3. Email your photo to treks@ extra prize drawing entry: heartlandsconservancy.org. HeartLands Conservancy Correctly identify the tree species 3 N High Street (e.g., red oak) to get a bonus entry. Belleville, IL 62220
Commonfields Fall 2018
How do I win? For each photo submission, you will be entered into a prize drawing. You must be 14 or older to win. If you find six or more of the trees, you will be entered to win a grand prize, a $325 gift card to the Alpine Shop. Winners will be drawn on January 3, 2019 and announced on HeartLands Conservancy’s social media pages and website. Follow HeartLands Conservancy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on the challenge. Thank you to our sponsors: The Alpine Shop
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Another Successful (and delicious!) Field to Fork
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s event, which featured food from southwestern Illinois farms prepared by local chefs. The annual farmto-table dinner and auction, held in July, raises funds for HeartLands Conservancy’s conservation programs. With your support, we raised $39,000 to preserve, monitor, and manage our 9,000 acres of parks, natural areas, and farmland in southwestern Illinois. We couldn’t have done it without the restaurants, chefs, farms, businesses, and individuals who believe in the importance of our mission. We hope to see you again next year!
Our Members Make a Difference Belleville Helping Belleville Day at Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom
On September 15, volunteers worked with students to help remove invasive species and plant hundreds of new woodland plants at the Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom. The volunteer day was part of Belleville Helping Belleville Day, an annual day of service held by the BASIC Initiative that brings residents together to work on projects that make an impact in the community. Thank you to everyone who participated!
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HeartLands Conservancy
Watershed Planning Updates Best Management Practice (BMP) Tour of the Upper Silver Creek Watershed
In July, 30 people took a bus tour of Best Management Practices (BMPs) installed in the Upper Silver Creek watershed, a 120,000-acre area that drains to Silver Creek in Madison County. The projects on the tour, which were constructed to improve water quality and reduce erosion, were funded through an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control grant that HeartLands Conservancy received in 2016.
Lower Silver Creek Watershed Plan - Now Complete!
In 2016, HeartLands Conservancy received a grant from the IEPA to study the Lower Silver Creek watershed and make recommendations for improving water quality and mitigating the adverse effects of flooding. The Lower Silver Creek watershed is located primarily within St. Clair County. The watershed’s 454 miles of streams drain roughly 126,000 acres of land. HeartLands Conservancy completed the Lower Silver Creek Watershed Plan in August. Throughout the planning process, we coordinated closely with partners in the Scott Air Force Base Community Partnership Initiative Stormwater Management Working Group. This group included representatives from Scott Air Force Base, St. Clair County, and municipalities around the base and in the watershed. The final watershed plan presents strategies and marshals funding to achieve the following goals:
During the tour, participants visited a pond, a streambank stabilization site, a grassed waterway, and a livestock waste management system. HeartLands Conservancy partnered with Madison County Planning & Development, Management, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Midwest Streams on this project. Thank you, partners! Commonfields Fall 2018
• Improve surface water quality • Reduce flooding and mitigate flood damage • Promote environmentally sensitive development • Support healthy habitat • Develop organizational frameworks • Conduct education and outreach This IEPA-approved plan can be used as a basis for funding voluntary improvements to water quality and stormwater management in the watershed.
Cahokia Creek Watershed Planning Nears the Finish Line
HeartLands Conservancy is working with Madison County to develop plans for two watersheds that drain to Cahokia Creek: • The Indian-Cahokia Creek watershed, which is primarily located in Madison County. The watershed’s 492 miles of streams drain roughly 126,000 acres of land. • The Canteen-Cahokia Creek watershed, which is primarily located in Madison County. The watershed’s 262 miles of streams drain roughly 57,000 acres of land. These watershed plans will address stormwater-related issues and provide voluntary recommendations for water quality protection and flood mitigation efforts. More than 600 people have been engaged in the planning process. The two plans will be completed by the end of the year.
You can check out the plan on our website at https://www. heartlandsconservancy.org/library.php.
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Plant This, Not That! Cover up for Winter with Cover Crops Janet Buchanan, HeartLands Conservancy
For most of the year, our vegetable gardens and flowerbeds are busy and productive. As temperatures drop, garden soils start to go quiet until the spring. But that soil does not have to sit empty and unproductive. Enter cover crops, the plants that can offer a host of benefits over the winter. You might have heard about cover crops in the context of large-scale, commercial farming. After cash crops are harvested, farmers often plant cover crops to protect soil over the winter. These crops also reduce weeds, prevent soil erosion, attract beneficial insects that control pests, and add organic material that reintroduces nutrients to the soil. You can obtain similar benefits on a smaller scale by incorporating cover crops into your vegetable patch, kitchen garden, and flower beds, or even a fallow area that you would like to put to use. A term to know as you dig in to cover crops (pun very much intended) is “green manure.� Green manure refers to a subset of cover crop plants that are specifically grown to increase soil nutrients and organic matter. These plants are often in the pea (legume), mustard, and grass families. And so, now to planting! Here are five cover crops that just might suit your small-scale needs. Spring Oats If this is your first time planting cover crops, or if you want to plant early spring vegetables, consider spring oats. Oats are killed by the first hard freeze, leaving a brown decomposing mat in the spring. That mat becomes
mulch that you can simply rake and plant through. This allows for quick planting of early crops such as spring greens, radishes, and peas.
Annual Rye Grass Annual rye grass is a popular cover crop. It is quick to germinate and is effective at controlling weeds. It can also be sown among your vegetables before they are harvested. In the spring, cut and till the grass under the soil to return the nutrients to the earth. As it is not a legume, consider pairing annual rye grass with a plant from the legume family to increase nitrogen in the soil.
A note about managing cover crops Once the cover crop has become established, it is important to prevent it from self-seeding (unless this is your intention). Make sure to cut down the plants when, or just before, they start to flower. This will stop the cover crop from taking up nutrients from the soil to store in its seeds. Once the plants are cut, they can be incorporated into the soil using a shovel, pitch fork, or rototiller. Wait three to six weeks for the cover crop to decompose before planting into the soil.
Hairy Vetch Hairy vetch is a legume plant commonly used in vegetable gardens. It is versatile and resilient to drought and cold conditions and tolerates a range of soil types and pH levels. In the spring, mow it down and plant your vegetables directly in the A mix of cover crops resultant mulch a few weeks later. Do not use crown vetch or common vetch, they are invasive. Red Clover Red clover is a one-stop shop type of cover crop. As a legume, it provides large quantities of both nitrogen and biomass and is a colorful addition to the garden. It can be seeded among your growing vegetables any time between spring and early autumn. Do not use yellow clover, it is invasive. Mustard Mustard is a non-legume, broadleaf plant with roots that improve soil structure and remove excess nitrogen. Mustard also suppresses disease and harmful organisms in the soil. Do not use garlic mustard, it is invasive.
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Red clover
Mustard
HeartLands Conservancy
Can you imagine, for a moment, what southwestern Illinois would be like without the sound of croaking frogs? It is a scenario that is all too possible for the Illinois Chorus Frog, a species that is very likely to become endangered within the next few years. The frogs’ habitat—which is also home to butterflies, turtles, quails, deer, and other animals and plants—is shrinking at an alarming rate. Frogs are so important. They eat pests, like mosquitoes; they serve as
food for other animals; and they clean pollutants from water. Their sweet croaking marks the arrival of spring and also indicates a healthy environment. Because of your contributions to HeartLands Conservancy, you have made it possible to preserve 35 acres of habitat for Illinois Chorus Frogs over the past two years. This beautiful native prairie and wetland habitat will be restored to give them a better chance at survival.
Your generous donation will save more land and protect plants and waters Illinois Chorus Frogs need to survive. Your gift also enables HeartLands Conservancy to care for and monitor the 9,000 acres of farmland and natural open spaces that we have preserved throughout southwestern Illinois since 2001. Thank you for being the power behind this important work!
WHITE OAK SOCIETY William Boardman Dale Brockmann Jeffrey P. King Dennis Kirkham Cheryl Kowalczyk Nancy Larson Cliff Schuette Glen Schuetz Robert Seiffert David Tiedemann John D. Troyan Ed Weilbacher
Commonfields Fall 2018
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We Moved! Our office is now in Downtown Belleville. Our new mailing address is:
3 N High Street Belleville, IL 62220
Thank You to Our Sponsors (as of 10/30/18) POST OAK
RED OAK
SAPLING
Civil Design, Inc. Illinois American Water Madison Co. Planning & Development Madison County SWCD Randolph County SWCD Scott Credit Union St. Clair County Farm Bureau
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
CHINKAPIN OAK Wood River Refinery
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PIN OAK
Alpine Shop Belleville Optometry, Ltd. City of Edwardsville Clinton County SWCD Davey Resource Group, Inc. Farm Credit Illinois Gori Julian & Associates, P.C. Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. SunCoke Energy GCO Volkert, Inc. Walker & Williams P.C.
City of Belleville City of Carlyle City of Columbia City of Fairview Heights City of O’Fallon City of Greenville City of Highland City of Mascoutah City of Troy City of Waterloo Metro East Park & Recreation District Village of Glen Carbon Village of Freeburg Village of New Baden Village of Shiloh Village of Smithton Waterloo Park District HeartLands Conservancy
3 N High Street Belleville, IL 62220 (618) 566-4451
PRSRT STD NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID ZIP CODE 62258 Address service requested:
www.HeartLandsConservancy.org