Meanderings | December 2020

Lending Nature a Hand

Meanderings December

2020

Board of Directors E. William Reichert III Board Chair Mary Vandevord President Ronda Latina Vice Chair William Boardman Second Vice Chair Janet Haroian Treasurer Robert C. Nelson Secretary Brenda Chandler Gary Huelsmann Dawnesha Johnson Nancy Larson Charlie Meier Cliff Schuette Anne Werner

Team Michael Andreas Special Projects Shelli Bement Director of Finance & Administration Landon Brooks Communications & Engagement Manager Tyler Burk Project Manager Laura L. Lyon Director of Strategic Initiatives Kim O’Bryan Director of Development & Events Katie Siech Environmental Programs Associate Mary Vandevord President & CEO Sarah Vogt Conservation Manager Ed Weilbacher Vice President Steve Widowski Wildlife Biologist

HeartLands Conservancy 3 N High Street Belleville, IL 62220 (618) 566-4451

Thank YOU for Being a Helper!

I think we can all agree; 2020 has been a rough year. From pandemics to wildfires to recessions to protests to murder hornets, the list goes on. It would be entirely understandable for everyone to throw in the proverbial towel and insulate themselves from the world this year.

But something Fred Rogers said rings especially true in a year like this.

“When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

Okay - Mr. Rogers’ sentiment was for preschoolers to ease their fears in the wake of a tragedy. As an adult, I still take his message to heart. I look for ‘the helpers’ to inspire me to be a helper. And I’ve seen lots of helpers lately.

There’s the group of dedicated helpers at Poag Sand Prairie, restoring the scarce habitat to support imperiled frogs and turtles. There’s even a person who anonymously mows the trail. And this is all made possible by an anonymous donor paying respects to a helping family.

There’s the group supporting the Belleville Heart Garden - turning a vacant lot into a place of joy for all the neighbors and bringing our butterfly neighbors back to the city.

(See page 10.)

There’s a group in Lebanon working to make a neglected neighborhood a great place to live by restoring a park and creating new community spaces.

In Alton, a group formed during the governor’s stay-at-home order to pick up trash while walking (a #trashtag).

That effort was so popular; it expanded countywide.

Back in April, people across the Metro East planted over 200 trees - some for the first time - to support Metro East Tree Planting Week and make our region a little better for future generations.(See page 5.)

Then, there are the thousands of people we have heard from that decided to be helpers by planting a home vegetable garden or native landscape, taking their kids for a walk in nature, going fishing or hunting with friends, or even just donating to important causes.

info@HeartLandsConservancy.org www.HeartlandsConservancy.org HLC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible and are graciously accepted throughout the year.

Printed 11.30.2020 Cover image by Jane Baker 2

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

Join us @ Our Upcoming Events There are so many other helpers I failed to mention. All of them inspire us at HeartLands Conservancy to keep going with our purpose. We believe that no matter where you live or your circumstance in southwestern Illinois, you should have clean air and water, places for nature to thrive, and access to high-quality outdoor experiences.

We will keep helping our region reach that goal well beyond 2020.

November 26 through January 1 Jingle Hike Challenge Register by December 2 to participate.

January 14 | Value of Prescribed Burns Webinar | 6:00 pm Join Scott Moss, Restoration Ecology Coordinator at Lewis & Clark Community College, and Joann Fricke, Board member of Clifftop to learn about the ecological value of prescribed burns and practical applications.

January 18 | MLK Day of Service at Arlington Wetlands | 9:00 am - Noon

So, thank you for being a helper. You are helping more than you realize.

February 11 | Building a Community Garden Webinar | 6:00 pm More information coming soon.

March 1 - April 30 | Backyard Birding Blitz Citizen science in your backyard using iNaturalist.

See you outside,

March 13 | Hiking Club | TBD Join in for the first hike of the year!

March 15 - April 15 | HeartLands’ Conservation at Home & Garden Spring Sale Online Pre-Orders Native plants, trees, composters, rain barrels, and other items for your sustainable home garden. Order online through April 15 and pick up on May 8.

Mary Vandevord President & CEO

March 15 | Landscaping with Native Plants Webinar | TBD More information coming soon.

April 1 | Rain Garden Webinar | 6 - 7:00 pm Learn about the benefits to our region’s water supply and practical steps of creating a rain garden in your yard. Chris Enroth, Extension Educator, joins us on this webinar to explain.

May 1 - 31 | Membership Drive Get a membership, upgrade your existing membership, or refer a new member in May and receive some HeartLands Conservancy swag! More details coming soon.

May 8 | HeartLands’ Conservation at Home & Garden Spring Sale Pick-Up Pick up your online purchases and browse a selection of other native plants for sale. More information coming soon.

Upcoming events later in 2021 (Fingers crossed!): • Silver Creek Stream Monitoring • Paddle Trek on the Kaskaskia River • Firefly Walk at Arlington Wetlands • Fairies and Winged Creatures Walk - a fundraiser for the Exploration Garden at Clinton Hills Conservation Park • Members-Only Gathering: Observing the Perseid Meteor Shower • Conservation at Home & Garden Fall Sale • Fantastic Beasts and HOW to Find Them: Birds, Bugs and Butterfly Counting • Buds and Bark Trek - Tree Identification • Jingle Hike Challenge All events and dates are subject to change or modifications, please visit our website and social media for current information. Please scan our QR code above for latest dates.

Our number one goal is to keep you safe and healthy. We follow local, state, and CDC guidelines to determine which events we can hold or modify.

April 22 - 30 | Metro East Tree Week We’re planning a series of tree-related events from Earth Day to Arbor Day 2021! Stay tuned! www.HeartlandsConservancy.org

Meanderings 2020 December

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Meanderings 2020 December

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Volunteers at the Heart Garden

Native Plants ready to be picked up

Hiking Club!

Highlights of New Projects, New Events, & Past Events!!

With your help, HeartLands Conservancy has been busy this fall! Thank you for joining us!

Recurring Volunteer Days

MLK Day of Service on January 18

Belleville Heart Garden (2nd Friday of every month), Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom (3rd Friday of every month), and Poag Sand Prairie (4th Friday of every month. Each volunteer day runs from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

Pre-registration is required to limit gathering size and ensure proper social distancing. To register and get more information, visit our website and click on Volunteer under the Get Involved tab at the top of the home page.

Join HeartLands Conservancy and Madison County Planning & Development for a day of service on Monday, January 18! We will be doing a trash pick-up and invasive species removal at Arlington Wetlands in Pontoon Beach from 9:00 am-Noon.

This volunteer day will prepare the site for a prairie restoration burn this winter.

Volunteer Opportunities Bohm Woods Volunteer Stewardship Group: In October, HeartLands Conservancy, in partnership with IDNR and the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC), launched a new volunteer stewardship group for Bohm Woods Nature Preserve in Edwardsville, the only high-quality oldgrowth forest in Madison County. The group is led by volunteer Site Steward, Noah Dell, and will meet on the fourth Saturday of every month from 9:00 am to noon. At the initial meeting, INPC staff briefed volunteers on the rules for Nature Preserves management, identified problem plants at the site, and established long-term plans for the group. Volunteers then worked on pulling wintercreeper, bush honeysuckle, and burning bush. The group is still looking for helpers. If interested, contact sarah.vogt@ heartlandsconservancy.org and ask to be added to the Bohm Woods group.

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Bonus: Thanks to Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, each volunteer hour will be matched with $10.

First Native Plant Sale a Success!

Our inaugural Fall Native Plant, Rain Barrel, & Composter sale was a huge success! We sold nearly 900 total items and exceeded our goals. We are happy to announce that this will be a recurring, biannual event going forward, with a spring and fall sale each year. Proceeds of these sales benefit HeartLands Conservancy programs and operations.

The Conservation at Home & Garden Spring Sale will feature native plants, trees, composters, rain barrels, and other items for your sustainable home garden. Orders will be available on our website March 15 through April 15, with pick up on May 8, 2021. A limited selection of native plants will be available for purchase on pick up day as well.

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

HLC Thoughts for Treats in Trenton

Metro East Tree Drop off & Pick Up

Poag Sand Prairie Volunteer Day

Hiking Club

and solicit feedback from the public to create a plan that benefits the whole community, fulfills needs, and is attainable.

a challenge! So, the team got creative and participated in the Chamber of Commerce 2nd Annual Business Trick or Treating event. In the Thoughts - for-Treats outreach - we asked over 200 people questions about their town in exchange for candy. Through this exercise, the staff learned a great deal about Trenton, and residents learned more about the comprehensive plan.

The HeartLands Hiking Club traveled to the Watershed Nature Center on September 12. This specialty park in Edwardsville includes 40 acres of wetlands, woodlands, and grasslands.

The City of Edwardsville owns the property, and the nonprofit Nature Preserve Foundation manages it. www.watershednaturecenter.org.

On November 7th, the Hiking Club traveled south to explore Piney Creek Ravine in Ava, Illinois. This dedicated Nature Preserve is one of only two locations in the state where short-leaf pines grow naturally. It also features rare plants and petroglyphs. Hikers enjoyed the unique topography and beautiful fall foliage. We even found a native orchid near one of the trails!

HeartLands Conservancy will hold the next hike on Saturday, March 13, 2021.

To learn more about the hiking club, visit our website and click Hiking Club under the ‘Get Involved’ tab.

Godfrey Parks Master Plan HeartLands’ Resilient Communities Program staff are working with the Village of Godfrey to create Parks and Open Space Master Plan to help guide park development, programs, and projects over the next ten years. The prior plan was developed in 2004, and many of the original goals have been accomplished. Through the planning process, HLC staff will assess all parks and conditions in Godfrey, interview stakeholders, work with a committee,

Glazebrook Park Expansion The Village of Godfrey received an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to expand its largest park - Glazebrook Park. New park features in the 40-acre addition will connect the east and west sides of the park. HeartLands has been working with the Village and MECO-Heneghan Engineers (MHE) to finalize the park expansion’s layout and design with minimal impacts on its natural environment. The park expansion will include signature landscapes, a splash pad, accessible playground, rugby, lacrosse and football fields, pickleball, fitness stations, paths, parking, and restrooms. Once engineering is complete, construction will begin, with expected completion in 2022.

Trenton Thoughts for Treats Heartlands’ Resilient Communities staff are working with the City of Trenton to create a Comprehensive Plan to guide community development over the next 10-20 years. HeartLands begins all planning processes by asking residents to describe their needs and goals for their city. This critical input guides the team’s data analysis and development of recommendations.

Gathering input during a pandemic is

Metro East Tree Week Follow-up In Spring 2020, you may remember HLC challenged all of our members and followers to plant a tree during our first annual Metro East Tree Week.

Over 200 people planted trees on their property and reported them to HLC during the challenge weeks. Because of your efforts and a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, HLC was able to match each tree planted, plus 100 more, giving a total of 305 trees to communities in Madison and St. Clair Counties.

Most of the trees were planted in Collinsville, O’Fallon, Venice, and Belleville. HeartLands hopes to continue programs to increase urban trees in our region. Mark your calendars for Metro East Tree Week 2021, April 22 - 30. There will be fun and educational activities planned throughout the week.

Meanderings 2020 December

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Jingle Hikers 2019 with a View!

#JingleHike 2020 HeartLands Conservancy is partnering with the REALTOR Association of Southwestern Illinois (RASI), Property Peddlers, Camp Ondessonk, Touch of Nature Environmental Center, Alpine Shop, Sandy’s Back Porch, and Toolen’s Running Start to challenge people to get outdoors this holiday season.

The Fifth Annual Jingle Hike Challenge begins on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 26) and runs through New Year’s Day (Friday, January 1).

Our jingle bells are tied to trees in twelve parks throughout the Metro East. Participants have six weeks to visit the parks, find each tree, take a selfie with the bell, and post the photo to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using #jinglehike. Participants can also email photos to treks@ heartlandsconservancy.org.

For each photo submission, registered participants will be entered to win prizes. If a person finds six or more of the trees, they will be entered for the grand prize – a two-night stay at Camp Ondessonk with a three-hour guided tour from Chris Benda, the Illinois Botanizer. Other prizes include an experience for up to 15 people at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, gift cards to the Alpine Shop and

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Jingle Hiker 2019

Sandy’s Back Porch, and apparel from Toolen’s Running Start.

In honor of the Challenge’s 5th Anniversary, we are introducing a new aspect #JingleHike Challenge. The purchase of a $25 registration now includes a t-shirt and guide map, and it qualifies participants to win this year's prizes (18 years and up).

HeartLands Conservancy will hold packet and t-shirt pick-up for anyone that registers by midnight on December 2 at 3 N High Street, Belleville, IL, on Wednesday, December 16th, 2020, from 10 am-Noon. Please note that if you are not available to pick up your t-shirt the day of packet pick-up, you can add a delivery charge of $4 per item to have your items shipped. Any registrations received after December 2 will receive the information and are eligible for prizes, but the t-shirt will not be available until January.

Jingle Hiker & Friend 2019

the end of 2020 in a healthy way.”

This year’s park locations include: Knobloch Woods, Mascoutah; Baebler Farm, Waterloo; Three Springs Park, Shiloh; Salt Lick Point Land and Water Reserve, Valmeyer; Glazebrook Park, Godfrey; Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton; Irongate Trail Preserve, Greenville; Greenspace East, Glen Carbon; Pleasant Ridge Park, Fairview Heights; Bi-Centennial Park, Belleville; Randolph County Conservation Area, Chester; and Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve, Collinsville. See maps to the right.

A map brochure of all twelve parks and instructions will be available at Toolen’s Running Start. More information and a printable map can also be found online at https:// www.heartlandsconservancy.org/ jinglecontest.php

HeartLands Conservancy created the Jingle Hike Challenge to increase awareness of the Metro East's outstanding parks and natural areas.

"This year, the Jingle Hike means more than ever before," said Mary Vandevord, President and CEO of HeartLands Conservancy. “Getting outdoors safely during the pandemic is important for both mental and physical health. We hope that the Jingle Hike Challenge will help people get through

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

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Meanderings 2020 December

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HEARTLANDS CONSERVANCY OUTDOOR CLASSROOM: SCHEMATIC DESI 1

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3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 - A Raindrop’s Journey - From Gutter to Lake: Demonstrates the path of rainwater throughout the topography: disconnected downspouts, rain barrel, rain garden, wet meadow, riparian buffers, swales, wetland, into the lake, etc.).

5 - Native Reforestation & Woodland Gardens: The existing tree line will be further planted with trees and the turf will be transformed into a woodland area with spring ephemerals, forbs, flowering shrubs, and forest.

9 - Bald Cypress & Knee Contemplation Circle: Bald cypresses will create a circle of contemplation to wander through and experience a shoreline habitat while they provide an evergreen backdrop and shade for the amphitheater.

2 - Interpretation & Demonstration Stations: Throughout the site there will be 18+ constructed demonstration beds with art and signs.

6 - Rockery & Log Habitat – Fungi & Friends: A rockery with stones and logs will educator visitors on types of fungi, the cycle of fallen logs, and plants and critters that inhabit them.

3 - Sand Prairie, Micro-meadow & Plaza Overlook: The first golf green and sandtraps will be transformed into a sand prairie and pollinator meadow.

7 - Wet Meadow & Riparian Shore Edge: The these native plantings frame the beach.

10 - Flat Rock Beach & Water Exploration Station: The stone beach and shoreline provides a signature landscape on axis with the fountain and the plaza. Continuing the theme shoreline planting as mention in [9], but here low-lying plant life that provide assistance in improving water quality.

4 - Meadows with Mown Paths: The existing fairway will be transformed into braided meadows.

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8 - The Old Snag Tree with Chomps, the Beaver: The Old Snag, a dead tree that still stands, plays an important role in a landscape and will remain. This particular tree has been the favored tooth sharpening stump for a beaver who resides nearby in the creek.

11 - Fountains (installed by others): Fountains will improve water quality, oxygen levels, lowering water temperatures, and potentially decrease bad algae blooms.

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

A (d ga st In 1 to n ve Sa M se w N P w R W T B Fl Fo

Exploration Garden at Clinton Hills Conservation Park Restoration work begins at Swansea Clinton Hills Conservation Park.

If you have visited the Swansea Clinton Hills Conservation Park lately, you have seen the changes happening to the six-acre area behind the pavilion.

The area is being transformed into a native habitat for people of all ages and abilities to explore, experience, and learn about nature. This area will be the HeartLands Conservancy Exploration Garden with an outdoor classroom. HeartLands Conservancy will implement the full vision over several phases and years. Phase one is currently underway thanks to grants from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and the American Water Charitable Foundation.

HeartLands Conservancy will replace four acres of grass with a meadow of native wildflowers thanks to a Pollinator Meadows Grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and a donation from the St. Clair County West Rotary Foundation. Our contractor, DJM Ecological Services, is installing this portion of the project. They began by killing the grass this fall to prepare the soil for new, native seed in January.

HeartLands and DJM will conduct monthly follow-up inspections throughout 2021 to ensure the new seeds survive and thrive.

“It will be a little unsightly at first,” said Sarah Vogt, Conservation Manager for HeartLands Conservancy, “but the beautiful flowers and the wildlife they attract will be worth the wait.”

Besides being beautiful, the wildflowers that will sprout next spring will come with ecological benefits.

The types selected have evolved in our region over millennia, so they are perfectly suited for our climate and are excellent food sources for wildlife like birds and butterflies. The plants will also be drought-tolerant, requiring less water than most non-native flowers.

The second project starting this fall is the installation of a rain garden, which is funded by the American Water Charitable Foundation. Rain gardens capture and temporarily hold rainwater to slowly absorb into the ground. This prevents rainwater from running across the surface to the nearest storm drain or creek, reducing flooding, pollution, and erosion.

how rainwater eventually becomes drinking water. In October, volunteers removed an old flower bed and prepped the rain garden construction site. Volunteers will install plants this Spring.

Future phases include: adding walking paths, a plaza, and demonstration plant beds, planting more trees along the edge of the pollinator meadow and trails, finishing the Rain Drop’s Journey feature education about Chomps the Beaver’s home and work, creating an amphitheater, and other features.

For more information or to volunteer or donate, please visit https:// www.heartlandsconservancy. org/outdoorclassroom.php. The Exploration Garden is located at 1524 Clinton Hills Parkway, Swansea, IL 62226.

The rain garden will be at the beginning of a feature called A Rain Drop’s Journey. Educational signs will allow visitors to follow a raindrop from the roof to the lake and explain

Meanderings 2020 December

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What’s the BIG DEAL about We hear it all the time at HeartLands Conservancy, “You all only care about bunnies and butterflies!”

The implication here is that bunnies and butterflies are fragile, and so we as an organization are weak and fragile, too. Frequently the speaker means these creatures are not significant compared to building a gas station or tearing down a forest for apartments.

So, let’s clear the air. Yes, at HeartLands Conservancy, we proudly declare that we care deeply about bunnies and butterflies. We care about all parts of the ecosystem, from the bacteria in the soil to birds in the sky. We don’t believe that nature should be considered separate from communities.

We believe that no matter where you live or your circumstance in southwestern Illinois, you should have access to clean air, places for nature to thrive, and high-quality outdoor experiences. We aren’t shy about it.

We stand firmly by it.

But we aren’t naive or living in fantasyland. We are supportive of development in southwestern Illinois.

People need homes, jobs, education, income, places to have fun. People need food stores, banks, and (gasp) gas stations.

Conservation only works if both development and a healthy environment are equitably available to the people of southwestern Illinois.

Our mission is all about nurturing community and preserving what people love about living here as the region grows.

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A story from our work supporting a community garden through our Lots of Love program this year illustrates this perfectly:

Five-year-old Remi Gutierrez is a frequent visitor to the garden, especially during shut-downs due to the pandemic. Remi’s favorite things to do while visiting the garden were picking food to take to his grandmother, tasting the foods he chose, and observing the caterpillars that munched on milkweed plants. Remi and the site steward even had an ongoing activity where Remi would ask her how many caterpillars she had found on a given morning, and Remi would try to match her count.

On one occasion, after observing the bees buzzing around the many flowers in the garden, Remi turned to his mother and said, “The garden is here for all the neighbors, and butterflies are neighbors, too.”

Butterflies have been around for at least 50 million years. And yes, they are fragile. But that fragility makes them quick to react to change. If butterflies are struggling to survive or are absent from a place, it is a severe warning about our environment.

When an area is filled with our butterfly neighbors, it means that area is likely rich in other wildlife.

Collectively these creatures provide a range of benefits, including pollination, pest control, and food sources.

And they are quite beautiful, too.

But, butterflies, like the iconic Monarch butterfly, are declining significantly. From 1994 to 2014, the number of monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains declined by 1 BILLION. The decline is a troubling indicator of overall environmental health. But communities - and you - can make a big difference.

HeartLands Conservancy has long been supporting conservation efforts within southwestern Illinois communities. Some of our efforts include the Lots of Love program (vacant lots to habitat or gardens), Conservation@Home, habitat restorations, outdoor classrooms, and our partnerships with regional parks departments and communities to conserve and restore habitat for butterflies and all the other wildlife that need it to survive.

Our region CAN work together to support both conservation and economic vitality for our human neighbors and our butterfly neighbors.

If you want to be a part of this movement, please consider joining us with a $100 gift (see enclosed envelope) this holiday season, with your time as a volunteer or participant in programs, or as a general supporter of this vital work.

So, here’s to bunnies and butterflies… and resilient development for communities that supports these creatures, too.

Sincerely, All of us at HeartLands Conservancy

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

butterflies, anyway?

Painted Lady Butterfly at Henry White Native Garden by Kerry Brethauer Meanderings 2020 December

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2019 Annual Report The Year of Firsts!

2019 was a year of ‘firsts’ for HeartLands Conservancy. Here’s all the firsts: • A staff member (our President & CEO) served on the new Illinois Governor (JB Pritzker’s) Transition Team for Energy and the Environment in early 2019.

• The HeartLands Conservancy headquarters moved to a new location (Belleville) for the first time in our 30 year history. We celebrated with a ribbon cutting on our 30th Anniversary - November 26, 2019!

• We hosted our first press event.

• Our organization was specifically named on the floor of the US House of Representatives and in a house bill (thank you, Rep. Bost!).

• HeartLands Conservancy was specifically named in a US Senate bill (thank you Sen. Durbin!).

• HeartLands Conservancy testified in Congress for the first time to support Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park.

• The Hiking Club launched with 300+ people participating in the first year.

• We launched the Conservation@ Home program for the southwestern Illinois region in 2019, thanks to our friends at The Conservation Foundation in Naperville.

organization’s history to improve watershed health and drainage in the Canteen Creek watershed (Madison and St. Clair Counties).

That’s a lot of firsts! Thank you for sharing in this year of firsts with us. Your support has made a huge difference for southwestern Illinois.

The following pages illustrate the positive impact your support of HeartLands Conservancy has made to the region’s natural resources.

• We ended the year by receiving the largest IEPA grant in our

It’s All in the Numbers 2019 Audit & Financial Information Much of HeartLands Conservancy’s work involves targeted real estate transactions and associated relationship building, due diligence, deal-making, and fundraising.

Sometimes we buy a property and steward it permanently. In other cases, we buy land to save it from imminent loss and later transfer it to a permanent steward (e.g., parks department, conservation-minded individual, or a state or federal agency).

In other scenarios, we empower a partner to make the purchase by negotiating the terms, securing funding, and managing or assisting with the acquisition on their

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behalf. Because of this, our finances can look very different from year to year.

In 2019, we expanded our Kathleen Scanlan Conservation Area along the Kaskaskia River with special funding from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. We also purchased two inholdings of the Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge. These inholdings will eventually be transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to make management of the refuge easier.

Audited Financial Information Current Assets

2019

2018

884,358

676,398

Land

2,738,358

2,667,479

Other Assets

1,079,841

1,391,346

Total Assets

4,702,557

4,735,223

Current Liabilities

1,200,815

1,333,694

Invested in land

2,738,358

2,667,479

Without Donor Restrictions With Donor Restrictions

219,265

143,638

544,119

590,412

4,702,557

4,735,223

Unrestricted Net Assets

Liabilities + Net Assets

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

Engage People Letters of Support

943

436

HOURS

Get Active

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Trek & Hiking Club Participants

506

2380

PARTICIPANTS

Public Surveys

496

Sidewalks Analyzed

5280

lf

IN HLC PROJECTS & PROGRAMS

Protect Water Stream Analyzed

887

6

miles

5283

Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) Types Installed

lf

Communities Analyzed & Planned

Non-point Source Pollution Reduction by Projects Implemented Sediment 700 tons/yr Phosphorus 925 lbs/yr Nitrogen 1587 lbs/yr

Implemented H20 Projects

2162

lf

Conserve Land

Trails & Sidewalks Planned

Restore Habitat

Newly Conserved

7

Square Miles

Volunteer

HOURS

New Habitat Restoration

409

307

acres

364

acres

Volunteers

Forest 91 acres

Wetlands 158 acres

Farmland 160 acres

Trees Planted Invasive Removal Trees Inventoried

26,000

Funding: How We Earned It

Federal, State, & Local Government Grants $720,759 Foundations $ 55,286 Fee for Service $ 27,003 Corporate & Individual Giving $ 88,819 Investments, In-Kind, Misc $153,887

Total $1,045,754

187 Hours

10,800

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How We Spent It

Land & Water Conservation Program

$117,761 Resilient Communities Program $478,192 Engagement & Education Program $ 19,653 Management $191,026 Fundraising $ 92,615 Total

$899,248

Meanderings 2020 December 13 Meanderings 2020 December 13

2019 Contributors AARP Glenda and Kevin Abney Bill and Kay Ahaus Kris Ainsworth Blake and Suzanne Alberter Rob Anderson James Andrew Emily Andrews Anonymous Bill and Marie-France Armstrong Kimberly and Mark Atkins Kenneth and Linda Aud Jeremy Bearth Belleville Optometry, Ltd. Scott and Shelli Bement Mary Biernot Annie Blatt Frederick Blume William and Christine Boardman Larry Brammer Susan and Kerry Brethauer Darrell and Dawn Brink Monica Bristow Amy Brockman Dale and Carol Brockmann Jim Brown Janet Buchanan Ralph Buettner Sally Burgess Susan Cantonwine Brenda and Brad Chandler Sean Childers City of Belleville City of Collinsville City of Columbia City of Edwardsville City of Greenville City of Highland City of Lebanon City of Mascoutah City of Murphysboro City of O’Fallon City of Red Bud City of Troy City of Waterloo Civil Design, Inc. Brent and Faith Clark Tim Cleary Clinton County Farm Bureau Laura Cohen Tom and Eloise Cohoon Kay Connolly 14

The Conservation Fund Elaine Cueto Liz & Daniel Dahlmann Maupin William and Jeanne Dahlmann Carl and Penelope Daubach Linda Davis Gail and Mike DeVilbiss Donna Dougherty Diane Drake Amanda Duffin Brian and Anne Dulski Marshall Dyer Egyptian Workspace Partners Anonymous Marilyn and Tom Fahey Patrick E. Fahey Trust Isaac Faibisoff Tim Faltus Farm Credit Illinois Farnsworth Group Pam and Chris Farrar Christine Favilla Melvin Feig Freeburg Printing and Publishing, Inc. Mike and Joann Fricke Helen Gallagher Grace Garin Don Gaston Sharon Geil David and Carol Gentry Cathy Gilchrist Toni and Clare Goelz Jamie Grathwohl-Koch Patty Gregory Edna Grench Bill Grisley Brett Grotefendt Marla and Don Gursh Janet Haroian Myra Hart Ted and Julie Harvey Robb and Pam Hass Julie Heberer Jacob Heck Jane Helms Sue Herren Susan Hertich Tom and Mary Hewlett Robert and Donna Hilgenbrink Chuck and Donna Hill Kathy Hillen Gaileen Hoenig

Representative Jay Hoffman Ron and Susan Holevoet Gary and Christine Huelsmann Katie and Steve Hughes Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Illinois Enviromental Protection Agency Illinois Legislative Sportman’s Caucus William Jacober Daniel Jansen Jeff and Emily Kinard Jennifer and Tim Malacarne Judith Joy Junior Service Club of St. Clair County Kaskaskia Regional Port District Darren and Carolyn Kehoe Matthew Kelly Marty and Linda Kemper Susan Kim Wayne Kinney Tom and Barb Kinsella Denny and Jo Kirkham Vince Klakovich James and Laura Klein Anne Koleson Anonymous Cheryl Kowalczyk Bo and Lori Kratschmer Ted and Linda Krauskopf Chris Krusa Joan Lame Nancy Larson and Bill O’Hara Ronda Latina Mary Laurent Carol LeFevre Deborah Lexow Carol Lieb Penni Livingston & Phil Greene Kerl Luly Laura Lyon and Tim Busse Madison County Madison County Farm Bureau Madison County SWCD Geraldine Mancino Carol Manning Robert Massa Virginia McCall Medtronic Foundation Representative Charles Meier Kathy Meier Metro East Park & Recreation District Ellie Miller Cindy Mittanck

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

Valerie Mollet Jane Morris Colonel Michael R Morrow (Ret) Eric and Mary Mueth Nelson & Nelson Attorneys at Law, P.C. Robert C. and Katherine Nelson Michael Ness Kenneth and Mary Nettleton Debbie Newman Elizabeth Newton Mary Ellen Niemietz Paul and Julie Niesen Mitze Nitzsche Joy Noonan Anonymous Mike and Kim O’Bryan Toni and Don Oplt Libby E Oxenham Joel Pesapane Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery Prairie du Rocher Levee District Prairie State Generating Company, LLC Dean Pruitt Pufalt-Pauley Insurance Agency, Inc. William Rable and Libby Reuter Randolph County SWCD Bill and Connie Rathmann Michael Reeb E. William Reichert III Kathleen Reifschneider Larry Reuss Rudi Roeslein Lynne Rose Roger and Dianne Ross Bill Rupert John I and Denise D Schaberg Laura Schaefer Mona Scheibel David Schmalbeck Zane and Connie Schneider David and Carolee Schrader Cindy and Jay Schuessler Cliff and Christy Schuette Glen and Linda Schuetz Scott Credit Union Patricia Shaffer SIA Electronics Inc. Silver Creek Garden Club John Sloan, PhD Chuck Solinski Sophia and Elmer Oerter Charitable Foundation

St. Clair County Farm Bureau St. Louis Community Foundation Mary Steibel Studio Archaeos Michelle Swanson Barb Taylor Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis The Gori Law Firm David Tiedemann Rachel Tompkins and Cartney James John and Lynne Troyan USDA Forest Service Carole Valencia Richard and Deborah Vandevord Robert and Mary Vandevord Village of Fayetteville Village of Glen Carbon Village of Godfrey Village of Hamel Village of Marine Village of Shiloh Village of Smithton Village of Swansea Connie Vogt Mary Von Tobel Sheila Voss Walker and Williams P.C. Terry and Charlotte Walther Emily Warner Waterloo Park District Robert Weck Ed and Kathi Weilbacher Leo and Kay Welch Don Welge Brian and Jaynie Wells Anne Werner Wetlands Forever, Inc. Laura and William Wheeler Jody and Stephanie White William Whittaker Sarah Willey Stewart and Kathleen Wilson Melissa and Alex Wolfe Monty Wolfe Katy Wonnacott Roberta Wood Costel and Lisa Zamfir

In-Kind Contributions

Alpine Shop, Ltd. Demetria’s Dancewear and Costumes Grimm & Gorly Florist & Gifts, Inc. Property Peddler Inc. Toolen’s Running Start Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of this listing. Please contact Kim O’Bryan with questions or corrections.

Kim.obryan@heartlandsconservancy.org or 618-566-4451 ext 10.

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Help Keep the Water Clean this Winter We Can All Do Our Part The region’s lakes, rivers, and creeks provide the drinking water for humans and livestock, pets, and wildlife. These waters also provide irrigation for farms, habitat for fish and wildlife, and recreation opportunities that have become increasingly important during these strange times.

While our nation’s water quality has drastically improved since the 1960s when rivers routinely caught fire (thank you, Clean Water Act!), several waterways in southern Illinois still have pollutant levels above recommended guidelines. Protecting our water is important year-round, and in winter, particular actions can help reduce the amount of water pollution coming from communities, fields, and yards.

Road Salt and De-Icing Sodium chloride, or road salt, is widely applied to roads, parking lots, sidewalks, and driveways to improve travel safety. This valuable safety measure, however, has considerable negative impacts on water.

When the temperatures increase, the salt does not evaporate. Instead, more than half of the applied salt washes into lakes and streams and, the chloride settles into the deepest areas of our region’s waterways, reducing oxygen in the water and causing harm to fish and other water dwellers. The sodium from road salt can then enter

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drinking water sources causing levels that may become harmful to people with heart problems and high blood pressure. The other half of the applied salt sinks into the ground, killing beneficial soil bacteria and seeping into the groundwater that many people use for drinking water.

So, what can you do instead? Here are some alternatives with fewer impacts on water: Apply magnesium chloride to surfaces before winter storms to decrease the need for a salt application.

For driveways and walkways, the best alternative is to shovel early and often.

You can then determine where a deicing agent is needed, if at all.

Fields and Home Vegetable Gardens When fields and vegetable gardens lay bare in the winter months, the exposed soil is highly susceptible to wind and water erosion. This erosion carries away the soil’s nutrients needed for healthy crops and deposits them instead in lakes and creeks. This causes health issues for wildlife and making drinking water more costly to treat.

So, what do we recommend?

COVER CROPS! For agriculture: Plant cover crops in the fall after corn and soybeans have been harvested. This can reduce

nutrient loss by 50% and erosion by 90%. Cereal rye, winter wheat, and lentils are just a few of the options.

Although the initial cost of introducing cover crops can be a hurdle because of special equipment needed, the consistent use of cover crops increases yields and profits for farmers. The State of Illinois agrees; check out Illinois Department of Agriculture’s program: “Fall Covers for Spring Savings”.

For your home vegetable garden: Cover crops act as a living mulch in your home garden. When planted late in the growing season (early fall), the plants will die over winter and wilt, creating a weed barrier for you in the Spring. Winter peas and oats are some of the many options.

Leave the Leaves, But...

You may hear us tout the benefits of leaving your fall leaves in your landscape to benefit wildlife.

This practice provides cover for overwintering pollinators and other critters that use the leaves for warmth and shelter. However, leaving leaves should be practiced with some additional care for those of us living in town. Autumn leaf litter contributes significant amounts of phosphorus to stormwater, which reduces oxygen levels in lakes and streams. As you might have guessed, low oxygen causes fish and other wildlife survival problems. It also contributes to algae

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blooms that can release toxins, making it unsafe for humans, too.

What’s more is that if leaves are allowed to accumulate in your street gutters, they eventually clog storm drains and storm sewers. Clogged storm sewers cause snowmelt and rainwater to pool up on the street and in your yard instead of draining into the system.

So, what can you do?

Rake your leaves away from the street and drainage areas, and use them to cover your landscape beds. Think of it like mulch, and leave them there until Spring (late March or early April, typically) to help wildlife. Bag up what you cannot fit in the beds for community leaf collection.

preventing flooding!

Applying these simple practices in your community, garden, or agricultural practice makes it easy for you to be a part of protecting the region’s water.

HeartLands Conservancy may be able to help you with erosion issues on your streambank, shoreline, or riparian zone. For a consultation or to understand options, please contact Tyler Burk, Project Manager, at tyler.burk@ heartlandsconservancy.org or call (618) 566-4451 ext 25

Participate in your community’s leaf collection program. Check with your local municipality about its requirements. Each city is different.

Use your lawnmower to mulch your leaves, which will help fertilize your lawn without using harmful chemicals. Leaf mulch can be spread in landscaping to keep beds warm over winter.

Compost your leaves to use in your garden. Those crunchy brown leaves are essential for balanced compost.

Keep your street’s gutters and storm drains clear of leaves and debris. Your entire neighborhood will thank you for Photo by USFWS Meanderings 2020 December

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Eastern Witch hazel (Photo: MOBOT.org)

Christmas Fern (Photo: MOBOT.org)

Winterberry (Photo: Gardenia.net)

Plant This, Not That...Winter Interest in Your Landscape Deck the Halls with boughs of holly Fa la la la la la. la. la. la.

As the holiday season is upon us, you may catch this familiar tune in your head. But with what kind of holly are they decking those halls? Since this is a song of Welsh and English origin, we can conclude people most likely decked their halls with English Holly (Ilex aquifolium), native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia.

In pagan times, Holly was thought to be a male plant and Ivy a female plant.

An old tradition from the Midlands of England says that the one brought into the house first in winter tells you whether the house’s man or woman would rule that year! But it was unlucky to bring either into a home before Christmas Eve. When Christianity came to England, they adopted Holly as a Christmas symbol, in which the prickly leaves represent the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when he was crucified. The berries represent the drops of blood that were shed by Jesus because of the thorns.

So if you want to deck your yard with plants that add some winter interest and celebrate the holiday season, holly may be a good one, but not English Holly. English Holly is not hardy enough for our climate, which is fortunate because it has become an invasive problem on the west coast.

Luckily, a couple of Illinois native varieties are available to try.

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First is American Holly, Ilex Opaca, which has the classic pointy leaves and will grow red berries, but only if there is a male and female plant. Another native option is winterberry, Ilex verticillata. This plant loses its leaves in the winter but holds on to its scarlet red berries for garden color and birds to eat.

Now let’s talk about Ivy, a less popular but still traditional symbol of the holidays. Ivy often accompanies Holly.

Think of that old English Christmas song, The Holly and Ivy. While these are most certainly referencing English Ivy, you should not use English Ivy in your landscape! As a ground cover, it does a poor job and is aggressive and highly invasive. Instead of Ivy, consider native groundcovers as alternatives: Wild ginger, stonecrop, sedges, roundleaf groundsel, sedges, creeping phlox, and Robin’s plantain.

What other plants can help add interest to your garden during an otherwise drab time of year? Try these: • Switchgrass - Leave the feathery grass standing over the winter to provide food and cover for critters while adding texture to your space.

• Eastern blazing star - Keep their shape and seeds long into the winter, providing food for birds.

• All coneflowers - The dark seedheads provide contrast in the garden and a buffet for birds.

• Goldenrods - Fluffy seed heads add beautiful winter texture to the landscape.

• Witch hazel - This shrub or small tree shows it yellow blooms when you’d least expect them.

Eastern witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) typically bloom from late October to December. Ozark witch hazels (Hamamelis vernalis) flower between January and March.

• Christmas fern - With a traditional fountain-like shape, this two-foottall fern stays green year-round.

• Conifers - Shortleaf pine, white pine, red pine, and eastern red cedar are native evergreens that look stunning in the snow.

Plan for more four-season interest in your landscape now, and watch for native species of interest in our Spring & Fall Conservation at Home & Gardens Sales (see page 3 for dates).

• • •

X

Don’t plant English Ivy (Photo: KENPEIs)

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Fresh, green gourd & dried gourd

Sanding gourd to remove weathering

Holes cut & perches installed

An Adventure in Backyard Winter Birding

By Katie Siech, Environmental Programs Associate

This winter, while we’re all overcoming the challenges of a pandemic, I recommend attracting birds to your backyard by setting up multiple bird feeders with various seeds and a birdbath. The benefits will be mutual.

While my family tries to keep birds coming to our yard throughout the whole year, I thought it would be a fun project for my preschooler to help make a bird feeder out of the gourds we grew in our vegetable garden.

Making bird feeders out of gourds can be as simple as cutting a freshly picked gourd in half, scooping out the seeds, and filling it with bird feed (including the seeds from the gourd). It can also be more complex, which, of course, is what my four-year-old insisted. Gourds require drying times that vary from one to six months, depending on size.

We had a dried gourd from last year that was perfect.

To begin, we started sanding the

Decorated & filled - ready for the birds!

dried gourd to remove mold from the surface. How gourds weather can be pretty; however, we decided to sand it off in case we wanted to paint it or stain it.

We then pulled out our power tools.

As it turns out, our Dremel was perfect for drilling holes, shaping, and fine sanding the openings for birds.

However, you can also use sandpaper and a rotary tool if those are readily available to you. After shaping the gaps for birds to access their food, we drilled small holes near the bottom and stuck kabob-sticks through the gourd. These act as perches for birds.

There are many ways to make the perches, but this seemed to be the quickest and easiest. We then drilled a hole near the top of the gourd to tie a hanger through. As you can see (top right photo), our gourd was ready to decorate.

At this point, we could have painted or stained our bird-feeder for special effects. However, my four-year-old

was excited to use the glue gun for the first time, so she decided it was time we glued acorns to the gourd. She carefully pulled out all the best acorns from her collection, and we added our decorations. I added finishing touches by gluing the perches in place and further sanding dried glue (bottom left photo). For longer-lasting bird feeders, you can use an outdoor varnish to seal it from the elements.

The final product was a fun lesson for my preschooler in using tools (with supervision) and why it’s important to feed birds in the cold months of the year. Immediately after filling, she and I enjoyed seeing chickadees, cardinals, and woodpeckers.

Pro Tip: Recent studies have shown that attracting many bird species to a bird feeder can increase the likelihood of transmitting pathogens from bird to bird. One way to counter this is to fill bird feeders with a feed specific to a few birds and another feeder with a different kind of feed. In this manner, this can still bring diversity to your home while ensuring the birds’ health.

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PHOTO CHALLENGE: Bucks, Ducks, & Trophies Nov 15 - Jan 15

Hunting is a vital wildlife management tool.

Many animals lack the natural predators that once existed in our area to maintain healthy population levels compatible with human activity. Perhaps more importantly, hunting fosters an appreciation for nature.

Hunters develop an enhanced knowledge of and respect for wildlife as they spend time in forests, lakes, and prairies. Hunters witness wildlife movement and behavior, experience weather patterns, and develop a profound appreciation for the world around them.

We would like to celebrate the hunters in our region by hosting a “Bucks, Ducks, & Trophies“ photo contest from November 15th through January 15th! Show us your wild game, whether living or harvested, by submitting your photos to photo@ heartlandsconservancy.org. If you are an avid wildlife photographer, we would like to see your shots, too!

Our Facebook followers will choose the winner of this photo contest during the week of January 18th. Participants should email their photos/stories to photo@ heartlandsconservancy.org with the subject Bucks, Ducks, & Trophies.

Photos must be of southern Illinois. Please include your name, title of the photograph, company name (if applicable), address, and phone number. If your photography business is on Facebook, please include the link so we can tag your page.* Send up to 10 images per theme, per person.

Watermarks (along the bottom edge) are allowed, and HeartLands Conservancy will give photo credit. Please send digital photos at 300dpi. *By entering, you allow HeartLands Conservancy to use your images in presentations, exhibits, and digital and print media with proper credit and attribution.

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The Fruits of Your Labor We asked participants to send in their pictures along with a short story about the things they learned throughout the 2020 gardening season during our last photo contest. One participant, Jenny Reiman of Belleville, sent a compelling story with her photo contest submission.

Story by Jenny Reiman, Belleville The summer of 2020 was a season of firsts for me, a former veggie hater: • First time working from home • First time composting kitchen scraps • First time using a rain barrel system • First time growing a vegetable garden • First time growing dahlias (and sunflowers and zinnias and hollyhocks) • First time eating cherry tomatoes right off the vine, like candy • First time enjoying Lima beans (!)

In March, when my son and I began "the stay at home time," we planted a few seeds in egg cartons and pots for a fun science activity. In April, my husband helped us set up four straw bales to make a quick, inexpensive raised garden bed. By May, we had planted eight vegetable plants in the straw bale garden and started some onions and carrots. We planted herbs and nasturtiums in a window box we could enjoy from inside the house.

The summer rolled by with the routine of watering and harvesting the fruits of our labor, giving us a way to mark the days and weeks that passed. My son made friends with the birds in the backyard by offering them fat hornworms he plucked off our tomato plants. I made salsa with my tomatoes,

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onions, jalapeĂąos, and cilantro. We decided the swallowtail caterpillars could have the parsley in the window box but not our delicious carrots. I sat at the desk in my home office, working at my computer and keeping watch out the window for our resident groundhog (and the rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks) who enjoyed the fruits of our labor, too.

This picture is my simple lunch on a Wednesday in October when I wished the quiet routine of summer with a garden could last just a little longer. It is also evidence of lessons learned and the silver lining I found in the disruption of 2020. The BLT is made with my own just-picked lettuce and my last really big, vineripened 'German Queen' heirloom tomato of the season. The dahlias are supposed to be dinner plate size, but they aren't quite that big because I underestimated their need for something strong to lean on when the wind got rough. The broken ones still bloomed beautifully under the circumstances. The tomatoes in the bowl are a little under-ripe, but the reason for their early picking makes me smile. I picked them all-- each one mostly green-- on the day I tore out my tiny first garden to make way for a bigger garden with raised beds. The rotted straw bales are now rich, wormfilled compost to fill the new raised beds. Next year will be better.

Winner ^ Debbie Laverty Finalists: Middle: Jenny Reiman see story to the left

Bottom: Debbie Laverty

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Board Member Charlie Meier

Board Member Steve Parrish

Thank YOU for Your Dedication!

Charlie Meier: A Decade (Plus!) of Service to the Nature of Southwestern Illinois

By Ed Weilbacher, Vice-President Where do I begin to share the contribution that Charlie Meier has made to HeartLands Conservancy and southwestern Illinois? Charlie began his tenure of public service to the region well before his appointment to the Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation and Development (SWI RC&D) to the Board. (SWI RC&D changed its name to HeartLands Conservancy in 2011).

Charlie was a leader in High School, serving as an officer in FFA. He is active in many local organizations in Washington County and Okawville, IL. When he was appointed to the SWI RC&D in 2008, he was serving as a County Board Member for Washington Co. Once assigned to the board, he immediately rolled up his sleeves to dig into the work of the region.

At each Field to Fork event Charlie would donate a cornucopia of produce that he grew on the farm that has been in his family for over 100 years. He would open up his home to winning bidders for a gourmet meal of many home-grown, direct from the farm, ingredients, and dishes. He welcomed many not-forprofit groups with open arms to his home for similar smorgasbords of hearty food, preserves, and desserts.

As a board member of HeartLands Conservancy, Charlie was always thinking of what he could do to enhance the 22

region and protect natural resources.

He would bring ideas and leads to the board and staff for consideration, always looking forward to what would be better for the region.

One of my first projects with Charlie was building a wind turbine for a farm, but the project was also an educational tool for schools to learn about alternative energy. It is Charlie’s inherent nature to help others. In 2009, he was awarded the State of Illinois Conservation Farm Family of the Year.

In 2012, he ran for and won a race for State Representative for the 108th district to further his dedication to community service. Even as State Representative Charlie has found the time to continue to serve as a board member of HeartLands Conservancy.

He has been working hand in hand with CEO Mary Vandevord to reduce flooding at Scott Air Force Base. He is turning over every rock possible to find solutions to the Kaskaskia River Watershed’s natural resource problems, where Scott Air Force Base is located.

A Fond Farewell to Board Member, Stephen Parrish

Stephen Parrish served on the HeartLands Conservancy Board of Directors from 2016 to 2020, with several years serving as the organization’s Treasurer. A banker with Farmers & Merchants Bank and several other banks over the years, Steve retired this year and has relocated.

“Steve was integral in helping HeartLands Conservancy weather the storm of the State Budget Impasse years when our traditional revenue sources were severely diminished,” said Mary Vandevord, President & CEO. “I am deeply grateful to Steve for his service to the HeartLands’ mission.”

We wish Steve all the best in his retirement and new location!

HeartLands Conservancy, by its policy, has a requirement that Board Members limit their time on the board to allow others in the region to contribute. We celebrate Charlie’s tenure of public service to southwestern Illinois as a 4-term, 12-year Board Member.

We wish him the best, and we know he will continue to serve the region because that is just who Charlie is!

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HeartLands Conservancy Team Retreat at Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve in Collinsville, Illinois

Thank you for Your Growing Support!

Welcome New Members!

HLC Conservation@Home Updates

Thank You to our Sponsors to Date

Congratulations to the most recent Conservation@Home certifications in southwestern Illinois:

Bur Oak

• Bill and Kay Ahaus; • Sharon Geil;

Post Oak

• Ronda Latina; and • Ned Siegel.

These yards showcase dedication to native plants and sustainable yard management, like composting and rainwater harvesting.

Bill and Kay Ahaus

Red Oak

Well done!

For more information on the Conservation@Home Program visit www.heartlandsconservancy.org and click Conservation@Home under the ‘Get Involved’ section.

Pin Oak Sharon Geil

Belleville Optometry, Ltd. Clinton County SWCD Farm Credit Illinois Farnsworth Group J. F. Electric, Inc. Madison County SWCD Pufalt-Pauley Insurance Agency, Inc. Walker and Williams, P.C.

Sapling

Ronda Latina

Ned Siegel

City of Edwardsville Madison Co Planning & Development Memorial Hospitals Belleville -Shiloh Randolph County SWCD St. Clair County Farm Bureau Utilitra Village of Godfrey Village of Swansea Meanderings 2020 December

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5th Annual

Thanksgiving Day - New Year’s Day

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Enjoy the outdoors in southwestern Illinois and enter to win great prizes! $25 to Register (18 years & older) ........................................................................

Sign up at:

Butterflies Are Neighbors, Too. Donors like you bring nature back to neighborhoods in southwestern Illinois.

(See page 10 inside)

HeartLandsConservancy.org/jinglechallenge.php (See page 6 inside)

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3 N. High Street Belleville,IL 62220 (618) 566-4451