Commonfields Summer 2019
Public Awareness for Conservation Board of Directors E. William Reichert, Board Chair Mary Vandevord, President Ronda Latina, Vice Chair William Boardman, Second Vice Chair Stephen Parrish, Treasurer Robert C. Nelson, Secretary Brenda Chandler Dawnesha Johnson Nancy Larson Charlie Meier Cliff Schuette Anne Werner
Managing Team Michael Andreas, Special Projects Shelli Bement, Director of Finance and Administration Landon Brooks, Communications Manager Janet Buchanan, Project Manager Laura L. Lyon, Director of Strategic Initiatives Kim O’Bryan, Director of Development and Events Mary Vandevord, President and CEO Sarah Vogt, Conservation Manager Ed Weilbacher, Vice President Steve Widowski, Wildlife Biologist 3 N High Street Belleville, IL 62220 www.heartlandsconservancy.org info@heartlandsconservancy.org HeartLands Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible. Cover: Smithton barn photo by HeartLands Conservancy
In staying in line with our goals for 2019, HeartLands has sought to elevate the public’s awareness of our conservation efforts throughout southwestern Illinois and beyond. One of our largest impacts has been with The Mounds – America’s First Cities Project. We would like to graciously thank the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, the City of Collinsville, St. Clair County, Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, Representative Mike Bost, and Representative Jay Hoffman for their renewed support of the elevated designation of Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site and other selected Mississippian mound groups to a formal unit of the National Park Service, as the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park. In addition to this project, we have sought to engage the public in a variety of ways, including: the formation of a Hiking Club, led by volunteer Kelsey Sartin, and continuing educational treks and water monitoring events. We have also been working with PGAV Planners and TWM on the Old Town Swansea Streetscape Masterplan. Implementation of this plan will be completed by the end of the year. It also opens the door for more collaborations with the village in the future. Our Hiking Club received a lot of attention this spring, practically going viral on social media, with nearly five thousand people responding to the Facebook event and over 400 people submitting their contact information to learn more about the club. Over 200 people attended the first event, and around 30 attended the second hike despite the flood levels creating a barrier for some folks. Commonfields Summer 2019
All in all, the Hiking Club has proven to be a viable way to increase community engagement for our agency. Botanist Molly Hacker visited the Silver Creek Preserve in Mascoutah, Illinois to identify and discuss common poisonous plants of the region that everyone should be aware of. Species identified included: eastern poison ivy, poison sumac, poison hemlock, wild parsnip, water hemlock, bulb water hemlock, and giant hogweed. Participants learned about the toxicity of each plant and their preferred habitat. One particular plant, water hemlock, is considered one of the most poisonous plants in North America. HeartLands Conservancy also hosted a stream monitoring event in East Fork Silver Creek in June. The event was held at a private farm just outside of Highland, Illinois. Attendees measured stream flow, observed the native habitat, and collected aquatic insects. It was a great way to give people a hands-on experience with conservation. We look forward to continuing this positive growth pattern throughout 2019 and thank you for supporting us in our mission to create resilient communities in southwestern Illinois!
Mary Vandevord
President & CEO
1
2
Dallas Alley: Advocate & Ally In 2013, Dallas Alley’s family decided to fulfill their life-long goal of starting a farm. His father purchased land in Calhoun County, IL and embarked on a new and exciting adventure. It didn’t take long to realize, however, that living in a county with more deer than humans per capita would put a damper on their agricultural aspirations. That’s when Dallas got creative and discovered a particular crop that the deer wouldn’t touch: garlic. Since then, Dallas and his family have cultivated fourteen different varieties of the magical crop, with taste profiles ranging from sweet to bold, and even some that are a bit spicy. His family takes great pride in being one of the only locallysourced, organic garlic farms in the region.
Commonfields Summer 2019
Having spent a great deal of his life outdoors, Dallas has always been conservation-minded. It wasn’t until the April of 2010 Deepwater Horizon Disaster, otherwise known as the BP Oil Spill, when Dallas started to see a greater importance for conservation issues. He realized how imperative responsible environmental planning was, which is what ultimately led to his interest in partnering with HeartLands Conservancy. In addition to being a part-time garlic farmer, Dallas is also the Building and Zoning Director for the Village of Swansea. He serves as the Treasurer for the Illinois Association of Flood Plain and Storm Water Management and serves on the St. Clair County Soil and Water Conservation District Board. One of Dallas’ passions is sustainable landscape. He enjoys his personal native gardens, but also loves sharing this passion with others. That’s why he decided to donate a 200 square foot pollinator garden to last year’s Field to Fork Silent Auction.
He finished the instillation this spring, planting over 30 different natives, including: Irises, Purple Coneflower, Pale Purple Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower (endangered), Blue beard, Milkweed, Aromatic Aster, Columbine, Black-eyed Susan, Salvia and much more. He is donating another pollinator garden this year, but notes that the individual plants will vary, as, “Every pollinator garden should be different.” He says, ideally, you should have a variety of flowers that bloom at different times so that pollinators have food all summer. A major goal Dallas would like to achieve while working with HeartLands is implementation of green infrastructure, specifically around Swansea Creek. He would also like to create an outdoor classroom at the new Clinton Hills Conservation Area and looks forward to the implementation of the Old Town Swansea Streetscape project.
33
Native plants support a large variety of beneficial wildlife. Create a habitat that will attract wildlife such as songbirds and butterflies with our Conservation@Home Program! For a one-time $50 fee, certified landowners will receive a Conservation@Home sign to post proudly in their yard, a one-year membership to HeartLands Conservancy and a yard assessment, which includes ideas to further improve the environmental friendliness of the property. Current member of HeartLands Conservancy can become certified for $25. Contact Sarah Vogt at 618.566.4451 or sarah.vogt@heartlandsconservancy.org for more information.
44
HeartLands Conservancy
Exploring the Outdoor Classroom: Bioblitz 3 On a sunny Friday in April, 7th and 8th grade students from Signal Hill School were lucky enough to spend their science period outside exploring the outdoor classroom. The two classes spent time with their teacher, Mr. Halterman, HeartLands Conservancy staff, and volunteers at the two acre plot tucked in the middle of the Signal Hill neighborhood of Belleville. Groups of students covered the grounds—from the forest to the wetland—photographing, identifying, and documenting the plants, animals, and insects.
Commonfields Summer 2019
The students were most excited to find tadpoles swimming in the ephemeral wetland, deer tracks through the soggy mud, and a snake slithering out from under some old logs. A red winged blackbird flew overhead making its familiar long trill reminiscent of a squeaky garden gate opening. Under rocks, millipedes, rollie pollies (pill bugs), ants, and snails were abundant. A variety of interesting mushroom and fungi grew among the logs. The attractive flowers of the spring blooming forest plants made them easy to identify and fun to photograph. The most popular flowers of the day included columbine, Jacobs’s ladder, celandine poppy, phlox, and roundleaf ragwort. A highlight including sampling the very common, and edible, yellow wood sorrel plant after Mr. Halterman popped some in his mouth. Most of the students tried it and were pleasently surprised with the taste.
Students used guide books and their phones to help identify plants, using the popular iNaturalist app, and document what they found. This event coincided with the City Nature Challenge, so all of their discoveries contributed to the St. Louis area tallies in the global completion. Overall 47 different species were documented on the site that afternoon, however the excitement and interests of the students was abundant. These classes visited the outdoor classroom several times throughout the school year. Each moment they are able to spend in this small piece of nature ignites their curiosity and extinguishes fear of the outdoors. These students, through these experiences, will hopefully become adults who will continue to enjoy the outdoors and care enough about natural areas to help protect them for years to come—and that is the ultimate success.
5
6
benefiting
Field to Fork is a six course farm-totable dinner prepared by local chefs with regionally sourced ingredients. All ingredients are picked within 36 hours of the event, making it one of the freshest meals around! In its 10th year, Field to Fork has raised more than $130,000 for preservation of farmland, natural areas, and wildlife habitat in southwestern Illinois. The evening includes raffles, silent and live auctions, trivia, music, and of course, FOOD! Space is limited and we’re already halfway sold out, get your tickets soon! Member $80 | $550 Table of 8 Non-Member $100 | $750 table of 8
2019 FEATURED CHEFS
ENTERTAINMENT
Kelsi Baker Walden Bakers & Hale
Emcee | Mike Roberts Music | Brent Stewart Music
Evan Buchholz Perennial Artisan Ales
SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2019
Tim Faltus Bellecourt Manor
Doors open, amuses & cocktails 5:00 pm
Krissana Frawley Hi-Pointe Drive-In
Courses begin 6:15 pm
Samatha Mitchell Farmtruk David Sandusky Beast Craft BBQ Co.
Bellecourt Manor 225 East A Street Belleville, IL 62220 RESERVATIONS REQUIRED www.heartlandsconservancy.org or call Kim O’Bryan, Director of Development & Events at 618-566-4451 x 10
Commonfields Summer 2019
7
Featured Sponsor:
Grimm & Gorly Flowers & Gifts is owned by father-son duo, Jeff and Zach Bair. This year, their business is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in Belleville, and their coffee shop, Pour@322, is celebrating its 5th Anniversary. The Bairs have been avid supporters of HeartLands Conservancy over the past several years, donating their time and creative energy to HeartLands Conservancy’s special events and fundraisers. “We go by the motto of Nature’s Architects,” Jeff says, “so Heartlands’ mission aligns with our vision of creating great pieces directly from nature, using the Earth’s natural colors and textures to create something that’s 100% better. If you allow us to be creative with the fresh flowers themselves, you can’t go wrong.”
8
In addition to being HeartLands Conservancy supporters, the Bair’s support many local organizations and were given a 2018 Business Excellence Award by the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce. They are also proud of being good corporate citizens, who purchase all of their flowers from an organic farm in northern Illinois. The farm even ships their products in 100% natural creek water. “It doesn’t get any more organic than that,” says Jeff.
...................................
Help Celebrate HeartLands’ Anniversary with “$30 for 30” This is a big year for HeartLands Conservancy—our 30th anniversary! Since 1989, we have preserved 9,000 acres of land and wildlife habitat, worked toward cleaner drinking water in 10 watersheds, planned thousands of miles of trails, and educated thousands on the benefits of nature.
We have only been successful because of the generous donors and volunteers who care deeply for our region.
Thank You to Our Sponsors (as of 6/19/19) POST OAK
PIN OAK
Alpine Shop Belleville Optometry, Ltd. Clinton County SWCD Davey Resource Group, Inc. Farm Credit Illinois Gori Julian & Associates, P.C. Pufalt-Pauley Insurance Agency, Inc. SunCoke Energy GCO Walker & Williams, P.C.
SAPLING CHINKAPIN OAK
RED OAK
Commonfields Summer 2019
Civil Design, Inc. Madison County SWCD Randolph County SWCD Scott Credit Union St. Clair County Farm Bureau Interested in becoming a sponsor? There are a variety of ways you can support our conservation efforts. Contact Kim O’Bryan (618566-4451 x 10, kim.obryan@ heartlandsconservancy.org) to learn more about HeartLands Conservancy’s sponsorship opportunities.
In honor of our 30th anniversary, we’re asking you to donate 30 dollars for 30 years (or another amount meaningful to you) to accelerate the impact of conservation in the Metro East for the next 30 years and beyond. To donate, simply fill out and return the enclosed envelope or visit our website. Thank you for helping to preserve nature in the St. Louis Metro East.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS Madison Co. Planning & Development Village of Swansea City of Belleville City of Collinsville City of Columbia City of Greenville City of Highland City of Lebanon City of Mascoutah City of O’Fallon City of Red Bud City of Troy City of Waterloo East St. Louis Park District Metro East Park & Recreation District Village of Bethalto Village of Fayetteville Village of Freeburg Village of Glen Carbon Village of Hamel Village of Hecker Village of Marine Village of New Baden Village of Shiloh Village of Smithton Waterloo Park District
9
Bee supportive!
We are proud to say that our members make southwestern Illinois a better place. Whether they are planting trees, preserving their own natural area or farm, cleaning up a park, spreading the word about conservation, or just participating in one of our events, your impacts echo across our region.
THANK YOU, MEMBERS, FOR ALL YOU DO! 10
Save the Date! Our 30th Anniversary Celebration on the Becky Thatcher River Boat has been rescheduled for Friday, October 25, 2019. See our website for more details, https://www.heartlandsconservancy. org/annualdinner.php
www.HeartLandsConservancy.org 3 N High Street Belleville, IL 62220 (618) 566-4451