WILL BENEFIT FROM GRANTS–Pictured is an Illinois state-threatened Missouri Coneflower in one of the glades that will be restored at the White Rock Land and Water Reserve. Opening up the glade to more sunlight and putting prescribed fire to it will increase the numbers of this rare plant. This restoration work is possible with an Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship grant. Photo courtesy of Joann Fricke.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently announced 10 Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship (NAS) grants totaling $500,000 for land trusts in Illinois to support stewardship on land protected by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC).
Local conservation organization, Clifftop, was awarded two of these grants: $35,800 to enlist contractual services to support glade restoration, eradication of non-native invasive species, install fire breaks and conduct prescribed fire at White Rock Land and Water Reserve and Luella Schaefer Memorial Hill Prairies Land and Water Reserve; and $53,999 to purchase a utility terrain vehicle to haul equipment and volunteers for site stewardship work and hire a contractor to perform large-scale management efforts at Storment Hauss Nature Preserve.
For more on the grants, please see this week’s print edition.