The local conservation foundation announced it secured 55 acres of woodland in McHenry County that has oak trees estimated to be up to 400 years old, some of the largest remaining in the county.
The McHenry County Conservation Foundation said it secured a $369,900 grant from the Prairie State Conservation Coalition’s natural areas grant program and provided the 20% required grant match with unrestricted donor support.
The grant allowed for the purchase of a 55-acre oak woodland in Chemung Township, which will now be permanently protected.
The land was purchased by the McHenry County Conservation District for $484,000.
It is located along the east side of Route 14 north of Yates Road in unincorporated Harvard.
The 55-acre parcel holds some of the largest remaining mature oaks recorded in McHenry County, with some estimated to be between 300 and 400 years old.
It is the first parcel of the Conservation District’s Big Foot Woods Oak Legacy Project.
Officials say there is a “great deal” of cultural and historical significance in addition to the ecological importance of the land.
“These oaks provided nourishment for game pursued by Indigenous hunters and gatherers and supported those communities. They provided shade during the time of French exploration of the region, were present during the founding of the United States, and they bear the marks of land surveyors during the westward expansion of the nation,” said Lloyd Everard, President of the Board of Trustees of McHenry County Conservation District.
The protection of the old-growth oaks is vital as the county has suffered the loss of 87% of its original oak communities, the conservation foundation said.
The Conservation Foundation and Conservation District said they aim to ensure the land and all of the plant and animal species that live there are protected indefinitely for the residents of McHenry County.
The McHenry County Conservation Foundation transferred 15 acres of mature woodlands to the Conservation District earlier this year, expanding the footprint of the existing Marengo Ridge Conservation Area.
The parcel was purchased by the organization in 2020 with support from an anonymous donor.
“The Foundation’s mission is to support the Conservation District’s efforts to protect and preserve land in perpetuity for current and future generations,” said Kevin Ivers, President of the Board of Directors of McHenry County Conservation Foundation.
“For our organization, saving some of the county’s last old growth oaks from development was a top priority. We are so extremely grateful to the Prairie State Conservation Coalition for recognizing the importance of this specific parcel and for awarding the Conservation District this grant,” Ivers said.
McHenry County Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization that works as the philanthropic partner of McHenry County Conservation District, which owns and protects over 25,800 acres of open space.