RESTORATION / GRANT UPDATE

Since 2001 over $245,000 has been awarded to the Long Grove Park District to restore portions of its 400+ acres of natural areas. The park district has contributed or will contribute more than $93,000 of that $245,000 in matching cash or labor on those projects. That means more than $152,000 or 62% has been granted to us from federal, state and local sources. The work has been done at the following park district owned sites: Reed-Turner Woodland, Buffalo Creek Park and Longview Meadow.These grants and other projects are providing improvements for nearly 100 acres of the 400 acres that the park district owns.  

We are very thankful for having received the following eight grants for the associated projects:   

Longview Meadow 

In 2001, a $25,000.00 Grant from the DCEO (Dept. of Conservation and Economic Opportunity) was awarded a grant for installation of a footbridge across the stream at Longview Meadow. The park district paid an additional $13,000 to complete the bridge.

From 2001 to 2004, Long Grove Park District teamed up with US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Conservation Fund under a Northeastern IL Wetlands Conservation Account grant to improve wetland habitat at Longview Meadow (southeast corner Routes 22 & 83). This grant for $43,000 has helped in the control of reed canary grass and other exotic species at the site, it has also helped to improve habitat for waterfowl and other fauna. The park district provided staff supervision time as match during the project.

Reed-Turner Woodland Illinois Nature Preserve

In 2002 and 2003, $13,000 was awarded from the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission under their WMB (Watershed Mgmt. Board) program for erosion control and stream stabilization along the corridor of the south branch of Indian Creek during Reed-Turner Woodland’s sedge meadow restoration effort. This money was equally matched by the park district during the project.

From 2002 through 2004 the park district has been working on a grant awarded under the IL Department of Natural Resources Conservation 2000 Ecosystems Program. This $81,600 award was for restoration and stream stabilization of the 8-acre sedge meadow and stream system at Reed-Turner Woodland Illinois Nature Preserve. It included daylighting the canopy upstream and downstream of the sedge meadow and clearing shade tolerant trees from the oak and hickory grove along the hillside stream. The hillside stream was also restabilized with erosion control structures. The site now has deep rooted vegetation preventing erosion and beautifying the floodplain corridor. Hundreds of visitors have witnessed the amazing recovery of this lovely riparian corridor.

Buffalo Creek Park

In 2003, an $18,000 grant was awarded from the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission under their WMB (Watershed Mgmt. Board) program. The grant is for restoring the wet sedge meadow and stream corridor at Buffalo Creek Park near downtown Long Grove. It allows for control of invasive reed canary grass and planting of higher quality wet prairie species.

Longview Meadow

In August 2004, the Long Grove Park District was awarded a combined grant of over $92,000 for the stream at Longview Meadow. This USEPA grant provides $50,000 (Long Grove Park District is providing $42,000 in matching funds and volunteer hours) from the USEPA’s STAG (State and Tribal Assistance Grant) program for restoring the stream and buffer. The park district portion of the stream, from the bridge to the wetland area, has been clogged with trees and other debris that have caused a great deal of flooding over the years. The STAG grant is providing funds for cleaning up excess debris along the stream, removing invasive species like buckthorn, garlic mustard and reed canary grass, and restabilizing the riparian corridor by planting native woodland and wetland plants. The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission is providing administrative supervision during the grant.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has also provided funds for $1,000 in native plants during the STAG grant progect above. Area neighbors that volunteer on workdays to assist in removing invasive species along the stream will have more natural buffer of native trees and shrubs planted on adjacent park district land.

Volunteers Are Needed!

The Long Grove Park District is a non-taxing body which operates on a fixed budget. The grants above have enabled us to raise 62% more funds for projects. Volunteers are always needed during grant projects. Eagle, boy and girl scouts are encouraged and welcome to develop and work on projects with us.

Please call the office at 847-438-4743, or email lgpdrestoration@aol.com if your volunteer group or service group is interested in helping during a workday or special project at one of our sites.