Commonfields Newsletter | Fall 2019

ELEVATING THE MISSISSIPPIAN CULTURE THROUGH CAHOKIA MOUNDS

Commonfields Fall 2019 Commonfields Fall 2019

1

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 Gary Huelsmann 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 & Events 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 www.HeartlandsConservancy.org info@HeartLandsConservancy.org We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible.

Cover photo: Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, CahokiaMounds.org

2

Our 30th year is proving to be

full of possibilities, perseverance and partnerships! The summer has been very rewarding and next the few months look to be even more exhilarating as the momentum builds.

In the News

This summer was filled with exciting news regarding elevating Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and other Mississippian Mounds complexes to a formal unit of the National Park Service.

HeartLands has been working diligently on this initiative since 2011, beginning with strategic planning, advocacy, community engagement, and completing The Mounds - America’s First Cities Feasibility Study. Over the last year, the Project Team has been re-engaging communities, agencies, Nations/Tribes, and civic leaders; providing updates; and obtaining new letters of support (see page 7). Joining Governors Quinn and Rauner and the Illinois General Assembly, Governor J.B. Pritzker presented a strong letter of support for this initiative and its proposed collaborative management model between the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service, and other stakeholders.

On July 18, Rep. Mike Bost introduced House Bill #HR3824 with lead cosponsor Rep. Lacy Clay (MO) and joined by Reps. John Shimkus and Rodney Davis. This proposed bill, introduced with bi-partisan, bi-state support, elevates Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and other significant

mound complexes to a formal unit of the National Park Service as the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park.

This was closely followed by Senator Richard Durbin’s companion Senate Bill #S3240 introduced on July 30th, 2019. Thanks to these congressional leaders for your support of this important initiative! More in-depth information and the August 13th press event held at the Cahokia Mounds Interpretive Center is on page 4.

Cleaned Our Plates Field to

Fork was on July 20th at Bellecourt Manor in Belleville. Our 10th annual chef-crafted and locally grown farmto-table event was our most successful fundraiser to date. A total of $44,000 was raised to support our conservation efforts. Guests received king-sized Hershey’s Mounds Bars from our CEO and Strategic Initiatives Director in exchange for their generous donations to our Mounds Initiative. Guests were treated to a six-course meal created by six of the area’s most popular chefs, with all of the ingredients being locally sourced by dedicated farmers. The chefs were Kelsi Baker Walden-Bakers & Hale, Evan Buchholz-Perennial Artisan Ales, Tim Faltus-Bellecourt Manor, Krissana Frawley-Hi-Pointe Drive-In, Mark Onstott -Tavern on Main, and David Sandusky-Beast Craft BBQ Co. We are beyond grateful to Grimm & Gorly Florist & Gifts and all of the farms, donors, attendees, and sponsors who made this night happen!

Make sure to Save the Date: July 25th for Field to Fork 2020.

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

POP UP! On August 3rd, the Village of Swansea invited the community out to see a pop-up preview of their new streetscape. As part of the planning team with consultants PGAV, HeartLands (HLC) set up a demonstration bike lane, samples of beneficial and native plants to be used, and took comments from the participants. We look forward to seeing this project develop and come to fruition for the community.

Busy as Bees Our progress

continued at the Signal Hill Outdoor Classroom with very productive work days in August and September. This helped prepare the site for The BASIC Initiative’s annual Belleville Helping Belleville Day. This is the second year BASIC has chosen the outdoor classroom for this day of service.

We are grateful for this continued partnership and the assistance it has provided. Their generous donation of titanium shears made a significant impact on the removal of phragmites australis (aka common reed) – which has been an ongoing (and personal) battle since the project’s beginning in 2017. Contact Sarah Vogt or Landon Brooks for more info and watch for future volunteer and work days.

We also received a generous donation of a bench from The Realtor Association of Southwestern Illinois (RASI). Their organization collected over 2,000 pounds of plastic bottle caps to get the 100% recycled bench.

The City of Belleville and the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce

joined us in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Thank you to City of Belleville’s Jason Poole and crew for the installation.

Take a Hike, again! The first rule

of HeartLands’ Hiking Club is to have fun. It continued to thrive with a group taking a breezy hike at Highland Silver Lake Park on September 14th. Thank you to our Hike Coordinator, Kelsey Sartin, for championing these Hiking Club events. She is an invaluable component of our mission to connect people with nature. Join us for the 5th hike on October 12th at Salt Lick Point Land and Water Reserve in Valmeyer!

Watershed Moments The Wood River and Piasa Creek Watersheds are in planning phases. Two open houses were hosted by HLC’s Janet Buchanan in conjunction with Madison County Planning and Development. The watershed planning team presented information on flooding and water quality, including preliminary results from the Madison County Community Flood Survey. Communities in the watersheds include: Alton, Bethalto, Brighton, Godfrey, Elsah, and East Alton. For more information, visit https://www.heartlandsconservancy. org/woodriverpiasacreek.php.

presented to a group of interested community members. After a short walk and some amazing guacamole, Taqueria Z received their sign as a Conservation@Work designated site.

We are excited to grow the program throughout the southern Illinois. Give Sarah a call if your group would like a presentation or if you would like a home or work consultation. More information on page 11.

The year of celebration

continues. We are grateful for your continued support of our team, projects, and our mission in southwestern Illinois. We can’t do it without you. Let’s all raise a glass together as we toast to (at least) 30 more years. Join us October 25 on the Becky Thatcher Riverboat for a celebration of 30 years of conservation, outdoor recreation, trails, and nature in the STL Metro East. Enjoy live music, food, drinks and the Mighty Mississippi! There is still time to join us and to participate in the 30 for 30 campaign.

We have lots planned for this fall and winter. Jingle Hike anyone?

See you outside!

3...2...1... LAUNCH We have

officially launched our new program, Conservation@Home! On September 24th, the launch party began at The Edwardsville Public Library where our Conservation Manager, Sarah Vogt, and Jim Kleinwachter from The Conservation Foundation Commonfields Fall 2019

3

ELEVATING THE MISSISSIPPIAN CULTURE THROUGH CAHOKIA MOUNDS

Representives from IDNR, including staff of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, HeartLands Conservancy, City of Collinsville, Great Rivers & Routes, staff of Reps. Shimkus, Davis, Bost, and Sen Durbin, joined Rep. Mike Bost at his press event Aug 13, 2019 to present his introduction of HR Bill # 3824 at Cahokia Mounds Interpretive Center with members of the press.

Cahokia Mounds is the largest preColumbian city north of Mexico.

Cahokia, along with its surrounding ancient communities, transformed the region (now the St. Louis region in present day) into a dominant religious, political, economic and cultural center.

The sacred Mississippian Culture site of Cahokia Mounds is the only of its kind designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet, even with this prestigious designation, Cahokia Mounds is not a National Park.

About the Initiative HeartLands Conservancy assembled a multidisciplinary team to research and create The Mounds – America’s First Cities: A Feasibility Study.

With guidance from Tribes/Nations, Illinois and Missouri state agencies, federal agencies, and communities, the 18-month process gathered input 4

and support for elevating significant Mississippian mound complexes in the St. Louis Metro region to a unit of the National Park Service, including Cahokia Mounds, with Monks Mound and the interpretive center. Thirteen public meetings were held throughout the St. Louis region, as well.

The team met with and sought guidance from more than eleven Native American Tribes and nations with origins and connections to the Mississippian Culture.

The study found that no other mounds in the National Park Service represent the Mississippian Culture as holistically and uniquely as Cahokia Mounds. Combined with the surrounding satellite mound centers, Cahokia Mounds emerges as the most significant and unsurpassed example of its time period.

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

Commonfields Fall 2019

5

Join us in collecting letters of support from individuals and organizations! Tear this letter out or copy it. Fill it out and either mail it to us at HeartLands Conservancy at 3 N. High Street, Belleville, IL 62220 or email to laura.lyon@ heartlandsconservancy.org. We will be submitting them to the congressional committees at the end of October. Thank you!

DATE:_________________________ Representative Raul M. Grijalva Chairman Natural Resources Committee U.S. House of Representatives 1324 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

Senator Lisa Murkowski Chairman Energy and Natural Resources Committee Senate 304 Dirksen Senate Building Washington, DC 20510

RE: Companion Bills HR3824 and S2340 to Establish Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park Dear Chairmen Grijalva and Murkowski: I, ______________________________, by signing this letter of support, am joining U.S. Representatives Bost, Clay, Shimkus and Davis, Senator Durbin, Governor Pritzker of Illinois and many other valuable stakeholders in support of establishing the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park as a non-contiguous, collaborative partnership park between the State of Illinois, the National Park Service (NPS), and others. This effort elevates Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (SHS) and the other significant satellite Mississippian mound groups in public ownership to a formal unit of the NPS system. This site has been found to meet all the criteria set for by the National Park Service as suitable, nationally significant and feasible to be and should be designated as such.

As the earliest and largest pre-Columbian archaeological site north of Mexico and the pre-eminent example of a cultural and economic center of the pre-historic Mississippian cultural tradition, Cahokia Mounds is the exceptional example of preurban/urban structuring. Its political and economic hierarchy are responsible for the organization of labor, agriculture, and trade for the Mississippian Culture – reaching trade routes from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, from beyond the Ozarks to the Ohio Valley. No other mounds within the National Park Service represent the Mississippian Culture as holistically and uniquely as its epicenter - Cahokia Mounds.

With assistance and guidance from the local communities, Indian Nations, federal agencies, Illinois and Missouri state agencies and local units of government, HeartLands Conservancy developed a thorough, compelling, and rigorous study that meets National Park Service standards and criteria. Results from the study, 13 public meetings, inclusive community outreach, and over 2,000 letters of support and surveys overwhelmingly support this effort to create a collaborative partnership with NPS; to enhance connectivity and link the cultural sites within the region; and to seek an elevated national designation that recognizes this cultural asset as a prominent national treasure, to be protected, enhanced and interpreted for all.

Cahokia Mounds combined with the surrounding satellite mound centers are America’s first cities - emerging as the most significant and unsurpassed example of its time period. At its center, Monks Mound rises 100’ over the Mississippi River landscape. Its current world-class interpretive center can embrace Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park revealing a part of our story to honor the past and share these resources with the current and future generations of this land.

Thank you for considering elevating and preserving Cahokia Mounds SHS and the Mississippian Culture in the coming months.

Sincerely, Signature

Print name

email

Address___________________________________________________________State________________Zip______________ 3 North High Street

Belleville, IL 62220

T: 618.566.4451

www.heartlandsconservancy.org

6

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

Legislation Introduced For the last year and a half, HeartLands Conservancy has worked to advocate and strengthen partnerships with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service, municipalities, organizations, and elected officials, among others. All the while, we worked with Rep. Bost, Sen. Durbin, and the US Department of Interior to develop legislation.

Rep. Mike Bost introduced HR3824 on July 18, 2019, with bi-partisan and bi-state support. This bill would elevate Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and other significant mound complexes to Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park. Senator Dick Durbin introduced companion bill S2340 on July 30th, 2019.

A National Park Designation will help preserve what remains of the mounds in our region and embrace their heritage. The designation would allow mounds currently on public lands to become a part of the National Park. Mounds currently on private property could remain private or, if the landowner desired, could be sold or donated to become a part of the Park.

Next Steps HeartLands Conservancy, as a land trust, can assist those who wish to preserve their private property through donation, willingness to sell, or conservation easement to prevent future undesirable development or harm to the archaeological and cultural resources.

HeartLands Conservancy will continue to advocate for the passage of these bills and for the region through the designation and establishment phases of the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park.

You Can Help!

You, too, can be part of the Mounds Team by taking action today. Your support is needed so that when this initiative is complete, the story of our

ancient heartlands will continue to be shared as one of the most significant and sacred pieces of history in the world.

Donate. Contact your legislators. Fill out the letter to the left and send it.

When the initiative is complete, its success will ensure that the epicenter of America’s Mississippian civilization will be protected. It will ensure the story of our ancient heartlands will be shared within our communities and with our global neighbors.

HeartLands Conservancy acknowledges support from the Illinois Governor and General Assembly, archaeologists, funders, donors, communities, St. Clair County, Madison County, and partner organizations across the region and country.

In particular, we would like to acknowledge and thank the Native American Tribes and Nations for their support and efforts, including, Absentee Shawnee Tribe, Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Eastern Shawnee Tribe, Loyal Shawnee Culture, Miami Tribe, Osage Nation/ Tribe, Ottawa Tribe, Peoria Tribe, Ponca Tribe, Quapaw Tribe and many individuals from many other tribe and nations.

Archaeologists from across the country and the states of Missouri and Illinois participated by either being involved through their documentation research, findings, conferences, or through the technical advisory team.

Thank you for your generous support of The Mounds - America’s First Cities Initiative in elevating Cahokia Mounds and other Mississippian mound complexes.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The Crown Family Foundation The Grand Victoria Foundation Illinois Archaeological Survey The William T. Kemper Foundation The William A. Kerr Foundation The Kutterer Foundation Madison County, Illinois The Sophia and Elmer Oerter

Charitable Foundation St. Clair County, Illinois Waste Management, Inc. INDIVIDUALS Jan and Dick Ahaus Rob and Donna Anderson James and Pam Andrew Kerry and Susan Brethauer Caroline Caligiuri Tim and Barb Cleary Laura Cohen Elaine Cueto Don Dahlmann Liz Dahlmann William and Jeanne Dahlmann James Delaney Donna Dougherty Amanda and Joe Duffin Patty Gregory Ryan Hall Julie Heberer Jacob Heck Robert and Donna Hilgenbrink Marty and Linda Kemper Mary Laurent Laura Lyon and Tim Busse Carol Manning Dan McGuire Timothy Meyer Cindy and Don Mittnack Robert and Katie Nelson Libby Newton E. Oatfield Bill and Cathy Reichert Lynne Rose David Schmalbeck David and Carolee Schrader Charles Solinski Thomas Sommerfield John and Dorothy Stade Toni Thompson David and Lisa Tiedemann John and Lynne Troyan Mary and Robert Vandevord Bob and Nancy Weck Ed and Kathi Weilbacher

Commonfields Fall 2019

7

CONSERVATION @HOME SEED BOMBS AT MISSISSIPPI EARTHTONES

POP UP

8

CONSERVATION @HOME

CONSERVATION @HOME LAUNCH

FIELD TO FORK PADDLE APPEAL

FIELD TO FORK

FIELD TO FORK

FIELD TO FORK TRIVIA PIES

MONARCH MADNESS

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

SIGNAL HILL - SEASONAL REPAIRS

SIGNAL HILL NEW SIGNAGE ON BIRD HOUSES & INSECT HOTELS

SIGNAL HILL HARVESTED STUMPS FOR CLASSROOM SEATING

SIGNAL HILL VOLUNTEERS

SIGNAL HILL VOLUNTEERS CLEANUP

SIGNAL HILL OUTDOOR CLASSROOM - BELLEVILLE HELPING BELLEVILLE DAY

HIKING CLUB - HIKE #2 PERE MARQUETTE STATE PARK

WOOD RIVER & PIASA CREEK OPEN HOUSES Commonfields Fall 2019

9

Conservation @Home and @Work We are excited to bring the Conservation@Home certification program to southwestern Illinois.

The program—established by The Conservation Foundation in Naperville—educates, supports, and recognizes homeowners who incorporate environmentally friendly practices into their yards.

Homeowners or businesses using native plants and eco-friendly lawn care in their landscaping may achieve certification and receive a yard sign.

The sign demonstrates to others that native alternatives to traditional landscaping can be beautiful while also being biologically diverse, supporting pollinators, and helping reduce stormwater runoff.

How It Works A major component of the Conservation@Home and @Work program is advising you how to make landscapes more nature-friendly. We provide site-specific advice during a home or work visit. We will walk around your property with you and provide information on: • attracting more birds and butterflies using native plants; • managing stormwater (e.g., reducing flooding, runoff, or pooling through rain barrels or rain gardens); • adding beauty and function using trees and shrubs; • choosing flowers and grasses for 10

different areas of your landscape; • stabilizing erosion and shoreline; • and incorporating eco-friendly lawn care.

Want to participate?

Whether you have a yard ready to be certified or you are just getting started, please contact us. We will ask a few questions and then can schedule a visit or provide you with resources.

During the visit, if your property meets the criteria for certification you will be presented with a Conservation@ Home or @Work sign that recognizes your property as an environmentally friendly landscape.

Our first Conservation@Work certification was at Taqueria Z in Edwardsville.

The suggested donation is $25.00 for current HLC members and $50.00 for non-members. A $50.00 donation also includes a one-year membership to HeartLands Conservancy.

New Sites of Conservation@Home Certification in Process

Want to learn more?

If you are part of a club or civic group that would be interested in learning more about Conservation@Home or @Work and creating more naturefriendly yards, we would be happy to give a presentation.

Contact: Sarah Vogt, Conservation Manager (618) 566-4451 ext. 23 sarah.vogt@heartlandsconservancy.org

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

Commonfields Fall 2019

11

Saving Illinois’ Largest Connected Forest Did you know that Illinois’ largest forest is located right here in southwestern Illinois?

The largest bottomland hardwood forest within Illinois, at 43,000 acres, is located along the Kaskaskia River between Carlyle Lake & Fayetteville.

One block of this forest is the single largest contiguous tract in Illinois (7,300 acres) and is approximately two miles wide. These dense forest blocks are especially important to migratory songbirds that visit from Central and South America.

HeartLands Conservancy has been working to preserve the integrity of the forest for 30 years. We have worked with many private landowners on forest restoration, management, and preservation. Last year, thanks to a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, the organization was able to purchase 140 acres of the forest to ensure it will forever remain as habitat for the many plants and animals that need this forest.

The Kaskaskia River is a special and important place in southwestern Illinois.

Running northeast to southwest for a total of 325 miles, the river is a significant migratory and ecological corridor within the state. Of the species found in Illinois, 83% of mammals, 60% of reptiles and amphibians, 40% of vascular plants, and 96% of birds are found here.

As donors to HeartLands Conservancy, you are ensuring that this forest remains vital for generations to come.

As we approach the last quarter of 2019, we will be asking for your continued support of nature in southwestern Illinois. Stay tuned.

Former owners, Glen Schuetz and Gerald Scanlan, took special care of this land for many years. They even volunteer with us to make sure the property stays in good condition and helped install our new sign marking the Kathleen Scanlan Conservation Area.

12

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

The Prothonotary Warbler

A Speck of Sunshine in the Kaskaskia River’s Dark Forests A What?

About That Name...

A member of the Wood Warbler Family of birds, Prothonotary Warblers are heavy-bodied and short tailed.

They are approximately 5.5 inches long and weigh about half an ounce.

The male’s head, neck, and body are a rich saffron or orangey-yellow, while females are bright yellow with no orange hues. Their black bills and eyes stand out against the plain yellowish heads. Bluish wings and tails complete the picture. They lay 4-6 creamy or pink colored eggs with spots of brown up to two times a year in very specific environments.

Just as the Cardinal gets its name from the red worn by Roman Catholic cardinals, the Prothonotary Warbler gets its name from the eighteenth century Louisiana Creoles who thought the bird’s feathers resembled the golden robes of the protonoarius (papal clerk), a Catholic Church official who advised the Pope. Its nickname is the golden swamp warbler, for its affinity for swamps and bottomland forests.

Habitat Prothonotary Warblers overwinter in Central and South America’s coastal mangrove swamps. They arrive in southwestern Illinois in May for breeding, specifically nesting in forested swamps. The Kaskaskia River forest in St. Clair, Clinton, and Washington Counties are prime habitat.

Prothonotary Warblers are found in deciduous swamps, backwater sloughs, wet woodlands without a dense understory, and along slowly moving rivers and streams. This attraction to water may be due to a higher number of decaying trees with nest cavities in flooded areas and the added benefit of safety from predators when the nest is located over water.

Greatest Threats The greatest threats to its survival are the degradation and destruction of its habitat. Logging and agricultural conversion of bottomland hardwood forests throughout the southeastern United States have been detrimental.

An even greater threat may be the rapid destruction of mangrove forests in South America, where the greatest numbers of prothonotaries overwinter.

In addition, Brown-headed Cowbirds, which enter the warbler's nest cavity to lay their own eggs, are a significant problem on the birds' breeding grounds.

Since 1970, nearly 40% of Wood Warblers have disappeared in the U.S. and Canada.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Commonfields Fall 2019

13

Anniversary Celebration for Friday, October 25th 6-9pm

An evening of celebration cruising the scenic Mississippi River on the Becky Thatcher Riverboat.

Music by Fine to Drive | Buffet Dinner | Tesla for a Weekend Raffle | Friendraiser Reservations by Oct 18th! Questions?

Contact Kim O’Bryan at kim.obryan@heartlandsconservancy.org or 618-566-4451 ext. 10

14

www.HeartLands Conservancy.org

Thank You to Our Sponsors as of 10.01.19 POST OAK

CHINKAPIN OAK

RED OAK

There are many ways you can support our conservation efforts.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

City of Edwardsville Madison County Planning & Development Village of Swansea To learn more about Village of Godfrey HeartLands Conservancy’s City of Belleville sponsorship opportunities: City of Collinsville Call Kim O’Bryan 618) 566-4451 City of Columbia ext 10 or email kim.obryan@ City of Greenville heartlandsconservancy.org City of Highland City of Lebanon PIN OAK City of Mascoutah Alpine Shop City of O’Fallon Belleville Optometry, Ltd. City of Red Bud Clinton County SWCD City of Troy Davey Resource Group, Inc. City of Waterloo Farm Credit Illinois East St. Louis Park District Farnsworth Group Metro East Park & The Gori Law Firm Recreation District Pufalt-Pauley Insurance Agency, Inc. Village of Bethalto SunCoke Energy GCO Village of Fayetteville Walker & Williams, P.C. Village of Glen Carbon Village of Hamel SAPLING Village of Hecker Civil Design, Inc. Village of Marine Madison County SWCD Village of Shiloh Randolph County SWCD Village of Smithton Scott Credit Union Waterloo Park District St. Clair County Farm Bureau

It is almost time!

LOCATIONS ANNOUNCED NOVEMBER 1ST

TAKE A HIKE THANKSGIVING to NEW YEARS DAY

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org Commonfields Fall 2019

15

Join us for

Our 30th Anniversary Celebration on the Becky Thatcher River Boat 50 S. Lenor K. Sullivan Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63102

Friday, October 25, 2019, 6-9pm Reservations (kindly RSVP by Oct 18th) $40 per person or $65 with open bar Names held at the door Parking $6 per vehicle on levee OR use MetroLink Station at Laclede’s Landing

Buffet Dinner | Cash Bar Tesla Weekend Raffle| Live Music See our website for more details

www.HeartlandsConservancy.org/annualdinner.php

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