HeartLands Conservancy Meanderings Summer 2022

HEARTLANDS C O N S E R VA N C Y

MEANDERINGS

www.HeartLandsConservancy.org

Summer 2022

HeartLandsConservancy.org

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Board of Directors E. William Reichert III Board Chair Mary Vandevord President Ronda Latina Vice Chair William Boardman Second Vice Chair Janet Haroian Treasurer Anne Werner Secretary

CONTENT

Carol Gentry Gary Huelsmann Dawnesha Johnson Nancy Larson Robert C. Nelson

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The Great Migration Hamel Update

Jim Pauley Cliff Schuette

Team Michael Andreas Special Projects Laura L. Lyon VP of Progam Strategy & Impact Denisha Martin Communications Manager Belinda McAllister Community & Partnerships Coordinator

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Great Parks Work!

From Parks Planning to Placemaking

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‘Choose Nature‘ Preserve the Places You Live & Love

Kim O’Bryan Director of Development & Events John O’Donnell Water Program Manager Jenny Reiman Resilient Communities Program Manager

Message from Our President | CEO

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Mary Vandevord President & CEO

Highlights & Happenings

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Volunteering Works

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The Great Migration | Hamel Update

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Jesus Sanchez Water Program Intern

Plant This! Not That!

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HeartLands Conservancy

Great Parks Work!

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‘Choose Nature‘ with HLC

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Staff & Board

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Upcoming Events

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Ed Weilbacher Vice President Jamie Wheeler Director of Finance & Administration Steve Widowski Wildlife Biologist

29 East Main Street Belleville, IL 62220 (618) 566-4451 info@HeartLandsConservancy.org www.

HeartlandsConservancy.org HLC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Contributions are tax deductible and are graciously accepted throughout the year.

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MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT | CEO

Transformative Placemaking

Many people have told me that HeartLands Conservancy has a unique approach to conservation. We take special care to engage people in our work. We believe people deeply understand their communities and have the best solutions to address issues or seize opportunities.

People have deep connections to the land and

When we genuinely nurture and love a place, it gives back to us. We see bees and butterflies return, and they pollinate our food and flowers for us. We see the wonders of fireflies light up the night sky and bring smiles to our faces. We see people smile and nod at each other on the trail.

New flowers emerge as we remove invasive plants.

their communities, and we ensure their voices are a part of every effort we undertake.

Frogs return and croak for us (and eat bugs, too).

People meet and get to know each other as they plant flowers and cut honeysuckle.

We recently had the great fortune of a doctoral student who reached out to us about helping us analyze a need at the organization. We introduced Sarah Drury-Dothager to our Lots of Love program - an initiative we started back in 2015 in response to community-identified issues with vacant lots in their neighborhoods. With four sites under our belt, we asked Sarah to help us evaluate if the program meets its intended impact. There will be more information on this later, but as a part of the study, Sarah contacted volunteers, stakeholders, and others interested in the program to learn about their perceptions.

What stood out to us was that, overall, people liked the program; however, the most important aspect for them was the relationships and shared purpose people had in working on these lots.

Ultimately, the lots of love program is about creating a space for the community, and some folks in our industry call this “placemaking.“ Placemaking is ongoing because you‘ve never really finished “making“ a place. All we do at HeartLands Conservancy is about place and the people who nurture, give and receive energy and love from a place.

At HeartLands Conservancy, we believe in this place that is southwestern Illinois. From the rivers to the parks and trails to the communities, we think it all is beautiful and worthy of nurturing and love.

We‘ve dedicated this issue of Meanderings to parks. Parks are fantastic examples of placemaking. We do a lot of work in our region developing the vision and plan for parks, helping with managing natural resources in parks and trails, and creating better places for people overall. The next time you visit a park or trail, notice the nurturing, love, and energy that‘s given to that park or trail. I bet you‘ll notice a welcoming feeling. Perhaps a connection with others. I hope you‘ll see bees. I hope you‘ll feel compelled to stop and spend time just enjoying the space.

See you outside,

Mary Vandevord President & CEO

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HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS

HLC Frog Hike with SIUE Biologist Dr. Rick Essner

HLC Frog Hike with SIUE Biologist Dr. Rick Essner Poag Sand Prairie

HIKERS EXPLORE

frogs & fireflies Our monthly hiking club events have been some of our most attended. In March, we hosted a Frog Hike at Poag Sand Prairie, with a talk by SIUE biologist Dr. Rick Essner. Attendees observed an endangered Illinois Chorus Frog up close, and a few of the younger attendees even dared to catch a few frogs from the pond!

We brought our Watershed Adventures and Discovery Experiences (WADE) series back in June for another Discover a Wetland! Firefly Hike at Arlington Wetlands. SIUE entomologist, Dr. Jake Williams, gave a great talk on fireflies and other insects and brought along blacklights to see a few species up close!

We are excited to continue offering adventures throughout the year. Here are some of our upcoming hikes and adventures.You can always find more information on the events page of our website.

HLC Firefly Hike with SIUE Entomologist Dr. Jake Williams

August Discover a River! Kayaking day trip on a river in the region

September WADE: Discover a Stream! Stream monitoring at Signal Hill

October WADE: Discover a Pond! Plus, tree planting at Arlington Wetlands

November Buds and Bark Winter Tree ID at Willoughby Farm

December Jingle Hike Challenge (Thanksgiving Day to New Year‘s Day)

Summer Adventures

WADE: DISCOVER THE WATER CYCLE Want to explore the water cycle with HLC‘s outdoor experience program WADE? We have several events to introduce people to the ecosystems around them by visiting a stream, a pond, a wetland and a river. Check out heartlandsconservancy.org/events-calendar/ for event updates.

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SCAN TO VOLUNTEER

HLC is on the path to hitting 400 volunteer hours to earn $4,000 in stewardship funds for Arlington Wetlands!

Every volunteer helps.

Are you up for the challenge? https://heartlandsconservancy. org/volunteer/ Arlington Wetlands Prescribed Burning

UPDATE

ARLINGTON WETLANDS Have you visited Arlington Wetlands lately?

The site is named after its large wetland in Pontoon Beach on Arlington Drive.

As you cross the floating boardwalk, you’ll eventually reach a restored sand prairie and smaller wetland.

The deep-rooted native plants of the sand prairie help the sandy soils absorb rainwater and increase the wetland‘s ability to reduce flooding downstream during heavy rains. Maximizing the value of the sand prairies and forested wetlands requires multiple habitat management techniques strategically implemented over time.

Volunteers, HeartLands

Conservancy staff, and professional contractors have already accomplished an inspiring amount of work in 2022.

57 volunteers improved habitat 20 bags of trash and large items removed 2 acres of burn break construction 15 acres of non-native species removed 135 plants installed at the Arlington Wetlands sign 1.5 acres of bush honeysuckle removed 13 acres of prescribed burning 12 hours of wildlife monitoring 11 bluebird boxes repaired and cleaned 6 old posts removed HeartLandsConservancy.org

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Collinsville Landfill Planning to Become a Prairie and Urban Tree Nursery We are working with the City of Collinsville to finalize a plan to convert an old landfill into a prairie planting and urban tree nursery.

The prairie planting will reduce maintenance costs for the City while increasing the conservation value of the property.

The urban tree nursery will be grow trees and shrubs that can be incorporated into future City of Collinsville projects.

CHANGE PICTURE AND CAPTION

Valentine Conservation Community Park Opening The Valentine Conservation Community (VCC) held its grand opening event on May 28th with over 100 attendees!

HeartLands Conservancy assisted the group with an action and illustrative plan for VCC’s Valentine Conservation Park and Nature Trails.

At the event, VCC unveiled the rendering of the park plan and sold memorabilia reflecting the founding families of the community’s legacy.

A park sign was revealed, and plants were distributed to the three eldest community members for their contributions to land ownership, family legacy, and land acquisition.

We are excited to watch as the Valentine Conservation Community organization plans to move forward with phase II, the VCC Nature Trail.

VCC Community Park

Conservation@Home Our Spring 2022 Online Native Plant Sale was an overwhelming success.

With the assistance of 70 volunteer hours, we were able to provide 1470 native plants and 118 native trees and shrubs to our communities. Meanwhile, we raised over $15,000 to help HeartLands Conservancy pursue our mission.

Based on the success of the Spring sale, we are excited to announce that we will be holding a Fall Online Native Plant Sale later this year. The sale will include favorite plants from the spring sale and new plants to add to your garden, but the focus of this plant sale will be native shrubs. We are currently working with suppliers to provide 25 different native shrubs during our Fall Sale. Native shrubs are underutilized and will enhance any project. Stay tuned for more details as we coordinate our next sale.

Contact Eric Wright (Eric.Wright@HeartLandsConservancy.org) or call (618) 566-4451 ext 23 to get started.

FALL PLANT SALE | 6 MEANDERINGS SUMMER 2022

ONLINE SALE STARTS : AUGUST 25th PLANT SALE PICKUP : SEPTEMBER 11th

The 2030 Plan recommends: Godfrey‘s regional identity. The HeartLands Conservancy is excited to announce the changes and improvements outlined Protect resources.

The return natural of the Tree Stewards volunteer program, where in the 2030 Plan require careful Village is richwill in active recreation volunteers help look after and take care of new coordination treessports) in our with communities. of Tree so that the Village may (team 278 acresOur of second class successfully Stewards will beconservation trained through Stewardscontinue the ongoing parkland and the of our Tree development and expansion of the Training Program, a free,including six week course that educates natural sites (1,205 acres, system, participants aboutconservation). trees, their benefitspark and care, andprogramming, and 597 acres in private human resources. provides practical, hands-on learning in six key areas: In an area rich in natural resources

contact Jenny Reiman, Resilient Communities Program Manager, at 618-566-4451 x 16 jenny.reiman@ heartlandsconservancy.org.

with over 7,700 acres of undulating • Tree identification forests and over 270 acres in • Biology wetlands, protection of the tree • Soils canopy and watershed ranked high • Planting with the community.

• Pruning • Insects Diseases More parks&on the east side.

Increase the number of smaller parks located near or connected to neighborhoods, especially the east side.

Embrace the Village’s riverfront.

Did you know Godfrey has 4.4 miles of riverfront? What an opportunity!

Special thanks to the Village of Tree Stewards & HLC Staff Distributing Trees Godfrey residents, Mayor Michael J. McCormick, elected officials, administrators Rich Beran, Village Engineer, Chris Logan, Director Training will be held in person at the HeartLands of Parks & Recreation, and Todd Conservancy office on Tuesday evenings from Schubert, Past Director of Parks & 6:00pm - 8:00pm between August 9 and September Recreation, community staff, will take place on Saturday, October 20. leaders, “Graduation” and stakeholders, for1st without their at Arlington Wetlands, where the class will help insight, support and improve enthusiasm, wildlife habitat by planting native tree thickets HeartLands Conservancy in thecould sand prairie. not have completed the plan. With Save theand date for an informational session! gratitude to Metro East Park Ontheir Tuesday, August 2nd from 6:30-7:30pm, come by Recreation District for generous our main office support through their grant program(29 E Main St., Belleville, IL 62220) to learn more about the Tree Steward Program. to assist communities.

Fifty-one miles of bicycle facilities and pedestrian connectivity.

There are currently 18 miles of bicycle facilities and walking trails (including the Sam B. Vadalabene Great River Road Bike Trail at 4.4 miles of Godfrey River frontage).

HLC completed the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan for Godfrey a few years ago, and it was incorporated as part Tree Stewards & HLC Staff Loading Trees donated to Fairmont City of the plan.

Increase and formalize public/ private partnerships to put the plan into action, increase community vitality, and further develop

No prior experience is needed to become a Tree Steward. We ask that Tree Stewards provide 24 hours of volunteer service throughout the year in community forests, parks, and HLC projects such as at the Swansea To discuss community or Exploration Garden. If you are interested in being a Tree Steward, email Belinda McAllister, park planning opportunities, belinda.mcallister@heartlandsconservancy.org, to receive more information and register for training.

Become an HLC Tree Steward!

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VOLUNTEERING WORKS

Volunteering is the HEART of HeartLands Conservancy Our staff and volunteers have been busy bees this spring!

Over 650 volunteer hours have been logged in 2022.

We logged over 300 hours in April alone! Many of our volunteer days have taken place in Metro East parks, like the Swansea Clinton Hills Exploration Garden and Arlington Wetlands. At our standing volunteer days (3rd Friday 9:00am-12:00pm at Signal Hill and 4th Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm at Arlington Wetlands), we have been diligently working on removing invasive species like bush honeysuckle, tree of heaven, Japanese honeysuckle, and phragmites. At Arlington Wetlands, volunteers have helped repair bluebird nest boxes and planted native plants around the welcome sign. At the Exploration Garden, volunteers helped install a rain garden and conducted species monitoring in the meadow.

A dedicated group of volunteers have been monitoring bluebird boxes weekly during the breeding season.

Bluebird nests successfully fledged at the Exploration Garden and Arlington Wetlands!

There are several ways to volunteer with HeartLands Conservancy. From individual, self-paced commitments to attending large stewardship days, HLC has ways for everyone to get involved. The most common way to volunteer is by attending Stewardship Volunteer Days.

Bluebird Nest at Exploration Garden

by Pam Belmonte

Tree Swallow and Nest at Arlington Wetlands

by Kathy MacKay & Scott Gerstenberg

These events are held at least monthly and are located throughout the entire region on public lands and HeartLands Conservancy properties. Anyone can attend these events. They are published on the events calendar online, in newsletters, and sent to our volunteers’ list.

HLC is always seeking individuals with unique skills, interests, and expertise to help our organization with a variety of conservation efforts. You can apply to volunteer via the application on our website at https://heartlandsconservancy.org/volunteer/.

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Steward The most common way to volunteer is

by attending volunteer days. These events are held at least monthly and are located throughout the region on public lands and HLC properties. Anyone can attend these events, and they are published on the events calendar online, in newsletters, and sent to the volunteers list. Anyone interested in outdoor stewardship activities such as invasive removal, planting, seeding, litter clean up, and trail maintenance can participate. Stewards preserve and improve the physical and biological components of HLC‘s properties or community nature preserves.

Lead Site Steward Assist in the stewardship of HLC properties by walking the trails and boundaries of our preserves, doing light maintenance during these walks, and reporting on conditions to HLC‘s staff. Volunteers must be willing to submit to a background check.

Hiking Club Leader This position is for the

sociable outdoor enthusiast. The bulk of this position includes planning and leading monthly hikes on our preserves. Volunteers must be willing to submit to a background check.

Bluebird Monitor People in this position check on assigned bluebird houses weekly, February through August.

Tree Steward Work with local parks and public

works departments to help care for community trees. Must be trained in proper tree planting and care. We ask that Tree Stewards attend six weekly webinars, plant and care for a tree, and 24 hours of volunteer service annually in community forests, parks, and HLC projects such as at the Swansea Exploration Garden.

Master Naturalist or Master Gardener

Assist HLC staff with programs and educational outreach events. Help create educational materials for programs. Events may be indoors or outdoors and involve adults, children, or a mixture of both.

Some events are group-oriented, while others involve working with individuals one-on-one, providing extra help to children needing assistance to complete a task. May also lead guided nature hikes. Assists with set-up and clean-up depending on the type of activity. Volunteers must have a certificate of completion for either Master Naturalist or Master Gardener coursework.

Jingle Hike Liaison Help plan the annual Jingle Hike Challenge (Thanksgiving Day - New Year‘s Day).

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TREE WEE The third annual Metro East Tree Week took place between Earth Day and Arbor Day this April. HeartLands Conservancy hosted many experiential and educational events during the week.

HeartLands Conservancy staff and volunteer Tree Stewards distributed 325 free trees to 17 Metro East communities, including Collinsville, New Athens, Trenton, Wood River, Edwardsville, Greenville, Shiloh, Swansea, Carlyle, Germantown, Granite City, Alton, and East St. Louis!

This year, we added a big children’s event. We partnered with Fairmont City, IL, and two local schools for a Kids Experience Day, where 122 3rd-4th graders and 31 high school students participated in planting 25 trees in their community!

HLC Tree ID Clas Fairmont City Mayor and Staff Fairmont City Elementary & Collinsville High School

We kicked off the week with a stewardship day at Arlington Wetlands, where volunteers helped install a nativescape around the welcome sign and received their own white oak seedling to plant at home. HeartLands Conservancy staff also participated in the Clean City Coalition/City of East St. Louis Earthday Stewardship Event, where over 15 partner organizations cleaned up 40 city blocks along State Street in East St. Louis.

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Young Edwardsville Resident

On Tuesday, April 26th, HeartLands hosted a tree identification workshop for Metro East residents, who learned how to identify trees and practiced their skills.

Each student received a white oak seedling to plant at home and a Hydro Flask water bottle, courtesy of a product donation from Hydro Flask.

EVENT RECAP

EK

HeartLands Conservancy staff attended and participated in multiple tree planting events in observance of Arbor Day.

Collinsville High School Students and Satff with Fairmont City Mayor

ss Fairmont City Elementary & HeartLands Conservancy Staff

We joined the Valentine Conservation Community and planted 32 trees in Valentine Conservation Park and Nature Trails, a new park located in East St. Louis, IL. Staff also participated in the City of New Athens’ tree planting event at the New Athens Marina and Campgrounds.

HLC Tree ID Class

Thank you to all our volunteers who participated in Tree Week events and the Native Plant Sale! We truly appreciate your dedication to our mission.

Village of Swansea Staff

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Great Migration The Village of Hamel’s President Larry Bloemker reached out to HeartLands Conservancy with an innovative idea. The Village’s original task was to provide landscaping for the new enclosed dog park on a village-owned parcel that sits along the MCT Quercus Grove Trail directly west of the wastewater treatment plant. However, the new dog park provides an opportunity - a beautification plan for users that helped the ecosystem and the pollinators. It is an opportunity to showcase native landscape and join the Route 66 Monarch Flyway - a 66-mile-wide corridor that stretches predominantly north-south from Chicago to St. Louis, providing countless opportunities for habitat creation and enhancement along route 66. The Village transformed the project into the Proposed Route 66 Monarch Flyway & Dog Park habitat improvement project.

Under his direction, Heartlands Conservancy worked to create a site design once implemented would restore and enhance the native pollinator habitat while improving the aesthetic and wildlife value of the site. We developed a site concept to beautify the area for visitors and dogs alike specifying trees, shrubs, flowers, and plants to provide color, interest, and habitat improvements for migrating monarch butterflies and other pollinators and wildlife.

Photo Credit: Monarch Migration Map by The National Park Service

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Photo Credit: Monarchs Migration By Carole Robertson

The

In the September 20, 2021 Monarch Conservation Spotlight: Route 66 Monarch Flyway, Erin Holmes and Casey Wichmann were interviewed about the Illinois Monarch Project Route 66 Monarch Flyway. They shared the beginnings and their vision.

“The concept of the Route 66 Monarch Flyway was introduced in the Illinois Monarch Action Plan, which was signed into action in September 2020. The Route 66 Monarch Flyway and other strategies identified in the Illinois Monarch Action Plan aim to add 150 million milkweed stems on Illinois landscapes by 2038. To achieve this goal, the IMP is engaging all-hands-on-deck by partnering with stakeholders across the agriculture, natural lands, rights-ofway, and urban sectors. The Route 66 Monarch Flyway is an initiative of the Illinois Monarch Project (IMP), the statewide collaborative committed to helping monarch butterflies thrive throughout Illinois.

The Route 66 Monarch Flyway builds upon the historic and iconic Route 66 to provide a showcase for collaborative monarch habitat projects across a range of urban and rural landscapes.”

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Future Pollinator Meadow with mown paths and signs about pollinators/native flowers

0 25 50 Trees Common Serviceberry

New Jersey Tea

Purple Coneflower

Possumhaw

Saw-toothed Sunflower

Southern Arrowwood

Showy Goldenrod

Redbud

Flowers & Forbs

Pin Oak

Aromatic Aster

Shrubs American Plum Cinquefoil

1 0 0 Feet

Black-Eyed Susan Butterfly Milkweed New England Aster Prairie Blazing Star

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Swamp Milkweed Tall Thoroughwort Future Pavilion Future Pollinator Meadow Streambank Stabilization Planting Area Trail

The project site was divided into seven management units based on the unique conditions and goals within the site.

Each area has specified perennial trees, shrubs, and plants to attract monarchs and pollinators. Recommendations were provided for shade, safety to dogs and people, and to ease maintenance costs. The process included a Planting & Management Plan that addresses the installation and maintenance of these management units and can be divided into three broad categories: implementation, operation and management, and future recommendations.

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Plant This!

Close your eyes and imagine a park. Not a state park or a national park, but a park that is managed by your city. Is there a playground, sports fields, or a walking trail? You are probably imagining a lot of green grass, maybe some large trees for shade.

Outside of the green from the grass and trees, the park you are imagining is probably devoid of color.

You can probably imagine tractors or lawn mowers roaring through the park as they keep used and unused grass neatly manicured. Do you imagine any birds? Maybe a cardinal or robin. Do you imagine goldfinches gracefully perched on flowers or indigo buntings dancing along the tree line? Probably not.

How many butterflies did you imagine?

Native Plants are

Our culture has trained us to envision the green, grassy park discussed above. But maybe, just maybe, we could shift the way we think about our parks. I’m not here to tell you to get rid of all lawn grass that has ever existed, but I am here to tell you a lot of space occupied by lawn grass is wasted.

Luckily, some local parks have great examples of incorporating native ecosystem components into our publicly-owned lands.

Heartlands Conservancy has teamed with Swansea Clinton Hills Conservation Park to add native ecosystem components to this retired golf course.

In early June, I visited the park to monitor the progress of a newly installed rain garden and developing prairie planting at our Exploration Garden. Plants installed in the rain garden in May are growing vigorously and swamp/rose milkweed was in full bloom. As I took pictures of the rain garden’s success, I overheard a fellow patron make an observation of a eastern bluebird fluttering across the prairie planting. The bluebird is nesting in one of four bluebird boxes installed in the garden.

The prairie planting was full of yellow and purple flowering native plants. The flush of color contrasted with the adjacent open space used as a disc golf course. Upon closer inspection, I observed a white-tailed deer feeding in the middle of the planted prairie. Swansea Clinton Hills Conservation Area is a fantastic example of using native plants to increase the aesthetic value within a multi use park.

Rain Garden at Swansea Clinton Hills

Prairie & Disc Golf at Swansea Clinton Hills

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! Not That!

By Eric Wright HLC Land Conservation Program Manager

Good for Parks

My next visit was to Centennial Park in Swansea, Illinois. The park’s highlight is a 1.6 mile hike trail that loops across Richland Creek and back again.

The park also included a public restroom, small playground, and interpretive signage. As I hiked the loop trail on a 95 degree afternoon, a cool breeze passed through the creek and shaded trail to bring relief to my perspiring forehead. Invasive species were present along my hike, but upon closer inspection, I found great floodplain native plants and towering ash trees growing along the creek.

carried by a gentle breeze to my nose. As you exit the trails, the park opens up into multiple sports fields utilized by youth sports teams.

Native plants in parks increase the aesthetic and conservation value of our open spaces. So, how do we encourage our parks to incorporate more native plants? First, anyone can make a phone call to positively reinforce the native plant features already in parks. Parks staff often only receive negative feedback. A refreshingly positive phone call can help encourage park staff to continue to add native plants. Next, park improvements will always take two things; time and money. Ask your local parks about volunteer opportunities. Your time can help parks reallocate resources into conservation friendly projects. Plus, you can advocate for more native plant features while you are volunteering.

Lastly, you can volunteer with local conservation organizations. Heartlands Conservancy holds several monthly workdays on various projects in our region. While the physical work is instrumental to meeting our goals, we also try to train and educate our volunteers while we work. The skill set you build while volunteering with HeartLands Conservancy can then be re-purposed on a variety of projects in our communities.

Centennial Park Trail

My last visit was to Heartland Prairie in Gordon Moore Park in Alton, Illinois. Heartland Prairie was established by volunteers over 30 years ago and has been maintained by the Alton Parks and Recreation District and The Nature Institute. The prairie has a walking trail that weaves through the tall grass prairie restoration. This prairie had a diversity of colorful wildflowers blooming with more blooms to come. The aroma of common milkweed flowers was 15 MEANDERINGS FALL | WINTER 2021

Mowed Path at Heartland Prairie

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GREAT

PARKS WORK From Parks Planning to Placemaking Mary Vandevord

CEO/President of HeartLands Conservancy

Edwardsville City Park

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P

arks are among the most important places within a community. Great parks do not have to be filled with soccer and baseball fields. Many of the nation’s most incredible parks feature quiet woodland spaces, open grassy areas to stretch out or play frisbee, or well-connected walking trails.

Great parks do not have to be filled with 3 soccer and baseball fields.

Southwestern Illinois and the greater St. Louis region have a wide variety of parks. Ranging from sports complexes to nature preserves to sculpture parks and in-between. But what makes some parks so beloved while others flounder? The HeartLands Conservancy staff pulled together our collective knowledge, experiences, and education to highlight the things that make parks work!

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Superb Park Management. It is highly noticeable when a park isn’t managed beyond just cutting the grass. Woods and nature areas in parks need stewardship and care to continue looking attractive and maintain their health for decades to come. We recommend creating management plans for parks, especially for nature areas or parks or natural area-type parks. These plans provide guidance and schedules for identifying and controlling invasive plants, like bush honeysuckle, and plan out trails, creek health, and tree care. To stay on top of this, some parks departments use conservancies to work on the management. Conservancies (like HeartLands or Forest Park Forever) can lead fundraising and volunteer efforts to manage spaces in parks that need extra attention. This adds to a park department’s capacity.

Provide programming and interactive elements. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently completed a study that found that offering structured physical activity

and social interaction opportunities in parks is critical to health. Many people today need structure to engage in your community’s park. What do we mean? Structured programming includes offering a guided walk or tour, hosting an activity (e.g., yoga, race), or having a festival.

Other ways to help people interact with the public space include interactive art, play spaces, and space for games, such as chess. Water also naturally draws people to it; if people are allowed to splash in the water, more will engage in the space.

Flexible park layout, but have a plan! We cannot stress enough how having a master plan for each park is essential to creating successful parks. However, that plan should provide a flexible park layout so many different activities can happen. Designing spaces that can accommodate diverse uses will help a park thrive. A great example is City Park in Edwardsville. The park’s open layout with lots of shade and focal points in critical places allows for many activities - art in the park, a concert, a festival, a picnic, and areas to read.

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Provide amenities or activities for the different groups of people who will use the park. How do you know what amenities people need or want? Ask them! Often communities undervalue residents’ knowledge and understanding of their community parks. Community members are great partners in making fantastic parks. The people that use the park - or want to use the park - will be the best experts in what the park needs.

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Synergy. Providing multiple focal points and activities in place creates synergy. The International Project for Public Spaces calls this the “Power of 10”. Parks thrive when users have a range of reasons (10 or more) to be in a place.

Examples of “reasons” include places to sit, art to touch, music to hear, playgrounds to play on, people to meet or watch, food to eat, or history to experience. This synergy works best when the activities in that place reflect local culture or history.

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All-Seasons. Parks that provide activity and reasons to go there in any season, including winter, are the most successful. Why should people not visit your parks in the winter? Snowy countries like Canada and Sweden have parks that accommodate winter activities, such as sledding and ice sculptures. As an example, the Village of Bethalto hosts a Christmas Village at Bethalto Park each year.

People come from all over to see little villages on display, grab some hot cocoa and enjoy the wintery night. Glen Carbon sets aside a part of Miner Park for sledding.

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Circulation. We’re not talking about vehicles here!

People of all ages and abilities need to be able to move around your park on foot, skate, skateboard, scooter, wheelchair, or bicycle. Often we see parks that prioritize parking lots. While having a parking area is necessary for community-wide or regional parks, it should not be at the expense of the pedestrian experience. People will want to stay in your park longer when they feel safe from vehicular traffic and can easily get to the different focal points.

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Natural landscaping. We would go so far as to say native and adapted/non-invasive plant landscaping is ideal. Parks are some of the best spaces for wildlife habitats, pollinators, and stormwater management. Designing a park to accommodate these elements will make it a lovely space to visit and help your community.

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Food. People gather around food. Where appropriate, provide places to get and eat food and drinks. A monthly food truck event, a nearby restaurant that can provide carryout or picnic foods, or a small concession stand will add to the park’s attraction (and provide a revenue source).

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Access - If it’s hard to get to the park, people won’t go. The most successful parks are on or near a transit stop, have great sidewalk or trail access, and/or are close to community attractions and neighborhoods. Connecting the park’s attractions with community attractions should be a top priority in your park’s master plan.

O‘Fallon Sports Park Fountains

Bohm Woods Nature Preserve Hike

Parks are essential for community health and resilience. HeartLands Conservancy works with communities, counties, and districts in our area to conserve, create, and facilitate nature-rich and welcoming parks and trails. We work with communities, residents, and organizations in our region to make great parks that incorporate community-centered plans, conservation and ecology, placemaking, and programming.

Fishing at Swansea Clinton Hills

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Sophia M Sachs Butterfly House

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Meanderings LIVE From the Page to the Stage Thursday, Aug 18, 2022 Fletcher’s Kitchen & Tap | Swansea, IL 5:30pm | cocktails on the patio, live music 6:30 - 7:30pm | buffet dinner 7:00 - 9:00pm | show What once was a two-page office photo-copied HeartLands Conservancy newsletter called Commonfields has now become the much loved glossy magazine, Meanderings. Watch as it changes again to a live show.

Join us as the hot topics of the community come to life as guest speakers, video presentations, storytellers, music, and art entertain guests. If you remember Annual Dinners of years past, this is a new and entertaining spin on that event. To purchase tickets: https://heartlandsconservancy.org/ event/meanderings-live/ Interested in sponsoring this event?

Partners can designate a best use-event sponsorship or designate the following areas (one sponsorship available for each) first claimed, first assigned): presenting sponsor, cocktail hour sponsor, entree & dessert sponsor, decor sponsor, and show/act sponsor.

PROGRAM BOOK DEADLINE: August 8, 2022 Contact Kim O‘Bryan HLC Director of Development & Events kim.obryan@heartlandsconservancy.org 618.566.4451 ext 10

20 MEANDERINGS SUMMER 2022

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Our mission here at HeartLands Conservancy is to work for clean water, access to the outdoors, healthy ecosystems, and resilient communities in southwestern Illinois.

Our members are part of a diverse community who treasure our region and have been instrumental in working together to preserve and protect the lands and places of beauty and natural life.

To highlight a few accomplishments through the generous donations of members and donors over the last year, you‘ve preserved over 9,994 total acres of wetlands, prairies, and cultural sites in our region.

Preservation includes 90 acres of sand prairie habitat to help protect threatened Illinois Chorus Frogs--in expanding our Poag Sand Prairie site. You‘ve helped preserve a 70-acre buffer to Bohm Woods Nature Preserve--the only remaining Grade A old-growth forest in Madison County. You‘re helping to build the Exploration Garden at Clinton Hills Conservation Park, where this 6-acre piece of the park will be pollinator meadows, rain gardens, and native plant landscape displays.

You‘ve helped plant over 1,030 native tree species in our region within the last year, uplifting communities, restoring biodiversity, and improving the health of ecosystems.

Trees are a big deal and vital to the environment.

With extinction rates sweeping, biodiversity loss is critical.

According to the‚ IDNR 2020 List of Endangered and Threatened Species in Illinois by County‘, over 142 species in our region alone are at risk of disappearing, many within decades, like the Illinois Chorus Frog and the Ornate Box Turtle. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse don‘t just threaten animals and plants; it risks the food and water supplies that we regionally rely on.

‘Choose Nature‘ with HLC!

You‘ve seen 153,509 acres of community and watershed planning for the health of our local watersheds into thriving resources for communities and wildlife.

Southwestern Illinois watersheds flow into the Mississippi River – a significant source of drinking water, transportation, commerce, recreation, and wildlife habitat.

Healthy watersheds are not only suitable for the people living in them but contribute to a healthier and resilient Mississippi River.

Thank you for your continued support, and thank you for Choosing Nature!

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WHITE OAK SOCIETY

Our mem

F

amed for its longevity, endurance, strength, and steadfastness, the White Oak is regarded spiritually as the Tree of Life. Along with the largest and longest lived oaks of southwestern Illinois, the White Oak provides long-term sustenance and protection to many living things in our region. Because of this, we consider the White Oak something special.

The White Oak Society is a particular group of honored people, businesses, and foundations making annual gifts (cumulatively) of $500 or more to HeartLands Conservancy.

Many of the programs we offer, natural areas, and farms we have protected directly result from this growing circle of friends.

The White Oak Society significantly impacts southwestern Illinois, ensuring protected open space and sustainable communities for generations.

We invite you to join this growing and dedicated group.

‘CHOOSE NATU MEANDERINGS SUMMER SUMMER 2022 2022 22 MEANDERINGS

IMPACT

mbership growth & impact in the past fiscal year.

May Membership Month

37 New Members

Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) Photo Credit: Chris Light

2022

Membership

MEMBERSHIP The benefits of membership include: • Subscription to our quarterly member magazine, Meanderings • Special invitations to hikes, treks, trail, and preserve openings, and other events • Discounts on classes, plant sales, and events • Discounts on Conservation@Home Certification • Opportunities to meet with other individuals from throughout Southwestern Illinois who share a passion for conservation and our region‘s special places

Total

Donation Amounts $50.00 - Acorn $100.00 - Seedling $250.00 - Sapling $500.00 - Pin Oak* $1,000.00 - Red Oak* $2,500.00 - Chinkapin Oak* $5,000.00 - Post Oak* $10,000.00 - Bur Oak*

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*White Oak Society Eligible

White Oak Society

61 Members

Members

9,994 Total Acres Preserved

Wetlands, Prairies, and Cultural Sites

For more information contact Kim O’Bryan, Director of Development & Events 618-566-4451 x 10 or kim.obryan@heartlandsconservancy.org

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Oak Tree

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STAFF & BOARD Welcome to the Team, John!

John O‘Donnell has joined the team as the Water Program Manager! John is passionate about water quality and environmental justice. Here at HLC John leads, plans, and manages a variety of water quality, quantity, and green infrastructure programs. He brings a wealth of experience gained in addressing non-point source water pollution through intensive monitoring, outreach, and education, and working on technological solutions. We are excited to have John on our team. john.odonnell@heartlandsconservancy.org | 618-566-4451 ext. 14 “When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope.

We also secure the future for our children.” ― Wangari Maathai

Farewell, Brittany!

This summer we said farewell to Conservation Project Coordinator, Brittany Schweiger. Brittany joined HeartLands Conservancy to work with communities, agencies, residents, and landowners on a variety of conservation projects in our region. During her time at HLC, Brittany helped lead our organization’s volunteer programs, community forestry initiatives, wildlife habitat work, and community conservation projects.

Brittany is moving up to environmental field work for a consulting firm. We look forward to seeing her out in nature.

Thank You for Your Service, Rhonda!

A giant THANK YOU to outgoing board member and long-time Vice-Chair, Ronda Latina. Ronda has served on the HLC board of directors since 2014.

She has served in a variety of roles, including the Treasurer and ViceChair roles. Ronda has been instrumental in supporting Field to Fork, our annual fundraiser, for many years. She also stepped in on many occasions to hack honeysuckle, lead hikes, and evaluate land conservation deals in southwestern Illinois. We are incredibly grateful to her for her eight years of service on the board.

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AUGUST Tree Steward Informational Session Tuesday, August 2, 7pm-8pm

Tree Steward Biology Session

Tuesday, August 9, 7pm-8pm

Tree Steward Tree ID Session

Tuesday, August 16, 7pm-8pm

Meanderings LIVE! Thursday, August 18

Tree Steward Soils Session

SEPTEMBER

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, September 6, 7pm-8pm

iNaturalist Course at Swansea (ICECF Meadow Monitoring) Saturday, September 10, 9am-12pm

Online Fall Plant Sale Opens

Insects & Disease Session

https://heartlandsconservancy. org/events-calendar/

Tuesday, September 13, 7pm-8pm

WADE: Discover a Stream!

Friday, September 16, 9am-12pm Stream Monitoring at Signal Hill

Tree Steward Pruning Session Tuesday, September 20, 7pm-8pm

HLC Fall Plant Sale Order Pick Up Saturday, September 24 26 MEANDERINGS SUMMER 2022

Saturday, October 29, 8:30am4:30pm

Tree Selection & Planting Session

Tree Steward

UPCOMING EVENTS & VOLUNTEER DATES Use your phone to scan the QR code below.

Wilderness First Aid Training

Tree Steward

Tuesday, August 23, 7pm-8pm

Thursday, August 25

OCTOBER

VOLUNTEER DATES Friday, August 19, 9am-12pm Signal Hill Volunteer Day Saturday, August 27, 9am-12pm Arlington Wetlands Volunteer Day Friday, September 16, 9am-12pm Signal Hill Volunteer Day Saturday, September 24, 9am-12pm Arlington Wetlands Volunteer Day Friday, October 21, 9am-12pm Signal Hill Volunteer Day Saturday, October 22, 9am-12pm Arlington Wetlands Volunteer Day Friday, November 18, 9am-12pm Signal Hill Volunteer Day Saturday, November 26, 9am-12pm Arlington Wetlands Volunteer Day Sign up to be an HLC Volunteer on our website under Get Involved.

JINGLE HIKE 2022 JINGLE HIKE 2022 THANKSGIVING TO NEW YEARS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Pin Oak Bauerhaus Design, Inc. Belleville Optometry, Ltd Clinton County SWCD Farm Credit Illinois Fulford Homes Lochmueller Group Patrick Prindable Insurance Agency Property Peddler, Inc. Pufalt-Pauley Insurance Agency, Inc. Volkert, Inc.

Sponsors as of July 11, 2022 Sapling

Bur Oak

Ameren Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery

Madison County Building & Zoning Madison County Farm Bureau Memorial Hospitals Belleville - Shiloh Randolph County Soil & Water

Post Oak Prairie State Generating Company, LLC Wetlands Forever, Inc.

Conservation District

St. Clair County Farm Bureau Village of Swansea

Red Oak Clinton County Farm Bureau Forrest Keeling Nursery Nelson & Nelson Attorneys at Law, P.C. Studio Archaeos

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HEARTLANDS C O N S E R VA N C Y

29 E. Maint Street, Belleville, IL 62220

www.HeartlandConservancy.org

LAND. WATER. COMMUNITIES.

Invest in southwestern Illinois

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Invest in us.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18TH What once was a two-page office photo-copied HeartLands Conservancy newsletter called Commonfields has now become the much loved glossy magazine, Meanderings. Watch as it changes again to a live show.

Join us as the hot topics of the community come to life as guest speakers, video presentations, and art entertain guests.

Truly from the page to the stage!

Please register to attend. heartlandsconservancy.org SEE PAGE 16 INSIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION