Material Service Corporation Settlement FundA Story of Loss and

Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal Written for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Corporation for Open Lands 111 N. Canal St, Suite 600 25 E. Washington, Suite 1600 Chicago, IL 60606-7206 Chicago, IL 60602-1708 By Jill Riddell March 2006 Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal Table of Contents Part 1. The Settlement................................................................................................... 1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 The Site ......................................................................................................................... 1 The Violation ................................................................................................................ 1 Uncovering the Magnitude of the Violation ................................................................. 3 MSC Response and Preliminary Negotiation ............................................................... 4 Political Pressures Brought to Bear .........................................................................4 MSC's Offers of Mitigation .....................................................................................5 Building a Court Case..............................................................................................5 The Court Battle............................................................................................................ 6 Spending the Money ..................................................................................................... 7 Relationship with Corporation for Open Lands.......................................................7 Getting Started .........................................................................................................9 Cooperative Agreements..........................................................................................9 Identifying Projects..................................................................................................... 10 Protecting the Projects Long-Term........................................................................10 Conclusion and Tips for the Future ............................................................................ 11 Part 2. The Projects ..................................................................................................... 13 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 13 Restoration Projects ...............................................................................................13 Acquisitions ...........................................................................................................13 Research/Study Projects.........................................................................................14 Total Dedicated Acreage........................................................................................14 Project Descriptions .................................................................................................... 14 Forest Preserve District of Cook County .................................................................... 15 Bartel Grassland.....................................................................................................15 - ii - Orland Grassland ...................................................................................................16 Sag Valley Dolomite Prairie and Fen ....................................................................18 Sagawau Canyon Addition ....................................................................................19 Lockport Township Park District................................................................................ 20 Dellwood Park West ..............................................................................................20 Illinois Department of Natural Resources................................................................... 21 Des Plaines River Conservation Area....................................................................21 Long Run Seep Nature Preserve ............................................................................22 Long Run Seep Addition .......................................................................................23 Forest Preserve District of Will County...................................................................... 24 Lake Renwick East ................................................................................................24 Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve...........................................................................25 Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve.......................................................................27 Theodore Marsh and Black Road Access South....................................................29 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie ............................................................................ 30 Mola Tract..............................................................................................................31 Morgan Woods.......................................................................................................31 Prairie Creek Savanna............................................................................................32 South Patrol Road ..................................................................................................33 Wetland Seed Production Facility .........................................................................33 Research and Monitoring Projects .............................................................................. 34 Gauging Dolomite Prairie Insect Assemblage Restoration Success within the Des Plaines River Valley .......................................................................................34 Plants of Concern Volunteer Monitoring Program................................................34 Pre-European Settlement Vegetative Map and Analysis of Cook County ............35 Volunteer Recruitment and Development – Bartel and Orland Grassland............35 - iii - Part 1. The Settlement Introduction In 1999 Material Service Corporation agreed to a $7.5 million civil penalty for a wetlands violation. This was the largest settlement sum ever earned by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers – Chicago District (USACE). The penalty was for filling and destroying a wetland that supported a globally endangered natural community in Will County, Illinois, located approximately 35 miles southwest of Chicago. The case was resolved with the assistance of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois. This document tells the story of that settlement, and the role the USACE and its partners played in bringing it about. It also documents how the $7.5 million was used to restore 2,390 acres of natural areas in the region surrounding the violation. The Site In 1977, the State of Illinois undertook an inventory of its remaining natural land. The Illinois Natural Areas Inventory discovered that only .07 percent of the State was found to still be in its presettlement condition; the rest had been plowed, lumbered, mined or developed. One area identified in the study was a 35-acre wetland in the Village of Romeoville in Will County. The site was about a 45 minute drive southwest of downtown Chicago. It contained sedge meadow, wet and mesic prairie, marsh, and one of the rarest natural communities in the world, wet dolomite prairie. The Illinois Natural Areas Inventory had found that there was only 36 acres of wet dolomite prairie left anywhere; some of it was at this site, which it named the Material Service Prairie. Most of the remainder was found at Lockport Prairie, also in Will County. This type of prairie was always an unusual plant community, even in presettlement times, because it occurs only where the limestone bedrock is very near the surface of the soil in glaciated areas. There are a number of plants specifically adapted to these conditions. Because of the scarcity of wet dolomite prairie and the rarity of its characteristic species, The Nature Conservancy's scientists and other ecologists rank its preservation as globally important. The Violation This particular dolomite prairie was owned by the Material Service Corporation (MSC), then a subsidiary of General Dynamics. Material Service Corporation Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement operates a number of gravel mines in northeastern Illinois. Altogether MSC supplies about 20 to 30 percent of aggregate sold in the Chicago region. This material goes into making concrete for new homes and businesses, and for building highways. This was not the only wetland on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory that was owned by MSC. The company also owned Spring Hill Farm Fen in McHenry County. That site was purchased from MSC and preserved by the Village of Lake-In-TheHills in 1983. This was also not the company's first exposure to Section 404 laws. MSC staff had obtained permits from other districts for other facilities. The wetland of concern was located on the west side of the Des Plaines River, east of Route 53 and north of Route 7. Material Service Corporation Site Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -2- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement * Location of Violation It was surrounded by a tall berm and fence, and was hidden from view; there was no way for anyone to see what was going on without getting permission to enter the property from MSC. After dynamiting out the initial pit, MSC systematically mined the natural area during the 1980s and early 1990s. By 1993, what was left was a 55-acre hole approximately 75-feet deep. Only about 13 acres of the original Inventory site and only about four acres of the wet dolomite prairie survived. Uncovering the Magnitude of the Violation In late spring of 1993, MSC came into the USACE office in Chicago and selfreported a violation in unincorporated Romeoville. What the company representatives said at the time was that General Dynamics wanted to sell off parts of MSC. A potential buyer for the site backed out during the due diligence process because a survey showed that there appeared to have been a wetlands violation. MSC Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -3- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement representatives expressed a desire to solve the problem so the company could proceed with plans to sell the property. Keith Wozniak, Chicago District's enforcement chief, visited the site at MSC's invitation and confirmed that there had been violations. Everything surrounding the big pit was wetland, and piles of mine overburden were sitting on existing wetland. MSC did not take Wozniak into the rest of the site, so the high quality areas were not noted. Wozniak suggested that MSC apply for an after-the-fact permit and come into the District for a pre-application meeting with a wetland delineation already prepared. Jean Sellar, an ecologist for the Chicago District of the USACE, investigated further. Aerial photos showed that most of pit was once wetland and that the rest of the site, which was intended for future mining, appeared to be a natural remnant. In addition, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) had recently notified the District that some natural areas in the lower Des Plaines River valley supported the federally endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana). Sellar scheduled an appointment to perform a more thorough site investigation, and invited Marcy DeMauro from the Will County Forest Preserve District and Jeff Mengler from the USFWS to come along. This visit revealed far more, as Sellar examined the entire site. "We were overwhelmed by the quality of what we found remaining," Sellar recalls. "There was a river of prairie Indian plantain (Cacalia plantaginia) in bloom, and lots of Carex aquatilis and Carex sterilis, the indicator sedges of dolomite prairie." MSC Response and Preliminary Negotiation Political Pressures Brought to Bear By the time Sellar returned to the office that same day, the Colonel in charge of the Chicago District had already received a message from the Secretary of the Army's office regarding the case. One of MSC's executives served as an advisor to the Secretary's Midwest office, and had called to ask for help in resolving the case. MSC had further connections to the USACE, as one of the chief counsels had once been chief counsel for the USACE. To give the case additional leverage from outside the USACE, Sellar asked the USFWS to survey the property for the Hines emerald dragonfly. The dragonfly was found foraging and later breeding at the site, which gave the USFWS jurisdiction. She also worked to have the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the USFWS declare the site an "Area of National Importance;" once it was given that status, it gave those agencies the ability to exercise their Section 404(q) authorities. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -4- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement MSC's Offers of Mitigation The first offer MSC representatives presented as a way to compensate for the company's actions was to replant natural area at the bottom of the gravel pit. The USACE declined. Then MSC offered to donate another parcel south of the site; the Hines emerald dragonfly had also been found at this site. But because the endangered species was known and present, and because the site was too narrow and within the floodplain of the river, MSC would not be able to mine it anyway. The USACE declined. USACE's first choice for mitigation was the preservation of what wetland remained at the site. The USACE suggested that MSC donate the site to the Will County Forest Preserve District or to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. MSC refused throughout negotiations to consider this. MSC representatives claimed there was $75 million worth of stone under the land, and they continued to assert plans to make amends for the infraction and go ahead with plans to sell or mine. Part of the reason this particular site was so valuable to MSC was that it fronts on the Des Plaines River. Gravel can be loaded directly onto barges and transported inexpensively along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Transportation for rock from this site cost 20 percent less than rock from other sites. Building a Court Case Officials at MSC denied wrongdoing throughout the case, but said they were willing to negotiate with the USACE regarding the violation. After a year's worth of discussion, with no sense that MSC was willing to extend its vision for what was reasonable mitigation, the Chicago District of the USACE contacted the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois to alert them to the possibility of a law suit. The USACE's authority in this case comes from Section 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1972. The USEPA administers the Clean Water Act, but Congress turned over the authority for navigable waterways, in Sections 11 and 404, to the USACE. In accordance with these regulations, what the Chicago District had to prove was not that a natural area had been destroyed but rather that there had been a discharge of dredged or fill material into a wetland during the mining process. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Haile was supportive of the Chicago District's case, and helped the office staff figure out how to gather and record evidence. "I was thrilled to get the case," Haile says. "I like environmental cases, and from the beginning, this one was promising." Mitch Isoe, regulatory branch chief of the USACE – Chicago District, contacted the USACE's Wetlands Regulations Assistance Program (WRAP) which operates out of the Engineering Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi, for Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -5- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement additional help in building a case. WRAP sent national experts to the office to help the staff learn what evidence to look for, where to find it, and how to use it. The key evidence was to be found in the aerial photos, which Sellar had managed to accumulate in great abundance. Now the photos had to be examined and interpreted in such a way that even a judge with absolutely no background in this type of case could see the presence of piles of fill, their growth, and their movement. These piles were the proof of repeated, multiple, and ongoing violations. A firm called Aerometrics out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was hired as a contractor to turn the photos into evidence. With computer imaging, Aerometrics could measure the height and sizes of the piles of fill from year to year. Different colored circles highlighted the offenses. A dramatic topography of fill piles began to emerge. The Court Battle Once it became apparent that a settlement was unlikely to be reached, the U.S. Attorney's office took over negotiations for a pre-filing solution. This was the next step up, but it was not yet a lawsuit. Haile felt that no judge would award the land that was left as part of a settlement. "Under the Clean Water Act, a violator will generally be ordered to pay a fee and to fix the violation," Haile says. "In this case it was unlikely MSC would be ordered to restore the site since the natural area was now a 100-foot deep hole. The next step would be to get the company to restore a different area. There's a lot of precedence for restoring wetlands in the same watershed." Though it may seem unfair to an outsider that MSC should retain ownership of high quality wetland, the Clean Water Act is not set up to take away someone's private property. "It was extremely unlikely that a judge would order MSC to turn private land over to the government or to a third party," Haile says. Haile prepared the USACE staff for the likelihood that what would be negotiated would be a sum of money, and that sum would be able to be used for restoring wetlands. Sellar reluctantly conceded the point, but still kept the request in front of MSC as a bargaining strategy. Right before the first meeting with the U.S. Attorney, MSC asked the USACE what other options they might have. The USACE requested that MSC purchase several hundred acres of land and turn it over to IDNR or Will County. MSC would not consider it. After months of ongoing negotiation between the U.S. Attorney and MSC, Haile decided that MSC wasn't going to budge. In 1995, Haile filed suit. MSC first fought the case on the grounds that the statute of limitations had run out, at least on the early years of the violation. The courts had never defined when the statute of limitations Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -6- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement ran out on Section 404 cases. The U.S. Attorney's office triumphed; the judge handed down a ruling in favor of USACE enforcement. The judge encouraged the parties to try once again to reach a settlement on their own. After another lengthy but fruitless period of negotiation, MSC suggested a mediation judge. Mediation is not the same as a binding arbitration; the parties can still pursue law suits if they are unhappy with the outcome. According to Sellar, the mediation judge assigned to the case was retired from the bench and did the work part-time. Haile thought the maximum the USACE might receive would be $3 million. When the day came, the judge announced that he had reviewed their materials beforehand, and he asked MSC to go first in stating their position. When MSC finished, Sellar had no idea how the judge was reacting. Haile was asked to present the government's case. The judge stopped him shortly after he started. "Then the judge said to MSC’s attorneys, 'I wouldn't be in your shoes right now for anything,'" Sellar says. After that uncomfortable bit of news, the judge continued. "He looked at the Material Service lawyers," Sellar recalls, "and said, 'I'm going to start with $10 million.' By 4:00 that afternoon, we had an agreement of $7.5 million." "The USACE does a good job supporting us in these cases," says Haile, reflecting on the victory. "There are dedicated people in that office, and we work well with them." Spending the Money Sellar and others at the USACE were committed to the idea of using the mitigation money to fund natural area restoration in the region surrounding the violation. Discussions with forest preserve districts, the State of Illinois, the USDA Forest Service and other land owning organizations indicated that there is a great deal of land that is in urgent need of restoration and land management assistance. All are involved in an active process to preserve and manage existing natural areas transform and certain properties from old fields back into wetlands and grasslands, and are committed to managing them over time. Relationship with Corporation for Open Lands Once the decision was made to have the settlement funds administered by an organization other than MSC, the USACE contacted Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) regarding its interest in administering the settlement funds. CorLands is a private non-profit conservation organization that was formed in 1978. The main mission of CorLands is to provide real estate expertise to park and forest preserve districts, municipalities, state agencies, and private owners who want to conserve land Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -7- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement in northeastern Illinois. CorLands is an affiliate of Openlands Project, a nonprofit organization that helps protect open space in northeastern Illinois. While acquisition is one way to increase the size of holdings, restoration of existing open spaces is another way to make natural areas within those open spaces function more effectively and be able to support a greater array of biodiversity. CorLands niche in northeastern Illinois has been its ability to be a facilitator, to make things happen, that made the organization an attractive partner for the project. The USACE already had established a working relationship with CorLands prior to the MSC settlement. Shortly after Sellar started with the USACE in 1992, she arranged a mitigation in which the acquisition and management of a prairie served as mitigation for a violation. CorLands was asked by the park district that was to ultimately receive the land to coordinate the acquisition. The transaction was completed as planned with the assistance of a grant from the State of Illinois. After that, CorLands facilitated a number of other combined mitigations in conjunction with the USACE. In 1995, the USACE and CorLands set up the Wetlands Preservation and Enhancement Account. Several projects later, CorLands had shown that it was capable of receiving money, keeping good track of it, and showing significant results on the ground. In 1997, CorLands became a partner organization with the USACE in the Wetland Restoration Fund, a fund to implement projects resulting from permitted wetland impacts. Joe Roth of CorLands takes this responsibility seriously. "The USACE has to be confident that they won't have professional egg on their faces by entrusting CorLands with the money," says Roth. "I feel and appreciate the weight of that responsibility every day." From CorLands perspective, Roth says managing the money it gets from the USACE is logistically tricky. Since there is no guarantee from year to year on how much money will be coming or how much labor will be needed to administer the funds, it's challenging to fashion a work plan and maintain appropriate staffing levels. CorLands has had to remain flexible, and has managed to respond to the occasion as needed. In regards to the $7.5 million MSC settlement, $500,000 of the settlement went to the U.S. Department of Treasury as a penalty and $7 million was paid out to CorLands by MSC in 2 payments in 1999 and 2000. Before the payments were made, CorLands set up a bank account (Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund) specifically for the $7 million so all expenses and interest income could be easily tracked. All interest income earned on the deposited funds were rolled back into the account to help further its stated purpose. CorLands roles and responsibilities in the Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund (“MSCSF”) effort went beyond over-all financial management, reporting, and accounting. CorLands staff also worked with the USACE to identify and assess potential projects and to secure project agreements with the landowning organizations. Depending on the individual project CorLands also acted as the project Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -8- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement manager, which included coordinating project planning, public outreach, formulating bid specifications, contracting, and contract management. Getting Started The USACE originally anticipated having to fund a significant percentage of the cost of the resulting MSCSF projects. In developing the implementation strategy and protocols for the MSCSF the USACE and CorLands decided to attempt to leverage the MSCSF dollars as much as possible to broaden the potential benefits of the funds. Also, looking for matching funds and/or services was important to give the grant recipients more an investment (and long term commitment) in the projects. As a part of the implementation protocols the CorLands board had the opportunity to approve funding for acquisition projects. Restoration, enhancement, monitoring, or study projects required only the formal approval of the USACE. On July 30, 1999, the USACE and CorLands signed an agreement for the creation and broad administrative guidelines for the MSCSF. At the request of the Chicago District, the funds were to be used for the restoration, enhancement, acquisition, monitoring, and study activities in the lower Des Plaines and Kankakee River valleys, particularly in ecosystems related to dolomite prairies and their associated systems. Beginning in August of 1999 representatives of the USACE and CorLands began meeting on a quarterly basis to review the financial status of the account, project selection, project status, and to discuss any decisions that needed to be made. In September and October, CorLands and the USACE started meeting with land managers and agencies to discuss possible projects and partners. The staff sent out letters inviting proposals to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Forest Preserve District of Will County, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Lockport Township Park District, and the USDA Forest Service, which owns the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. These agencies met the geographic requirements required by the USACE. But with the exception of Will County, CorLands ability to secure cooperative agreements for the selected projects with each agency posed significant challenges. Cooperative Agreements Though ambitious restoration projects have been accomplished within Cook County forest preserves, the agency itself was in trouble. Controversy over cutting trees had led to a recent moratorium on restoration work, and some restrictions remained in place. However, in addressing the biodiversity of northeastern Illinois it wasn't possible to ignore the Cook County Forest Preserve District; the agency owns over 68,000 acres in Cook County, with extensive holdings in the southern part of the county, which fell into the region targeted for MSC settlement funds. The agency has a colossal need of funds for restoration, and the staff was eager to do the work. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 -9- Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement Ultimately, the project agreements with Cook County took the longest to be negotiated and signed. The other challenging partner turned out to be the U.S. Forest Service. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a new 19,500-acre preserve. In 1996, the Department of Defense, operating under one of the Base Realignment and Closure Acts, turned over the Joliet Arsenal to a new set of landowners. The entire area is in need of intensive restoration, yet little money has been allocated for restoration in the federal budget. The USACE and CorLands considered Midewin a candidate for funding because of the degraded but restorable ecosystems there. The Forest Service was so slow in its planning efforts that there came a time when the committee had to make tough decisions about whether to continue holding the money for Midewin or give it to other worthy candidates. Eventually the Midewin Prairie Plan was worked out and MSCSF funds were awarded for restoration, enhancement, and acquisition projects at Midewin. IDNR posed difficulties as well. The projects were approved readily enough, but then the agency went through a major reorganization, and suddenly supervisors who had given their approval were either gone altogether or were working somewhere else. "None of this was as fast as we thought it would be," says Ken Fiske, a CorLands board member. However, by early in 2001, project agreements for all the approved restoration projects had been signed. Identifying Projects The first MSCSF projects to start were in Will County. The Will County Forest Preserve District's groundwater watershed mapping in Lockport Prairie was already going by the end of 2000, and by the middle of 2002, all of Will County's and IDNR's projects were well underway. It took until the beginning of 2002 for Cook County and the Forest Service to get started. Following this background material is a list of projects with descriptions and photographs of each. Protecting the Projects Long-Term Mitigation helps no one if the settlement money is used to protect sites that are later destroyed. Ken Fiske, a CorLands board member, was convinced that a key to ensuring the long-term survival of the projects was to have them be put into the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission's system, either as registered or dedicated sites. These two designations are available only to sites of high natural quality. Dedication of a site protects it to the highest extent available under Illinois state law; registration also provides a high level of protection, though certain activities that are prohibited in Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 10 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement dedicated sites are allowed in registered ones. The Commission has been dedicating land since 1973, and has served as model for the establishment of such commissions in other states. Beginning in the fall of 2003, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission considered and issued preliminary approvals for the Dedication or Registration of the MSCSF sites in southern Cook and Will Counties. The last of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission approvals are expected by the end of 2006. The specific dedications and acreages for each project site is listed on the project summaries that are a part of this report. Conclusion and Tips for the Future The project has been a big success in terms of the amount of work that has been done in a short period of time. Without the funds from the Material Services settlement, the work would have taken decades. "I wish the original Natural Areas Inventory site was never destroyed," says Roth. "But that being said, you can't go back in time and undo that. It's wishing for the impossible." For any USACE offices that find themselves in similar circumstances some day, here are some tips from the individuals involved in the project: 1) Contact U.S. Attorney early if you have a significant case. "It's important to call the U.S. Attorney right away if you have a significant case. It forces you to document your site visits, what you tell the violator, and how you tell them, because it will all become grist for the mill," says Isoe. "And you may play the negotiations differently depending on whether the attorney's office is interested in the case or not." "The U.S. Attorneys are experienced litigators," Sellar adds. "They don't do anything else. Their advice on when and how to handle negotiations, what to demand and what to concede, and especially what forms the logic of a good case, is invaluable. I had no idea of how much we were entitled to until they were involved. We typically were asking for much less than we should." And from the attorney office's perspective, Haile provides an additional caution against waiting too long: "You don't want to run up against the statute of limitations." 2) When you reach an agreement, give the U.S. Attorney's office the credit. "Let the U.S. Attorney's office call the press conference and have the USACE Colonel attend," says Isoe. "But the U.S. Attorney's office is much more political than the USACE, and the positive press means a lot to them." Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 11 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Settlement 3) Make use of the USACE's Wetlands Regulations Assistance Program. "USACE has tremendous capabilities and people with all sorts of expertise," says Isoe. "Make sure you take advantage of the national resources of this agency." 4) Do your homework and use the deep expertise of other natural resource organizations. "We uncovered detailed and extremely useful data, remote sensing, and history from several different state agencies -- NRCS, USFWS, and local environmental groups," says Sellar. 5) Don't have the violator do the mitigation. Doing so may be a punishment for the violator, but it doesn't create a viable wetland," says Sellar. "Violators don't have expertise in ecosystems or water resources. If an organization such as CorLands or The Nature Conservancy is not available, use a state or regional agency that is accomplished in the performance of ecosystem restoration. They have an inherent familiarity with your areas resources and the motivation to maximize the amount and quality of work." Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 12 - Part 2. The Projects Summary Restoration Projects 2390 acres, $5.25M 1. Forest Preserve District of Cook County, 940 acres, $1,276,120 – Bartel Grassland – 375 acres – Orland Tract – 505 acres – Sag Valley – 60 acres 2. Forest Preserve District of Will County, 416 acres, $2,047,720 – Lake Renwick East – 105 acres – Lockport Prairie – 112 acres – Romeoville Prairie – 40 acres – Theodore Marsh – 140 acres 3. Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 348 acres, $407,051 – Des Plaines Conservation Area – Blodgett Road Prairie – 200 acres – Des Plaines Dolomite/Frontage Road Prairie – 50 acres – Grant Creek Prairie – 78 acres – Long Run Seep Prairie – 20 acres 4. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, 611 acres, $1,379,641 – Mola Property – 65 acres – Prairie Creek Savanna – 43 acres – South Patrol Road – 490 acres – Wetland Seed Production Area – 13 acres 5. Lockport Township Park District, 75 acres, $430,000 – Dellwood Park West – 75 acres Acquisitions $512,200 1. Forest Preserve District of Cook County – Camp Sag Addition – 6.70 acres 2. Forest Preserve District of Will County – Lockport Prairie, West Bluff – 65 acres Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects 3. Midewin – Morgan Woods – 77 acres Research/Study Projects $1,505,924 1. Lockport Prairie Hydrologic Study 2. Hines Emerald Dragonfly Habitat 3. Dolomite Prairie Inv/Grading System 4. Lockport Prairie/Dellwood Soil Mapping 5. Pre-settlement Vegetation Map for Cook County 6. HSS Mapping of Midewin 7. Wetland Restoration Feasibility in DP Watershed in Cook County 8. Hydrologic Study of Prairie Creek Savanna Area at Midewin 9. Updating of INAI Site Plant Data for NE Illinois 10. Plum Creek Preserve Plant and Amphibian Inventory Total Dedicated Acreage Illinois State Nature Preserve, Nature Preserve Buffer, Land and Water Reserve 1. Nature Preserve Buffer – 191 acres 2. Land & Water Registry – 2,353 acres Project Descriptions As a part of the Material Services Corporation Settlement Fund (“MSCSF”), over 27 restoration, enhancement, acquisition, monitoring, and/or study projects have been initiated since January of 2000. Highlights and brief descriptions of the projects initiated or furthered under the MSCSF follow. CorLands board of directors and staff would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to the Chicago District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Attorney - Northern District of Illinois for their dogged and diligent work that lead to the creation of the MSCSF, and to the boards, staffs, and volunteers of the landowning agencies and organizations that strive daily to preserve and manage the remaining natural resources of northeastern Illinois. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 14 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Forest Preserve District of Cook County Bartel Grassland Location: Cook County, Rich Township, R13E, T35N, Sec. 8, Village of Matteson Size of area affected by MSCSF-funded work: 375 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Land & Water Reserve Dedication: 585 acres Owner: Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Partners: FPDCC, USACE-Chicago District, CorLands, Audubon-Chicago Region, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, IDNR Conservation 2000 program Action: Restoration management plan, drainage and tile inventory, hydric soil mapping, hydrologic restoration, hedgerow removal, treatment of woody resprouts, planting of native seeds and plugs, prescribed burning, herbaceous invasive species control, bird and plant monitoring, native insect inventory, and volunteer recruitment, training and mentoring. Geologically located on the former bed of a much larger glacial Lake Michigan, Bartel Grassland is a marvelously flat landscape where the difference between a wet area and a drier area may be only six inches. Yet there are such distinctions within the site, forming a subtle topography that supports a number of different wetland and upland communities. At one square mile, Bartel Grassland has for years provided significant habitat for grassland birds such as bobolinks, Henslow’s sparrows, short-eared owls and many others. In the spring, birders line up with spotting scopes to see what migrants have stopped by to forage and rest. In approaching improvements to this area, all parties involved agreed that a first priority was to make sure that nothing was done to the land that hampered grassland nesting bird populations. Birders have noted that prairie restorations tend to have fewer native grassland birds than hayfields do; there seems to be something about the structure of hayfields, many of them filled largely with short European meadow species. So a major goal of restoration at this area was "do no harm" to the bird habitat. To address concerns that restoring native plants and hydrology can be done in a way to retain or enhance bird populations squarely in the forefront, the restoration plan calls for different mixes of species being tried in different quadrants. These are being monitored by volunteers to find out which mixes are most effective. The challenge was to improve the habitat for grassland nesting birds and for other animals—such as butterflies and other insects—by reintroducing a native plant matrix. The first task was to increase the open character of the site by removing the remaining Osage orange hedgerows that criss-crossed the interior of the site. Grassland birds do not reproduce successfully within 50 yards of a wooded edge Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 15 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects largely because these edges provide cover for their predators. The hedgerows had grown to over 15 feet tall and 15 feet wide in many places. Approximately 3.5 miles of hedgerows were removed. Other brush that dotted the interior of the grassland was cleared as well. A hydrological study was ordered to ascertain the locations of existing drainage tile, their condition, and to determine how best to abandon them. The consultants recommended a combination of disabling the existing drainage tiles through a series of valves and by strategically crushing the tile in spots to disable other sections. The valves were recommended to allow for periodic opening to allow (if needed) the FPD of Cook County to regulate the amount of water accumulating on site. In addition, a solid pipe crossing the grassland was installed to continue the drainage of storm water runoff from Vollmer Road when it was expanded. To assist with long-term stewardship and monitoring of the site MSCSF funded a program to recruit and train a volunteer stewardship group for Bartel Grassland. Activities include identifying volunteer leaders, providing technical and logistical support in creating goals and conducting work days, and initiating a newsletter. The Audubon-Chicago Region office is working cooperatively with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to carry out this work. Orland Grassland Location: Cook County, T36N, R12E, Secs. 28 & 33, Village of Orland Park Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 505 Resulting Illinois Nature Preserve Commission Land and Water Reserve Dedication: 898 acres Owner: Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Partners: FPDCC, USACE, CorLands, National Audubon – Chicago Region, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Village of Orland Park Action: Restoration management plan for site, drainage and tile inventory, hydric soil mapping, removal of interior reforestation areas, herbaceous invasive control, plan for and implementation of controlled burns, volunteer recruitment, training and mentoring, communications plan and open house event for nearby residents, purchase of restoration equipment for volunteers. Orland Grassland is a large rectangle that is one-mile wide by 1.5 miles long. The Forest Preserve District of Cook County purchased the site in the 1970s and planted clusters of trees on the former agricultural fields. Before that, presettlement vegetation maps show the site and most of the surrounding area of Orland Township was entirely prairie. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 16 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Orland Grassland is surrounded by roads on each side, with homes and businesses on the other sides of the streets. It was imperative that there be a communications plan in place to include direct neighbors, the surrounding communities, and the municipal government of Orland Park, Tinley Park, and Orland Hills in the conceptual development and implementation of the restoration and management plan. The outreach and information initiative was enormously successful; the community is fully behind the restoration at Orland Grassland and the Village of Orland Park consistently has provided meeting space and helped in other ways with the planning and implementation effort. In addition to the formulation of the site’s restoration management plan and infield restoration work, MSCSF helped fund a program to recruit and train a volunteer stewardship group for Orland Grassland. Activities include identifying volunteer leaders, providing technical and logistical support in creating goals and conducting work days, and initiating a newsletter. The Audubon-Chicago Region office is working cooperatively with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to carry out this work. Orland Grassland is the best spot in southern Cook County for grassland birds. Henslow’s sparrows, meadowlarks, clay-colored sparrows and bobolinks all make their homes here. Creating as open of an environment that is as clear of trees as possible was a primary goal. A first priority of the plan was to restore continuous grassland by eliminating the reforestation areas in the interior of the site. The participants in the planning effort agreed that it made sense to retain a screen of trees around the perimeter of the site; this keeps the view consistent with what it was before for nearby residents, and it provides visitors to the site a visual barrier between the natural area and the outside world of cars and houses. The perimeter wooded areas will be managed as savanna. To help pave the way for the planting of native grasses and forbs the MSCSF has funded three years of intensive invasive species control (mainly teasel, reed canary grass, common reed, and sweet clover). This work has been a mix of herbicide treatment and mowing in late summer. Hydrological mapping was done for the site, and plans are being developed to disable the existing drainage tile system to restore the hydrology. Orland Grassland has the second highest elevation in Cook County, putting it at the top of its watershed; unlike many other natural areas, it is not taking in any dirty water from off-site. It also absorbs and stores a tremendous amount of stormwater that would otherwise be flowing off hard surfaces into sewer systems, so it provides an important service to the Village of Orland Park. The clearing of interior clusters of trees and shrubs went quickly, and results showed up soon after. Shortly after the first burn, a group of volunteers paused during their work-day to watch the thrilling spectacle of a flock of about 100 sand hill cranes landing in the recently-burned area. The bird monitoring effort reports that others of Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 17 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects the grassland birds have been active in areas where they were never seen before. The restoration effort has opened up new areas for them to feed and nest. The Orland project has now become a USACE CAP 206 project in the final stages of planning. Sag Valley Dolomite Prairie and Fen Location: Cook County, Lemont Township, T37N, R11E, Sec. 13 Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 60 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserve Commission Nature Preserve Buffer dedication – 150 acres Owner: Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Partners: FPDCC, USACE, CorLands, Northeastern Illinois Wetlands Account (TCF, USFWS), Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Action: Creation of a restoration management plan for approximately 100 acres, cutting and herbicide treatment of woody vegetation, selective tree removal, followup treatment of resprouts, control of invasive herbaceous species, seeding, and conducting controlled burns Located near Cook County's only true canyon, Sagawau Canyon, is the Sag Valley Dolomite Prairie and Fen. It's part of a large complex of natural areas, and is connected to the largest concentration of open space in Cook County, the Palos/Sag Valley Forest Preserves. Amidst its assortment of high quality plants is a good variety of wildlife. The area is an epicenter for snakes; queen snakes, banded water snakes, northern brown snakes, smooth green snakes, and Chicago garter snakes are a few of the species found here. The site was mapped, and a restoration plan developed. A hydrological study was also conducted; before beginning, land managers wondered whether it might be a good idea to remove a berm along the north end of the fen, but the study determined that this wasn't necessary. No significant changes were made in the hydrology of the area. The dolomite prairies and the fens were severely overrun with brush before beginning this project. Mike Konrath, the director at Camp Sagiwau, says that he's been working at the site since 1984; when he started, there were just small shrubs, but over the years, he watched it fill in to solid stands of brush. Surveys conducted before the work began showed that there were a million stems of buckthorn per hectare in some areas. Some of these were quite large, and because of a Forest Preserve District's moratorium on cutting down trees larger than four inches in diameter, only the smaller trees were removed. The conditions of the moratorium have been Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 18 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects changed, and therefore the larger trees should now be removed. Several prescribed burns have been conducted. Impressive results have already been observed as a result of the brush removal and burning. Soon after, a flock of 200 sandhill cranes spent the night in the newlycleared area. One pair stayed to nest. Other birds, such as killdeer, woodcocks and red-tailed hawks nested right away, and in 2004, turkey vultures nested and raised their young in the base of a hollow tree. According to Konrath, before the fen was cleared there were 50 plants of angelica; now there are 250. There has also been a dramatic increase of toads in and around the fen. In addition to the fen restoration approximately 75 to 80 acres of wet, wet mesic, and mesic dolomite habitat has been cleared of dense buckthorn thickets. A series of seeps with skunk cabbage within them have re-emerged as the thickets were cleared. In 2004 CorLands received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to expand the restoration area at Sag Valley from 60 to 85 acres. Buckthorn and honeysuckle removal on the 25 acres was completed during the winter of 2004/5. Woody resprout and herbaceous invasive control in and adjacent to the newly cleared area was conducted during the spring and summer of 2005. Funding remains under this grant to continue the treatment of woody and herbaceous invasives within and adjacent to the restoration area in 2006. Sagawau Canyon Addition Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 6.7 acres Owner: Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Partners: Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois Department of Natural Resource's Open Space Land Acquisition & Development Fund (OSLAD), Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, USACE, CorLands Action: Acquisition In the summer of 2004 the FPDCC completed the acquisition of a 6.70-acre property which lies at the head of Camp Sagawau Canyon. The MSCSF has dedicated up to $202,200 towards the acquisition of this property that protects the upper portion of Camp Sagawau Canyon and provides additional watershed protection for the Sag Valley restoration. It has long been considered a high priority acquisition by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and by ecologists concerned about protecting the canyon's water quality. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 19 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Lockport Township Park District Dellwood Park West Location: Will County, Lockport Township, T36N, R10E, Sec. 27, City of Lockport Size of area affected by MSCSF-funded work: 75 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserve Commission Dedication: To be determined in 2006. Owner: Lockport Township Park District (LTPD) Partners: LTPD, USACE-Chicago District, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Actions: Restoration management plan, drainage and tile inventory, soil analysis, hydrologic restoration, cutting and removal of shrubs and trees, prescribed burning, native seeding, control of invasive herbaceous species, monitoring of existing populations of federally-listed leafy prairie clover. At 196 acres in size Dellwood Park West (“DPW”) is a site of extremes and marked differences. The southern portion of DPW property was once actively mined and used for the disposal of slag, a byproduct of the steel production at a steel mill that was once located adjacent to DPW. The middle and north portions of DPW were not mined or used for slag storage. The middle portion of DPW was in agricultural uses (livestock, small grains, corn, soybeans) until 1992. The northern portion of DPW was not farmed and is a part of a larger Illinois Natural Areas Inventory site called Lockport Prairie East, which contains a population of a Federally-endangered plant species (leafy prairie clover) and remnants of native dolomite prairie. CorLands helped the LTPD acquire Dellwood Park West in 1990. The Park District’s original plan was to use the space for recreation and considered building a golf course. Today, the LTPD is committed to managing the property as a nature park area that is divided into passive recreation and natural area restoration zones. The middle and north portions of DPW were chosen for restoration funding under the MSCSF because of its variety of potential habitats (including dolomite prairie habitat) and the opportunity to tie restoration of the two former agricultural fields and the southern portion of the Lockport Prairie East into the remaining 30 acres of the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory site that lie to the north of DPW. Extensive restoration work has taken place at Dellwood Park West. Hand probes were used to conduct a soil analysis and a restoration management plan was created. Fifteen acres at the north end of the property was cleared of buckthorn and other invasive shrubs and trees. The brush was cut by hand, and the larger trees were girdled. The fallow agricultural fields were seeded with native species and have been mowed periodically to help control invasive species. A savanna area has been thinned of invasive and overstocked trees. Two prescribed burns have been conducted. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 20 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects As a part of the initial ecological inventory of DPW a few plants of the federallylisted leafy prairie clover were found on the preserve nestled in an opening within a buckthorn thicket. After clearing of the buckthorn and prescribed burning, more than 75 leafy prairie clover plants have emerged that are flowering and setting seed, and over 1,000 more have germinated. A continuing problem is one of encroachment onto the site by vehicles. DPW is in a remote section of the township and is not patrolled on a regular basis and does not have fencing. The encroachment has led to rutting and erosion and degradation of plant populations in the former agricultural fields. The LTPD is working on increased patrols of the site and has sent letters to adjacent private land owners regarding offroad vehicles being prohibited at DPW. When MSCSF was set up in 2000, the parties involved anticipated that a privately-owned 28-acre parcel to the north of the DPW which contains the main portion of the Lockport Prairie East natural area would soon be purchased by the Illinois Toll Highway Authority and conveyed to the Forest Preserve District of Will County (“FPDWC”). The 28 acres contains part of the population of the federallyendangered leafy prairie clover and additional remnants of dolomite prairie. The Illinois Tollway Authority is in the process of acquiring this parcel as mitigation for its development of the southern extension of the 355 Tollway. Once the land is acquired, it is anticipated that FPDWC will manage both properties as natural areas. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Des Plaines River Conservation Area Location: Will County, Channahon Township, T34N, R9E, Secs. 29, 32, & 33 and Wilmington Township T33N, R9E, Secs. 4, 5, 9, 15, 22, 23, 24 Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 550 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Land and Water Registry dedication: 550 acres Owner: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Partners: IDNR, USACE, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Action: Cutting and removal of invasive shrubs and select trees, control of invasive herbaceous plants. The presence of recognized dolomite prairies of substantial size and quality at this location made it a choice for receiving MSCSF funding. Both Grant Creek Prairie (78 acres on the east side of I-55) and the Des Plaines Dolomite Prairie (9 acres on the west side of I-55) were on the original Illinois Natural Areas Inventory conducted in Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 21 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects 1977. Grant Creek is rich with purple prairie clover and northern dropseed; little bluestem and Indian grass predominate in the Des Plaines Dolomite Prairie. In addition to these core prairie areas at the Des Plaines River Conservation Area, two other areas also received restoration attention from MSCSF: Blodgett Road and Frontage Road Prairies. Other plant and insect species of note present in these prairies are buffalo clover, glade quillwort, false mallow, slender sandwort, and red veined leafhopper. Also, Des Plaines River Conservation Area is one of 48 sites in Illinois designated as Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society in 2004. Invasive brush and trees were either cut, hydro-axed, or girdled from all work areas, and invasive herbaceous plants were controlled through mowing, pulling and/or herbicide treatment. Crown vetch, reed canary grass, and teasel were the main problem herbaceous species. The treatments varied with site conditions - in areas that were in fairly good shape, the contractor scouted the area and treated whatever needed attention. Other areas required more aggressive removal of brush over large areas by the hydraulic axe, chainsaw, girdling and herbicide. The main goal of the work funded by the MSCSF was to get the four prairies areas to a point where their ecological quality could be maintained by IDNR and INPC staff by regular prescribed burning and periodic scouting and treatment of woody and herbaceous invasive species. While the main purpose of the Des Plaines River Conservation Area continues to be recreational in nature (hunting, fishing, horseback riding), the quality and standing of its natural areas has been significantly improved. Long Run Seep Nature Preserve Location: Will County, Lockport Township, T36N, R10E, Secs. 11 & 12, City of Lockport Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 41 acres Owner: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Partners: IDNR, USACE, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Action: Cutting and removal of shrubs and trees, control of invasive herbaceous species. Long Run Seep is a high quality fen—a term often used interchangeably but incorrectly with "seep"—that is situated on the east terrace of the Des Plaines River. Three species on the Illinois list of endangered or threatened species occur here, and the site is considered a breeding site for Hine's emerald dragonfly, a federally-listed species. In October of 2005, investigations of the rivulet systems at Long Run Seep by USFWS staff discovered HED larvae in crawfish burrows. Indian plantain, marsh blazing stars, marsh skullcaps and many other plants indicative of high quality wetlands thrive in the fen. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 22 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects The property was purchased by IDNR in the early 1980s, and dedicated as a state nature preserves shortly thereafter. In addition to the fen, the area has a remnant oak savanna that had become completely choked by buckthorn and other shade-creating trees and shrubs. The contractor for this site used a combination of hand clearing and hydraulic axes to clear out the buckthorn and honeysuckle thickets that were encroaching into the seep head and savanna areas of the site. Medium-sized trees were girdled, and herbicides were applied to all cut stumps and girdles. The major herbaceous invasive species targeted for treatment were teasel and reed canary grass. Due to the presence of Hine’s emerald dragonfly larvae in the rivulet systems downstream from the existing seep heads all herbicide treatments and application protocols were discussed beforehand with the Chicago Metro office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No seeding of native species was deemed necessary by IDNR staff. The character of these areas has changed substantially. “Michigan lilies are coming up in the newly opened areas," reported Dan Kirk, the IDNR biologist responsible for Long Run Seep Nature Preserve. Long Run Seep Addition Location: Will County, Lockport Township, T36N, R10E, Sec 12 Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 41 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserve Commission Nature Preserve Buffer Dedication: 41 acres Owner: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Partners: IDNR, USACE, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Action: Removal of invasive woody species, treatment of herbaceous invasive species. East and upstream from the Long Run Seep Nature Preserve is the Long Run Seep Addition property which is also owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Before the restoration work funded by the MSCSF was begun, the under story of the oak savannas along the ridges beside the stream were so badly choked with invasive species (mainly buckthorn and honeysuckle) that it was impossible to see Long Run Creek wind through the site. Now a lovely view of Long Run Creek is afforded from the top of the ridges and wetland plant communities have re-emerged along the creek and base of the ridges along the creek. Intensive cutting with the hydraulic axe, girdling of medium-sized trees and applications of herbicide are responsible for the new views and for the improved health of the savanna and the wetland areas adjacent to the stream. Angelica and certain sedges previously unseen indicate the presence of another fen on site. This area was not discovered until the clearing took place. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 23 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Herbaceous invasive control measures on the site have focused on garlic mustard and reed canary grass. Follow-up scouting for buckthorn and honeysuckle resprouts and seedlings also is ongoing. In the spring of 2005 the first prescribed burn of a portion of the site was conducted by the IDNR. In addition to the restoration activities underway as part of this project, the site is undergoing other changes. In 2002 it was discovered in a routine boundary survey that an adjacent horse farm operation had filled 2.2 acres of IDNR property. The owner incorrectly believed that the property was hers, and was eager to right the situation. It was the worst intrusion ever onto state property. Spending approximately $100,000, the owner has been implementing a plan for mitigation that was agreed upon with IDNR and the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. It creates a vegetative swale between the farm and the natural area and creates a series of other improvements. Forest Preserve District of Will County Lake Renwick East Location: Will County, Plainfield Township, T36N, R9E, Se. 14, Village of Plainfield Size of area affected by MSCSF-funded work: 105 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Land and Water Registry Dedication: 138 acres Owner: Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC) Partners: FPDWC, USACE, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Action: Inventory of drainage tiles and drainage features, hydric soil mapping, hydrologic restoration, redirection of subsurface water flow coming in from off-site, planting of native plant seeds and plugs, mowing, hedgerow removal, and installation of piezometers. Lake Renwick East is a part of the larger FPDWC land holding that includes the Lake Renwick Heron Rookery and Turtle Lake access area. Prior to the approval of the MSCSF grant the majority of the Lake Renwick East site was in row crop agriculture. The goals for the FPDWC were to restore site hydrology, establish native plant communities, and to potentially increase foraging habitat for the herons and egrets nesting at the Lake Renwick Heron Rookery. The goal of restoring site hydrology was entirely achieved. The drainage was assessed, and tiles were removed or modified. Valves were installed to insure that water was diverted into perforated pipes that were placed in strategic locations to facilitate the rehydration of the wetland. Water now seeps into the wetlands, which Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 24 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects provides an excellent filter for diminishing sediment and pollutants before they reach Lily Cache Creek. But the pond area turned out to be only ephemeral; though there is knee to thigh-deep water in the spring, the pond area becomes vegetated land by midsummer. This is because the underlying soil is glacial outwash, rocky and porous. With the new water management system in place the FPDWC initiated vegetative restoration of native species through the planting of native seeds and plugs. Mowing of the restoration areas was done the first two summers after planting to reduce competition by non-native species. Several thick hedgerows were also removed, restoring the open grassland character of the site. The native seeds and plugs planted by the FPDWC have taken hold and provided enough fuel to allow the FPDWC to conduct the first prescribed burn of the site in the spring of 2005. Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve Location: Will County, Lockport Township, T36N, R10E, Sec 22 & 27 Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 56 acres for restoration, additional acreage under study Owner: Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC) Partners: FPDWC, USACE-Chicago Region, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, USFWS, NE Illinois Wetlands Restoration Fund Action: Hydrologic analysis of the site’s surface and groundwater water sheds, ground and surface water monitoring, update of plant community map, inventory of the federally-listed Hine’s emerald dragonfly both on-site and nearby, development of a captive rearing program for Hine’s emerald dragonfly larvae and future reintroduction of larvae into restored rivulet habitats, planting of native shrubs, brush removal along west bluff, establishment of FPDWC management agreement with Commonwealth Edison, and acquisition of property. Lockport Prairie: Hydrology A thorough and ambitious hydrologic study was necessary for Lockport Prairie, a site whose seeps and fens are fed both by groundwater and rivulets emerging from nearby bluffs. It seemed the area was getting drier; the seeps which were always intermittent, sometimes flowing and sometimes dry, were flowing for much shorter periods and at less-frequent intervals. The MSCSF-funded hydrological study provided important data and ammunition for solutions. The study found that a nearby golf course owned by Lockport Township had pumps at two wells, one shallow and one deep, that it used to fill its irrigation ponds. Each time the golf course drew on the shallow well, an immediate impact showed up in the monitors at Lockport Prairie. There was a very pronounced, six-inch drop in the aquifer every time the golf course pumped. When the staff at the Lockport Township Park District learned this, they agreed to stop using the shallow well. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 25 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Early on in the hydrology study protecting groundwater recharge area was shown to be a critical priority for the survival of Lockport Prairie. Having data that support this is proving helpful to an ongoing effort by Illinois State Representative Brent Hassert (R-Romeoville), the Forest Preserve District of Will County, and the Lockport Township Park District to have up to 700 acres of State-owned land adjacent to Stateville Prison dedicated as open space for storm water infiltration and public recreation. If this effort succeeds, the FPD of Will County will transform approximately 470 acres of the property into the Prairie Bluff Preserve and restore it to prairie, the best-possible groundcover for ensuring as much water as possible is absorbed by the aquifer feeding Lockport Prairie. Lockport Prairie: Natural Area Restoration Lockport Prairie was already a well-managed site of high ecological quality, so much of the intensive restoration work initiated at other MSCSF sites was inappropriate here. Strategic planting of native plugs was done on approximately 12 acres in the north half of Lockport Prairie's north unit (the section north of Division Street.) This area had been cleared by the FPD, but natives were slow to come back. So seeds were taken from plants at Lockport Prairie to ensure genetic integrity and sameness, and to satisfy the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. Seedlings were grown at a nursery, and then planted as plugs. Also, in 2005 and 2006 approximately 56 acres of the bluff line along the west side of Lockport Prairie has been cleared of invasive woody species. This restoration work was the result of the FPD of Will County successfully negotiating a management agreement with Commonwealth Edison. The agreement allows the FPD of Will County to manage the west bluff of Lockport Prairie and provides access to the series of seep heads that are critical to hydrology of Lockport Prairie and the survival of the Hine’s emerald dragonfly. Because of the difficult hydrologic issues that were uncovered as a result of this work, Lockport Prairie has become a CAP 206 project and a feasibility study has been initiated. Lockport Prairie: Distribution and Quality of Hines Emerald Dragonfly Habitat in Relation to Surface and Groundwater Dynamics at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve Dr. Daniel Soluk of the University of South Dakota produced a detailed inventory and analysis of the existing Hines emerald dragonfly (HED) populations and their rivulet habitats at Lockport Prairie and in Door County, Wisconsin. It was important to understand their distribution and habitat requirements at these two major breeding grounds to help guide potential hydrological restoration initiatives at Lockport Prairie. According to the studies, the population of Hines emerald dragonfly at Lockport Prairie has the greatest genetic diversity of any remaining population. The overall Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 26 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects population in Door County, Wisconsin, is larger as far as the number of HED it supports, but Dr. Soluk believes that this population does not have the genetic diversity found in the HED population at Lockport Prairie. MSCSF also provided funds for a program to rear larval dragonflies in captivity and reintroduce them into the restored rivulet habitats at Lockport Prairie. Dr. Soluk, has been doing the survey work on Hines emerald dragonflies, is setting up the protocol and processes for this program, which is presently underway. Lockport Prairie: Watershed Protection As a result the FPD of Will County’s greater understanding of the importance of groundwater and groundwater recharge to the survival of Lockport Prairie, they have undertaken efforts to preserve key properties within Lockport Prairie’s groundwater recharge area. One example of this is the Prairie Bluff Preserve initiative. A second example is that $100,000 from the MSCSF will go towards the acquisition of 55 acres immediately west of Lockport Prairie by the FPD of Will County to preserve additional groundwater watershed area. Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve Location: Will County, Du Page Township, T37N, R10E, Sec. 34, Village of Romeoville Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 15 acres to date Owner: Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC) Partners: FPDWC, USACE, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Commonwealth Edison Action: Hydrologic study and analysis, modifications to existing stormwater control structures, cutting and removal or shrubs and trees, control of invasive herbaceous species Romeoville Prairie: North Portion The sedge meadows at the north section of Romeoville Prairie were once spectacular, but serious incursions of dense stands of cattails have replaced populations of conservative wetland plants. This has not been a case of natural succession by any means; the problem is that extensive loads of silt are dumped into the prairie and wetlands from two 72-inch culverts. The culverts bring over 50 percent of all the runoff stormwater from the town of Romeoville directly into the natural area. The culverts were present when Will County acquired the site, so legal action against a culprit is not an option. The problems created by the culverts have increased substantially in recent years as Romeoville has been in a period of rapid building and development. Open spaces, pastures and farm fields that once absorbed significant Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 27 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects amounts of rainfall are now covered with impermeable surfaces that force the water into sewers or drainage ditches, and ultimately into the natural area. The water emerges from the pipes on the west side of the property with great velocity, particularly during heavy storms. As the grade flattens out, the water spreads out into the sedge meadow; when this occurs, the water velocity is reduced, energy dissipates, and silt smothers the sedge meadow. An already existing infiltration trench which was installed to capture some of the stormwater has filled with sediment and does not function the way it was designed. MSCSF funded a much-need hydrologic study to address these problems. The recommendations were approved by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in May, 2004, and field work to channel the stormwater away from the high quality sedge meadow is scheduled to begin in 2006. In addition, 15 acres of buckthorn were removed from the eastern edge of the Illinois Nature Preserve portion of this part of Romeoville Prairie. Romeoville Prairie: South Portion The south portion of Romeoville Prairie is covered with fill. This was already known, but what wasn't clear was how deep the fill was, or how difficult of a project it might be to remove the material and attempt restoration. Using money from CorLands’ Wetland Preservation and Enhancement Account, the FPD initiated a project to evaluate the fill and determine if removal might be feasible. It was hoped that a program of restoration toward native vegetation might be possible, but another prime goal was to increase the amount of habitat available to two rare turtle species found on the northern portion of the preserve, the Blanding's turtle and the spotted turtle. Soil borings three to four feet deep were taken throughout this portion of the site. Unfortunately, all that was found was the clay and rock fill; there was no native soil profile underlying it. The original soil must have been scraped and used elsewhere long ago. The south end of Romeoville Prairie is distinctly divided into east and west portions by high tension wires and a right-of-way owned by Commonwealth Edison. The FPD decided that the larger west portions of 27 acres would be left alone; there would be no fill removal. However, FPD staff still hoped to be able to create a vegetative and hydrological structure on the five-acre east portion that would work as additional breeding ground for the turtles. There are no roads or other impediments to the movement of turtles from north to south within the preserve. For turtles, what plants are present is less important than the size and depth of water features, the density of plant material, and the location of flat sections of open, gravel soil suitable for egg laying. The smaller size of the east portion made it possible to attempt fill removal. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 28 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects The contractor removing the fill planned to use it in a subdivision the company was working on. However, even though soil borings had been taken before beginning, along the way the contractor encountered sections in the fill that were bluish in color. These turned out to be waste from a foundry that made glass. Even though the foundry sand was not toxic, and it had probably less than five percent of the questionable material present, it couldn't be included in the clean fill required for the subdivision. Illinois EPA determined that there was no process of separation that would allow the agency to declare that none of the foundry sand was present anymore, and so the entire amount of fill had to be deposited in a special landfill, which raised the costs of the project to about two and a half times what had been estimated. Common reed, cattails, reed canary grass, and other invasives were treated with herbicide. Earth was excavated to create several areas of shallow, open water. The results are ponds and surrounding areas that provide appropriate habitat for both types of turtles. It's too soon yet to know if turtles are using the restoration site. Egrets and herons do use the new habitat. Theodore Marsh and Black Road Access South Location: Will County, (Theodore Marsh) Lockport Township, T36N, R10E, Sec 31, and (Black Road Access South) Plainfield Township T36N, R9E, Sec 36, Cities of Crest Hill and Joliet Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: (Theodore Marsh) 140 acres, (Black Road Access South) 19 acres Resulting Illinois Nature Preserve Commission Land and Water Reserve dedications: Theodore Marsh – 140 acres, Black Road Access South – 41.8 acres Owner: Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC) Partners: FPDWC, USACE-Chicago District, CorLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission Action: Soil analysis, fill removal, cutting and removal of shrubs and trees, follow-up treatment of herbicide on resprouts, control of invasive herbaceous species, mowing, planting of native plant seeds and plugs, and design and installation of interpretive signs. Theodore Marsh and Black Road Access South are a part of the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Rock Run Creek Preserve system. Though there are no dolomite prairies along Rock Run, the geology, topography and historic plant communities of the preserves along the creek are sufficiently similar to those of Lockport Prairie and Romeoville Prairie that these Rock Run preserves may be used as seed sources for restoration in those areas. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 29 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Located in the Cities of Crest Hill and Joliet, Theodore Marsh and Black Road Access South are literally surrounded by residential and commercial development. Development is so close that it gives the impression that houses have tumbled out of the subdivision and fallen into the natural area. Such close neighbors for a firedependent natural area pose challenges for natural area managers, but also present a solid opportunity for building a good relationship with a community that may become knowledgeable about and fiercely protective of the natural areas. The major components of the MSCSF-funded work at Theodore Marsh and Black Road Access South included the removal of approximately five acres of fill over former wetlands, extensive clearing of invasive trees and shrubs, the planting of native seeds and plugs, a siltation basin for stormwater run-off coming into the site from the north, and two seasons of invasive plant control (mowing, select herbiciding). At 140 acres, the restoration areas at Theodore Marsh are large enough to perhaps attract increasingly rare grassland nesting birds. One component of the MSCSF grant for this site was to provide excellent interpretive signs along the bike trail that runs through the sites and wider Rock Run Creek Greenway system. The signs describe the importance of fire and other management activities, as well as pointing out what is special about the marsh and uplands. When the contractor put in seeds and plugs, they emphasized plantings within 100 feet of trails and roads. This way the success and beauty of the restoration could be observed right away first-hand by residents. The flowers themselves are so showy that the restoration sells itself. MSCSF’s portion of the Black Road Access project was to fund the development and placement of interpretive signage regarding natural area and management along the recreational trail that borders the restoration area. Similar signage was also developed and installed at the Theodore Marsh restoration site, which is located along Rock Run Creek upstream of Black Road Access. The signage provides another opportunity to present information about natural areas and their management needs to local citizens. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie The first site in the U.S. ever to be given the designation of "national tallgrass prairie," the 19,000 acre Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was established in 1996 when the U.S. Department of Defense turned over the site of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant. With only 3 percent of the property still the original prairie, Midewin lays claim to being the largest prairie restoration ever attempted. The money from MSCSF provided a welcome influx to help jumpstart the restoration of new areas within preserve. Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 30 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Mola Tract Location: Will County, Wilmington Township, T33N, R9E, Sec 13 Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 65 acres Owner: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, USACE, CorLands, Ducks Unlimited Action: Restoring hydrology, planting of native seeds and plugs, controlling herbaceous invasive species, removing and chipping of trees and stumps. The farmland at the Mola Tract was added to the already substantial acreage of Midewin in 2000, when it was bought from a private owner with assistance from CorLands and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation 2000 grant program. With the property in row crop agriculture for decades it is a de novo restoration, requiring the disabling of tiles, brush and tree removal, and the planting of both seeds and seedlings of native plants. It also has required aggressive follow-up control of invasive plants, particularly Canada thistle. The plugs of native seedlings have taken well, already prairie coneflower, milkweed and other wildflowers make a summer show. Midewin staff is planning on conducting the first prescribed burn of the site in either the fall of 2005 or spring of 2006. Morgan Woods Location: Will County, Manhattan Township, T34N, R11E, Sec 30 Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 77 acres Owner: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, The Conservation Fund, USACE, CorLands Action: Land Acquisition Morgan Woods is one of the three land acquisitions that were ultimately partially funded by the MSCSF. CorLands provided $210,000, half the purchase price, to help The Conservation Fund (“TCF”) and Midewin acquire 77 acres along Prairie Creek immediately upstream from Midewin’s existing boundary. MSCSF funding allowed Midewin to purchase the property as a less than fair market acquisition and to successfully compete for matching federal acquisition funds. Prairie Creek is one of three creeks that flow into Midewin, and it is the one that runs the greatest distance Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 31 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects through the site. Preservation of the Morgan Woods property allows for the future stabilization and restoration of the stream bed and banks within the property. This is also the first step in establishing a hoped for or desired protected greenway along Prairie Creek upstream from Midewin. Prairie Creek Savanna Location: Will County Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 43 acres Owner: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, USACE, CorLands Action: Cutting and removing trees and brush, follow-up treatment of woody resprouts and seedlings, control of invasive herbaceous plants, and hydrologic monitoring both before and after the removal of woody invasives. Awe-inspiring oaks and soaring hickories are found at the Prairie Creek Savanna. But buckthorn, honeysuckle, and back locust had choked out almost all attempts of oak or hickory seedlings to find the sun, and there was little regeneration of these characteristic trees of the savanna. Also, the dense cover of woody invasives was preventing the growth of the native herbaceous species you would expect to find in a healthy savanna system. Extensive cutting, hydro-axing, and select girdling of the locusts, buckthorn, honeysuckle, and other younger weedy trees has dramatically opened up Prairie Creek savanna. In addition, an aggressive scouting and treatment program for garlic mustard, buckthorn, honeysuckle, and multiflora rose was implemented. Wild geranium, mayapple and tall bellflower now bloom in the under story. A local nursery specializing in native trees supplied seven-foot tall young bur oak and shagbark hickory so there will be some intermediate growth in the savanna rather than just ancient trees and baby ones. They were planted sparingly, only one or two per acre. In addition, select herbaceous species were dormant seeded where groundcover recovery was slow. Midewin staff is now confident that there is adequate fuel for fire and the restoration’s first prescribed burn is scheduled for the spring of 2006. Two weather stations were installed here to measure precise rainfall and other site-specific weather conditions that would affect the soil's water content. The site’s soils were mapped and classified to confirm that the site’s subsurface conditions were uniform. Soil moisture sensors and piezometers with data loggers were set out in transects. Data was collected from them for one season prior to cutting. The removal of the woody invasives was then implemented in two phases (one monitoring transect in each phase) over successive winters, so that there was a summer where there was one transect in an area that had been cleared and one transect in an adjacent area that Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 32 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects was uncut. Processing of the data indicated that the area where the woody invasives had been removed had statistically significant higher soil moisture and shallow water table levels than the area that had not yet been cleared of buckthorn, honeysuckle, black locust, and other weedy species. South Patrol Road Location: Will County Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 490 acres Owner: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, USACE, CorLands, Wetlands Initiative, Northeastern Illinois Wetlands Account (TCF, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Grand Victoria Foundation, Dr. Scholl Foundation, Donnelley Foundation, McCormick Foundation Action funded by the MSCSF: Cutting, chipping and removal of trees and brush; removal and grading of a railroad berm; purchase of native seeds and plugs. The sheer size of this restoration of former farm fields required more partners and more funding. The Wetlands Initiative took a lead role, and private foundations provided the initial funding that covered the disabling of the site’s drainage tile and ditches. Funding from the MSCSF paid for the removal of a portion of an old railroad bed, native seed, native plugs, and invasive weed control. To give a sense of the scale of the project, $295,000 of MSCSF money was spent just on acquiring the seed and seedlings; 55,000 seedling plugs were planted. MSCSF dollars were also used for the treatment of reed canary grass, Canada thistle, and woody seedlings. The plugs and seeding have taken hold already, and the success of seeding will show up in future seasons. There is already sufficient numbers of native species established to provide more than adequate fuel for prescribed burning of the site. This site is a good site to show the drama and impact of a major restoration; while no change from farm field to prairie takes place overnight, in this case the transformation has been huge in size and rapid in its pace. Wetland Seed Production Facility Location: Will County Size affected by MSCSF-funded work: 4 acres Owner: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, USACE, CorLands Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 33 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects Action: Design and layout of facility, preparation of property for the project, installation of wells and utilities; native plant seeds and plugs. The Wetland Seed Production Facility follows the successful model set up for upland prairie seed production at Midewin, and is adjacent to that site. As in a nursery, native wetland species are planted in single-species rows to facilitate their maintenance and harvesting. Initial plantings have been completed. One difference with the wetland seed production facility is that the water levels within the soil are going to be artificially augmented. Though the low ground of the facility's location is conducive to growing wetland plants, a well and pump will ensure that there is an adequate water supply at all times to help the facility to consistently produce quantities of viable wetland seed. The on-site seed production facility will ensure a source for targeted, high priority plants, and it will reduce the costs of restoration. When fully operative in the near future Midewin staff estimates that this facility will produce enough seed to help restore or enhance up to 60 of wetland acres a year at Midewin. Research and Monitoring Projects (See Lockport Prairie and Midewin for other research projects.) Gauging Dolomite Prairie Insect Assemblage Restoration Success within the Des Plaines River Valley Partners: Northeastern Illinois University, USACE-Chicago District, CorLands Dr. Ron Panzer of Northeastern Illinois University, one of the foremost authorities on native grassland insects, provided a detailed baseline inventory and analysis of native insect populations at select dolomite prairies within the lower Des Plaines River Valley, and at Orland and Bartel Grasslands. Having baseline surveys is important information to help assess the success of natural area restorations and ongoing management in a broader ecological sense, not just plant community composition. Plants of Concern Volunteer Monitoring Program Partners: Chicago Botanic Garden, USACE-Chicago District, CorLands, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Plants of Concern is a program led by the Chicago Botanic Garden where volunteers are trained to monitor and record data on certain rare species in specific Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 34 - Material Service Corporation Settlement Fund: A Story of Loss and Renewal – The Projects locations. The program has been successful in providing high quality data useful to scientists and land managers. In spring 2004, the Chicago Botanic Garden expanded its Plants of Concern training program within Will and South Cook Counties with help from MSCSF dollars. The goal of this initiative was to help promote and expand long-term monitoring of MSCSF and other restoration sites. Pre-European Settlement Vegetative Map and Analysis of Cook County Partners: Morton Arboretum, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Chicago Wilderness, USACE-Chicago District, CorLands When restoring natural areas, it's important to have a sense of what was present before European settlers arrived. Was an area prairie, or were there scattered trees indicating a savanna? Was the area wet at the time, or did that change with development? Fortunately, in Illinois ecologists have access to the maps from early surveyors which describe the native vegetative cover of the region. Marlin Bowles of the Morton Arboretum studied and analyzed land surveyor notes from the mid 1800’s for Cook County and produced a series of maps and a report depicting the pre-European settlement vegetation of Cook County. The mapping and accompanying report provided an analysis and projection of the native plant communities that were present on the sites which were funded through the MSCSF and the Wetland Restoration Fund in southern Cook County (Sag Valley, Orland Grassland, Bartel Grassland, and Bergman Slough). Volunteer Recruitment and Development – Bartel and Orland Grassland Partners: Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Audubon-Chicago Region, USACE, CorLands Bartel and Orland Grassland are two of the largest restoration projects initiated under the MSCSF. To promote long-term sustainability of the projects the MSCSF provided funding to Audubon-Chicago Region to work with the FPD of Cook County and CorLands to recruit and develop volunteer stewardship groups for the two sites, and to provide organizational support and advice for the volunteer groups. These efforts have proven successful. At this point there are volunteer stewardship groups for both sites that have been active and of invaluable assistance for more than two years. Both groups organize and conduct volunteer work days, and the Orland Grassland Volunteers have developed and maintain their own website (www.orlandgrassland.org). Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) March 2006 - 35 -