CFC Receives Award

CFC receives native landscaping award

CFC recently received a 2011 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Chicago Wilderness. The award, presented December 7, honored CFC for its Flint Creek Savanna restoration.

The award recognizes "sites that are exemplary in the use of native landscaping, ecosystem restoration and protection, and/or conservation design. These practices create and protect habitat for a variety of native plant and animal species and result in important environmental benefits for both people and nature."

Chicago Wilderness and the EPA commended CFC's commitment to Flint Creek Savanna, including the dedication of CFC's active volunteer base. They were impressed with the enhanced habitat and biodiversity of prairie, wetland, and oak woods as well as the sharing of seed and plants with other local conservation groups and restoration projects  

The judges also cited CFC's protection of habitat for nesting migratory birds and its public education and communication initiatives.

 

CFC representatives at EPA award ceremony: Back row (from left): volunteer Gene Branson, board members Diane Bodkin and John Schweizer. Front row (from left): board member Patsy Mortimer, staff director Sam Oliver, volunteer Joyce Allen. (Photo courtesy of Diane Bodkin)

CFC 2011 Annual Appeal

CFC Protects Another 11 Acres

Citizens for Conservation and Barrington Bank & Trust Partner to Protect Open Space  

Eleven-Acre Land Donation Expands CFC’s Flint Creek Savanna South Property  

LAKE BARRINGTON, IL – Citizens for Conservation (CFC) today announced that it is expanding its Flint Creek Savanna South property as a result of the donation by the Barrington Bank & Trust of a parcel of approximately eleven acres of open space formerly known as “Lot 2 of the Boulder Ridge Subdivision” located along Northwest Highway in Lake Barrington. CFC had been working for a number of years with the previous owner to secure this parcel. When Barrington Bank & Trust took possession of the property in 2010, CFC immediately reached out to the bank's senior management to work out a win-win partnership that would preserve such an important groundwater recharge location, as identified by the Flint Creek Watershed Partnership and BACOG.  

CFC’s Land Preservation Chairman Alberto Moriondo stated, “We are very pleased with the partnership with Barrington Bank & Trust that enabled us to expand the size of our Flint Creek Savanna South preserve to almost twenty acres under CFC management.  From the very beginning, it was clear that the Bank shared CFC’s mission of protecting natural lands and was committed to giving back to the community. This latest addition furthers CFC’s goal of creating a “natural corridor” along Flint Creek and beyond.” 

Barrington Bank & Trust CEO Brad Stetson said, “We are happy to partner with CFC and see that our donation will go to an organization that is the recognized land steward in the Barrington area. Barrington Bank & Trust is a big believer of reinvesting in the community and this partnership with CFC aligns with our mission and core values, ensuring that the parcel will be restored it to its natural condition and preserved in perpetuity.”  

Since 2005, CFC has been successful in securing over 50 acres of open space in the Barrington area, both directly and by working with private and local government entities. It recently partnered with the Village of Lake Barrington to acquire a 30-acre parcel formerly known as the Gibbs property and subsequently purchased 8.5 acres from the Village in two separate transactions. CFC retains a 20-year option to purchase the entire property. CFC believes that current market conditions are very favorable for land preservation and is committed to continue expanding its natural lands initiatives.  

About Citizens for Conservation   

Citizens for Conservation has been a leading environmental steward of the Barrington area for the last forty years. Incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1971, it currently has 374 acres under management and has helped protect over 3,000 acres in the BACOG area since its founding. CFC acquires land for preservation and restoration while also providing both adult and children’s education to local communities. Its cutting-edge restorations provide habitat for threatened species of plants and animals such as the sandhill crane, and its educational outreach provides residents with programs about native plants, water conservation, pollinators, coyotes, deer, and other subjects of local interest. Each day CFC volunteers live the organization’s mission of “Saving Living Space for Living Things through protection, restoration and stewardship of land, conservation of natural resources and education.” 

Lake Zurich Scout achieves Eagle Award with project for CFC

Zac Milbourn of Troop 964 needed an Eagle project, and Citizens for Conservation (CFC) was in need of a cabinet to hold nests and skulls for youth education classes. The two needs met and success resulted. 

Zac is a Lake Zurich High School graduate and incoming biology freshman with pre-med focus at Loyola of Chicago. Zac was secretary of the National Honor Society at Lake Zurich High, involved in the Interact Club, worked in the children’s department at the Ela Area Public Library, and participated in advanced placement courses. In winter of 2010, Zac completed his required Eagle prerequisites and was ready to search for an organization in need of his Eagle Project. 

Through his involvement with the Interact Club, Zac learned that Citizens for Conservation had several available projects. CFC, Zac's Eagle Coordinator, and Zac decided that he would build a cabinet with doors, build and install closet shelves, replace sliding closet doors with new, freshly painted bifold doors, build and install a cork board for displaying educational posters, and clean windows and light fixtures at CFC’s farmhouse headquarters. Zac held successful fundraisers at Lake Zurich McDonalds and received generous donations of in-kind services in addition to materials for his project.

Citizens for Conservation is an all-volunteer organization located in Lake Barrington across from Good Shepherd Hospital. CFC is celebrating its fortieth anniversary with its mission of ‘saving living space for living things” on its own properties as well as providing skills and knowledge to other organizations. 

"Working with Zac was very easy," states Pat Winkelman, CFC’s Youth Education Chairperson and interim Scout Coordinator. “Zac was very organized and showed quality leadership skills when balancing the many aspects of his project. He was courteous, dependable, and respectful of others. Moreover, he was willing to listen to his elders and consider their recommendations or suggestions during the project. We thank Zac immensely for his efforts, especially for building us the display cabinet and cork board display which is used in our youth education programs.”

Shortly after completing his project, Zac learned that he achieved his Eagle Award! Learn more about Scouting in Lake Zurich by contacting the Northwest Suburban Council at www.nwsc.org. 

Invasives Eradication Program

Citizens for Conservation is going after the bad guys! Plant bullies, that is. With a grant from Barrington Area Community Foundation (BACF), the Community Education Committee of Citizens for Conservation is launching a campaign to eradicate invasive species in the Barrington area.  Our volunteers have contributed many hours over the years to eliminate obnoxious weeds and woody plants in our prairies, wetlands and woodlands, and now we are asking homeowners and municipalities to join the campaign. 

Read more about Reed Canary, Garlic Mustard, Buckthorn, Teasel and others here.