February 17, 2004   Kaskels Donate Easement to The Land Conservancy

Woodstock, IL – Jack & Maurine Kaskel have donated a conservation easement on 12-1/2 acres of wetland and prairie surrounding their home and business in rural Hebron. This marks The Land Conservancy’s fifteenth conservation easement, and brings the organization’s total protected acres to 208.

The Kaskel property contains high quality wetland and prairie resources, and is recognized on both the McHenry County Natural Areas Inventory and the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory. The Kaskels own and operate Red Buffalo Nursery, a native plant nursery, from the site. They want to ensure that the property will be safeguarded from development in perpetuity, and that the restoration work they have done will be preserved for the benefit of future generations.

A conservation easement is a permanent commitment by a landowner to keep his or her property open and undeveloped. The conservation easement is binding on all future landowners. A conservation easement can guarantee that the trees on the land will not be cut down, for instance, or that the wildflowers will not be destroyed. Land protected with a conservation easement can be sold or passed on to heirs, but the natural characteristics that make it special will be preserved forever.