Mokeler Creek Easement Added

November 18, 2004

The Land Conservancy recently accepted a one acre easement along Mokeler Creek in Alden Township. The property is about 1 mile downstream from the 17 acres we already protect at Crowley Road (Crowley Sedge Meadow & the Wicker Easement).

The easement was placed on the property by Mr. William Soucie prior to selling the 5+ acre lot as a building site. Alden Township Planning Commission encouraged him to place an easement on the wetland and riparian area (creekside) habitat found on the property, for the purpose of implementing their land use plan. Mr. Soucie donated the easement, along with a contribution towards the LandConservancy endowment, in September of this year.

Mr. Soucie lived much of his life in Harvard where he owned an excavating business, and helped to found the Harvard Fire & Rescue squad.

The Alden Township Land Use Plan places a strong emphasis on natural resource protection. Alden is the only township in McHenry County with no incorporated municipality. It also has a high proportion of environmentally sensitive resources which include headwater streams for the Kishwaukee River (Lawrence, Mokeler, Rush) and also Nippersink Creek headwaters.

The easement prohibits use of wetland and creekside by horses or farm animals. This was done to prevent them from degrading the ecological resources. Over time, the Land Conservancy hopes to work with new property owners to improve diversity of the plant community in the wetland. Additionally, the Land Conservancy will be working with landowners along Mokeler Creek to try and protect a greenway corridor.

We look forward to continuing to work with Alden Township to help implement their land use plan.