The next time you are traveling along Route 47 between Woodstock and Hebron, look for a sunlit oak savanna on the east side of the road where the road crosses the Nippersink Creek. The savanna marks the place where the Shaw family once pastured their dairy cows. The cows are long gone, but the son that spent so much time playing and working on this land is still there.
TLC first met Judy Woodson when she invited Oak Keepers to her property in 2008. It was the first year Oak Keepers began visiting private landowners with remnant oak woodlands. Judy’s land was one of the first properties visited because it is part of one of the largest intact oak groves in McHenry County. Five years later, in 2013, the land became preserved forever!
"Soulful Prairies became a white canvas and our palette was loaded with color. We researched, dreamed and schemed to create a beautiful place with sustainability, restoration and salvage in mind. Each step has brought growth and change. As we restore the land there is a sense of renewal that we wish nothing more than to share with others." Linda Bruce
In June 2013, TLC accepted the donation of 30 acres north of Marengo. The donor, Eric Tauck, grew up next door, on the land owned by his parents. Eric bought the land to protect it from development. Now, he knows it will remain natural forever.
The Big Woods of McHenry County once extended from Marengo to Alden, straddling the steep topography of the Marengo Ridge. Today only scattered remnants of that woodland survive, with most of those blocks less than twenty acres in size. The opportunity to preserve a nearly one hundred acre stand of oaks
In July of 2013, TLC accepted a donation from Mark Burhoe of 13 acres of land located in unincorporated McHenry Township. Part of the donation agreement allowed Mark to name the site. He named it after his mother. What made this city kid want to buy land out in the country? Here is Mark’s story...
As the oldest residents of McHenry County, old oak trees connect us to a time before McHenry County existed – before the State of Illinois was established – in some cases, before the Declaration of Independence was written!
TLC is pleased to announce the donation of a 23 acre permanent conservation easement along the west branch of Dutch Creek in Johnsburg. A small oak savanna, wetland and riparian habitat on the property are located within the Remington Grove subdivision that has been in limbo since the original developer filed for bankruptcy a few years ago.
The Land Conservancy of McHenry County is a GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant |
Get Involved with TLCVision: A community where people take care of their home – McHenry County – by conserving land and water resources for all generations to come. Mission: To preserve natural, agricultural and scenic land forever, in and around McHenry County, by working with private landowners, communities and other like-minded partners. Give now! |
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