NLI Initiative

Our Plan and Vision for the Future

The Natural Land Institute has established an ambitious goal of protecting 3,000 acres of land in priority areas by the end of 2008. In our Natural Land Initiative, we have identified the most important lands that need protection to maintain the quality of our rivers and streams and provide habitat for wildlife.

Using the latest mapping methods and databases, we have found that most of these areas are located along our river valleys and bluffs, and along our streams:

· South Branch of Kinnikinnick Creek - a spring-fed stream in northeastern Winnebago and northern Boone counties with many rare species of fish

· Pecatonica River and Sugar River bottomlands - the largest area of wetlands remaining in northern Illinois and home to bald eagles, osprey, herons and sandhill cranes

· Rock River bluffs and bottomlands B critical natural areas for song birds that need large tracts of forest habitat

· Kishwaukee River floodplain - important area of wetlands needed to protect the water quality of the river and habitat for wildlife

· Mississippi River bluffs - forested bluffs and prairies that provide important habitat for migratory birds, raptors and many rare species of plants and animals.

We are also working with several agencies to update the Boone-Winnebago Counties Greenways Plan to identify those areas that should be preserved to protect the water quality of our streams and rivers and provide recreational opportunities to local residents for hiking, biking, canoeing and hunting.

We are well on the way to meeting this goal, with the recent acquisitions of 112 acres on the Rock River and 234 acres on the Kyte River. We have also preserved 600 acres on the Kishwaukee River and 335 acres on the Mississippi River bluffs.

During the next four years we need to:

· Double the pace of land conservation just to keep up with the pace of development

· Collaborate with local agencies and land developers to incorporate conservation design principles into residential and commercial construction projects

· Build a stronger base to protect and manage conservation lands

· Ensure the protection of these lands from future development and provide stewardship that preserves the diversity of plant and animal species.

You can help us build on our years of experience in natural land conservation. The Natural Land Institute will continue to work with our partners and coordinate natural area volunteers, organizations and public agencies. We will save places that will never be paved over with highways or shopping centers - places that will be protected for all time.

Your financial support will help us sustain our comprehensive, non-adversarial approach to conservation by allowing us to accept donations of properties, buy lands, and restore and manage natural areas. Your support will help us respond to the special needs of the land and landowners with flexibility, confidentiality and swiftness, and allow us to help landowners establish the legal agreements that permanently limit future use and poorly planned growth that could destroy natural areas.

With your help, the Natural Land Institute will increase the quality and quantity of habitat for species of native plants and animals that are declining in number, or are in danger of disappearing from our area. We have a vision to restore threatened species to healthy population levels. We will accomplish this by:

· Restoring natural habitat for plants and animals that are declining in numbers

The Natural Land Institute will continue its role as a leading advocate for preserving natural areas along our river valleys and bluffs. We want to maintain our close cooperation with private landowners, government agencies and other conservation organizations and enhance our ability to work in partnership with them to acquire critical land for parks and preserves. We want to find new approaches to preserve natural land through conservation development and greenways planning.

During the past three years, we have made wise use of donations from our supporters. We have been able to acquire $70 worth of land for every $1 of staff time spent. Almost 1,000 acres of land, worth $2,130,000 were protected from January 2002 to December 2004.

We ask you to be among our supporters who take pride in knowing they have played a key part to protect the natural lands that make our communities special. We ask you to work with our committed Board of Trustees, with our other volunteers and contributors, and with our staff.

Almost fifty years ago, the Natural Land Institute’s founder, George Fell, inspired our Natural Land Initiative and future programs when he said:

Perhaps nobody before us had seen the need or been able to set aside natural areas. And those that follow will no longer have the chance. They will only be able to care for what we leave them.

Send mail to jkennay@aol.com with questions or comments about this web site.