A northern Illinois conservation land trust recently sold land to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
White Wood Ridge Preserve is located next to Mississippi Palisades State Park, in Savanna, located in far northwestern Illinois. It is part of a significant migratory corridor bordering the Mississippi River, especially for songbirds.
The Natural Land Institute, a non-profit organization, bought the 55-acre preserve in 2021 with a grant to protect and hold it until the state department was able to purchase it.
Kim Johnsen is the director of marketing and membership with the Land Institute. She says the area has a special topography.
“There's a lot of ridges, and it's very hilly,” Johnsen said. “The trees itself provide cover for birds and it adds to the large complex of Mississippi Palisades with their protection for forest and songbirds.”
Since 1958, NLI has protected 18,000 acres of land, primarily in Illinois. NLI currently owns 3,084 acres (24 preserves) of protected land and holds 48 conservation easements (voluntary legal agreements) on 4,372 acres of land owned by individuals and other conservation organizations.
With so much land to cover, it can be a challenge, but Johnsen said the Institute’s commitment to conservation and acquisition serves a larger purpose.
“We service 12 counties. So, you know, if an opportunity comes up to protect land, we will look at it to see if it's feasible for us to acquire it.”
Funds from the sale of this preserve will be used to buy and protect more rural lands in Illinois.