$100K Donation For Forest Preserve Includes Funds For Romeoville Prairie Habitat

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A recent quarterly donation from the Nature Foundation of Will County will help support several projects, including ecological management on 68.5 acres of wetland and prairie habitat in Romeoville, according to a news release.

The Foundation's donation to the Forest Preserve District of Will County totaled $101,600. The funding will support the Forest Preserve’s preservation, conservation, education and recreation priorities, the preserve said.

“We’re proud to be a partner with the Forest Preserve District, supporting the programs and activities that protect nature, inspire discovery and bring people and nature together,” said Tara Neff, the Foundation’s executive director, as she presented the check to the Forest Preserve District's Board of Commissioners on Sept. 11.

Highlights of the Foundation’s donation include:

• $35,000 from Citgo Petroleum through its Caring for Our Coast program. The funds will be used for ecological management on 68.5 acres of wetland and prairie habitat at Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve in Romeoville.
• $5,000 from Vulcan Materials Company Foundation for the Forest Preserve District’s Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook. The money will be used to expand a native plant garden and install educational signs.
• $5,000 from Pembina Pipeline for outdoor habitat improvements at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.
• $2,500 from the Foundation itself for a new bicycle repair station at Monee Reservoir, which will be installed this fall.
• A $50,000 grant from Earthrise Energy to construct a shade structure at Monee Reservoir Visitor Center in Monee Township. “It’s designed specifically not to obstruct the beautiful waterfront view,” Neff said.

The preserve said that foundation sponsorships this year include $3,000 for the Forest Preserve's popular fall Woods Walk hiking challenge and $1,100 for the exhibit “Souvenirs From the Silurian Sea: Fossils of Will County,” which runs through Nov. 30 at Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville. The Foundation also has supported the yearlong Be a Trailblazer scavenger hunt experience.