Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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Nachusa Grasslands

Challenge Grant Is a Success!

7/29/2019

2 Comments

 
Picture
Orland Prairie, May 22, 2019
“Today you can stand anywhere on the 23-acre plot and see all the way across it in any direction. Previously, the woody invasives blocked the view. Now the prairie species will have space and sunlight to bloom and thrive.”  
--Mike Carr, Orland Prairie Steward
​​By Dee Hudson
Nachusa Grasslands Steward

​Asian honeysuckle and autumn olive brush were quite thick throughout a 23-acre plot of Nachusa’s Orland Prairie. Ten years of mowing and burning these invasives had little effect, as the shrubs kept resprouting. As long as these invasive shrubs remained, the native plants were suppressed. In order to help restore Orland Prairie, Friends of Nachusa Grasslands applied for a stewardship grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. The objective of the Community Stewardship Challenge Grant Program of the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation is to encourage increased community participation in the care of natural areas and wildlife habitat managed by non-profit organizations in Illinois. 
Picture
Native plants struggle to thrive within this thick patch of invasive autumn olive and honeysuckle brush.
The grant provided support to Friends of Nachusa Grasslands in a several ways:
​A Cash Donation Match Challenge
  • If Friends of Nachusa raised $7,000 from individual donors, the grant would match the dollars 3 to 1.
  • Result: In 2018 Friends raised the full $7,000 and was awarded $21,000 from Clean Energy Community Foundation.
Picture
Saturday workday volunteers
Volunteer Stewardship Challenge
  • Once Friends of Nachusa logged 400 volunteer hours on habitat care for the grant project site, they would receive additional grant money.
  • ​Result: After completing 400 volunteer stewardship hours, Friends of Nachusa Grasslands recently received an additional $4000 in grant money.
Picture
​“The 400+ hours of volunteer labor have really changed the trajectory of the target area for the good. It’s been a pleasure to work with a group of people, both regular and new volunteers, on a big project for the last 18 months.”
— Mike Carr, Orland Prairie Steward
Social Media Challenge
  • Friends of Nachusa was challenged to log 100 volunteer hours promoting the grant project site and stewardship work days on social media.
  • ​Result: With this final blog the Friends Social Media team concludes 100 volunteer hours used to publicize this project, earning an additional $2,000 grant money from the Foundation.
Picture
Facebook & Twitter social media posts
Equipment Purchase
  • The Foundation would reimburse up to 80% or $5,000 (whichever was less) of equipment purchases during the 18-month grant period.
  • Result: Friends of Nachusa purchased a skid loader grapple for Nachusa Grasslands and was reimbursed $3,577 by Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.
Picture
Grapple
​Come see Orland Prairie! Join steward, Mike Carr, as he leads a tour of the project site at Nachusa Grasslands’ Autumn on the Prairie on Saturday, September 21, from 2:45 to 4 pm. See the areas newly-cleared of dense brush and enjoy the young plants moving into the bare ground.
Picture
BEFORE PHOTO: May 9, 2018
Picture
AFTER PHOTO: May 16, 2019. Notice the invasive brush is missing and it's easy to see across the 23-acre land.
​Friends of Nachusa Grasslands would like to thank Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation for motivating and supporting our organization in this invaluable effort.
 
@illnoiscleanenergycommunityfoundation
#CSgrantsIL #NAicecfdn
2 Comments
Paul Swanson
8/12/2019 10:08:16 pm

Great job highlighting the importance of grants, explaining how they came about, and how they are being used. Financial support, volunteers, and staff form the community needed to restore Nachusa Grasslands to once again reflect the beauty of Illinois native landscapes and allow rare, precious plants and animals to prosper. Keep up the good work!

Reply
Bernie Buchholz
8/14/2019 09:37:43 pm

Thanks for a great summary of the grant objectives and how the goals were met. The Before and After photos very effectively tell a great story.

Reply

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    Blog Coordinator

    Dee Hudson
    I am a nature photographer, a freelance graphic designer, and steward at Nachusa's Thelma Carpenter Prairie. I have taken photos for Nachusa since 2012.

    Editor

    James Higby
    I have been a high school French teacher, registered piano technician, and librarian. In retirement I am a volunteer historian at Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society. 

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  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission, Leadership, Objectives, and Financials
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2024
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Guided Hikes
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • Autumn on the Prairie >
      • Yearly Festival
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Workday Email List
    • Volunteer Recognition
    • Docents
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Weed Reports
    • Native plant resources
    • Volunteer Stewards
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Resource Links
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Symposium 2025
    • 2025 Science Symposium Abstracts
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2025
      • Science Grants 2021 to 2024 >
        • Science Grants 2024
        • Science Grants 2023
        • Science Grants 2022
        • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2016 to 2020 >
        • Science Grants 2020
        • Science Grants 2019
        • Science Grants 2018
        • Science Grants 2017
        • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2011 to 2015 >
        • Science Grants 2015
        • Science Grants 2014
        • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Anderson Science Award
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Nachusa Staff
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • Websites of Interest
  • Teacher Resources
    • K-2nd grades
    • 3rd-5th grades
    • 6th-8th grades
    • High School
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs