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Kane County Forest Preserve adds 2 parcels

Open space in Kane County has grown by 70 acres with the latest two land purchases by the Kane County Forest Preserve District.

The district announced the land purchases this week. The investments represent the second and third deals closed using proceeds from the $30 million tax increase voters approved last spring. The first purchase with referendum dollars came in June with the addition of 350 acres in Plato and Campton townships at a price of about $6.9 million.

The second overall purchase is 19 acres in Sugar Grove adjacent to the existing Lake Run Forest Preserve. Lake Run, on Tanner Road west of Orchard Road, is part of an overall trail system that connects to the Aurora West Forest Preserve. The plan is to eventually connect those two preserves with the Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia.

The district purchased the 19 acres from the Antoinette Frieders Trust for about $272,000. The land is specifically located on the south side of Seavy Road and was originally owned by the Reckinger family.

The third purchase adds about 51 acres to the Freeman Kame-Meagher Forest Preserve in Gilberts. Freeman Kame is on Freeman Road and Meagher is between Powers and Freeman roads. The preserve is considered one of the district's highest quality natural areas, Drew Ullberg, director of natural resources for the district, said in a written statement.

“In an effort to expand preserve size and also to protect wetland, this wetland property will be a great addition to the southern end of Freeman Kame,” Ullberg said. “The larger the preserve, the better we're able to establish or increase the biodiversity.”

Freeman Kame is located on the northern part of the kettle moraine complex north of Gilberts. The preserve is known for its wet kettle pockets defined by the wooded kames and numerous hills and drumlins.

The district purchased the new wetland area from Phillip and Pamela Vovola for about $724,000.

The addition of the two land parcels brings the total land holdings of the Kane County Forest Preserve District to 19,232 acres.