More land preservation and merger are milestones of The Conservation Foundation's 45th year

Clean water, clean air, and protecting natural resources for the health and vitality of our communities have been the cornerstone of the dedicated work undertaken by The Conservation Foundation since its founding in 1972.

During its 45th anniversary this past year, the foundation continued that mission and expanded its reach in the community through education and neighborhood programs. Here are some of the milestones for 2017:

• Dayton Bluffs Preserve opens: This 253-acre preserve in Ottawa opened to the public in May, following three years of extensive restoration work that included removing two tons of trash out of the ravines, removing invasive plant species from 150 acres of woodlands, and planting 90 acres back to Illinois prairie.

The preserve has more than a mile of bluffs and Fox River frontage, multiple ravines, unique geological features, a pioneer cemetery, and several prehistoric archaeological sites. The preserve is leased to the city of Ottawa, which oversees daily operation.

• Fox River Initiative: This education and outreach program is focused in Kane, Kendall, and LaSalle counties to connect residents with the Fox River. Citizens are engaged in local conservation projects to become environmentally conscious stewards of nature. The Art of the Fox features the foundation's artist-in-residence, Joel Sheesley, a plein-air painter who is capturing the seasons and moods of the Fox River through his paintings, which will be shown in 2018.

• Fox Valley Monarch Corridor Project: The foundation is coordinating 11 other public and private land conservation organizations to create and improve monarch butterfly habitat along the Fox River. The Fox Valley monarch corridor extends over 975 acres and includes the establishment and restoration of 10 multi-acres sites and hundreds of "stepping-stone" sites in people's backyards to connect breeding and migration habitats of monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

• Green Earth Institute Merger: The foundation announced a merger with its longtime partner, the Green Earth Institute, beginning in 2018. GEI has leased 49 tillable acres at McDonald Farm in Naperville, its headquarters, since 2002, to promote nutritional health and environmental responsibility. Both organizations have used the farm for educational opportunities for area schools and neighbors. GEI's community-supported agriculture program, inviting the community to purchase a share of the expected harvest, will continue to provide freshly harvested organic vegetables during the growing season.

Highlights of the past 45 years

The Conservation Foundation has engaged more than 100,000 people to volunteer and participate in various conservation programs and activities. Other achievements include:

• Fostering the preservation of more than 35,000 acres of land;

• Leading efforts to develop watershed and river protection plans covering more than 600,000 acres of land;

• Distributed more than 13,000 rain barrels to promote water conservation awareness;

• Educated more than 20,000 children with hands-on learning through environmental education programs;

• Inspired more than 1,000 landowners to transform their properties to be more environmentally friendly through the Conservation@Home and Conservation@Work programs;

• Engaged more than 12,000 volunteers to clean up and remove 275 tons of trash from more than 100 miles of local streams through annual river sweeps.

To make all this happen, The Conservation Foundation has expanded its staff the last few years with professionals making up more than 150 years combined experience.

With more than 4,000 members, it is one of the region's oldest and largest nonprofit land and watershed conservation organizations. Since it was founded in 1972, the foundation has helped preserve more than 35,000 acres of open space, restored and cleaned miles of rivers and streams, and educated thousands of kids by engaging them in nature and the outdoors.

Its mission is to improve the health of our communities by preserving and restoring natural areas and open space, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of our environment.

Work is focused in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties to preserve and restore nature in your neighborhood. Find out more at theconservationfoundation.org. Follow https://www.facebook.com/TheConservationFoundation/.