Lake County forest district plans $2 million addition to Ray Lake
Another piece of property in Fremont Township is being acquired for what Lake County Forest Preserve District officials envision as a restoration project that will someday rival the Rollins Savanna as a habitat for wildlife.
Forest district commissioners at Tuesday's board meeting expect to sign off on the purchase of nearly 62 acres for a little more than $2 million as an addition to the Ray Lake Forest Preserve.
If approved, it would be the third addition since November to the preserve between Gilmer and Fremont Center roads, totaling about 414 acres and representing an investment of about $12 million. Known as the White property, the latest proposed buy is on both sides of Erhart Road northeast of Ray Lake's main entrance, and is nearly surrounded by existing forest preserve holdings.
"The ecology of the area and the biodiversity, it just makes so much sense for us," said Ty Kovach, the district's executive director.
According to Kovach's recommendation, the property meets acquisition goals of adding to existing preserves, protecting wildlife habitat, protecting against flooding, and providing trails and scenic vistas. The White property is farm land and would continue as such until restoration begins in a few years.
The expansion of Ray Lake began in November with the acquisition of 337 acres of Cuneo property, one of the single largest purchases in the district's history. Another 15 acres was added in January. All have been willing sellers, according to district officials.
The intent is to assemble an expansive area that can be restored to grasslands and wetlands to rival that of the 1,221-acre Rollins Savanna near Grayslake. Acquired in pieces between 1988 and 1993, Rollins represents the largest restoration undertaken by the forest preserve district and is known as "The Birder's Field of Dreams."
"All these families have been willing (to sell) and it is coming together nicely," said Jim Anderson, the district's director of natural resources. The goal is to restore the rolling property to a native grassland as may have been seen hundreds of years ago, district officials said.
"We're trying to piece together a nice big block of land," Anderson said. "This is an important parcel."
Restoration of the additions to Ray Lake will take several years but will begin soon with a survey of drain tiles.
The White property purchase is through $185 million in funding approved in 2008 by voters. But that source is running out, with $8.5 million available for land acquisition and $19.2 million for development.
"We don't have much left," Kovach said.