Daily Herald opinion: ‘Land saved’: Conservation Foundation, benefactors spare parcel from development

“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.”

Mark Twain’s quote rings true in the suburbs.

After years of growth, few untouched parcels remain. Protecting open space is more crucial every year.

Thanks to the Conservation Foundation and two anonymous donors, one parcel will be saved from warehouses and other development.

As Alicia Fabbre reported in Sunday’s Daily Herald, a 122-acre parcel at Binnie and Randall Roads in Dundee Township was bought last year for $6 million. The sale took the land off the market for development.

A developer previously had suggested two warehouse projects in 2021 and 2022. However, strong resident opposition stopped those plans. An undisclosed resident purchased the land and later sold it to the Conservation Foundation.

The foundation plans to sell the land to the Kane County Forest Preserve District. The district applied for a grant last year to help fund this purchase. The foundation will sell the land for $4.5 million.

The site is next to Schweitzer Woods. It has a grove of oak trees that are estimated to be 150 to 200 years old. Jelke Creek also runs through the parcel.

“There are many natural benefits to that property,” said Bill Lenert, president of the Kane County Forest Preserve District. “It connects to our other forest preserve property and aligns with our land acquisition goals.”

Preliminary plans for the site include trails and restoration of wetlands, woodlands and prairies.

“It’s a generational opportunity, benefiting not just West Dundee but surrounding communities. It’s an impressive and valuable piece of nature,” said Tim Scott, West Dundee’s director of economic development, planning, zoning, and urban development.

Thanks to the efforts of residents, the Conservation Foundation, and others, suburbanites will be able to enjoy this parcel for decades.

We applaud this public-private partnership and hope we see more like it in the future.

They stopped making land a long time ago. We need to protect the few undisturbed open spaces left in the suburbs.